When people are looking to buy a house, one of the first questions they ask is about the public schools in the community. In fact, for 15% of homebuyers, the quality of the school district is a key factor in a purchasing decision, according to a 2023 National Association of Realtors survey.
For people in the age ranges most likely to have school-age children, it’s even more important: 22% of buyers ages 24 to 32, 30% of buyers ages 33 to 42, and 23% of buyers ages 43 to 57 consider school quality an important factor, the survey found.
The exact premium a house in a good school district can command is unclear. Data from a decade-old 2013 Redfin analysis found that buyers in neighborhoods with top-ranked schools paid $50 more per square foot than buyers of similar homes in neighborhoods with average-ranked schools. An analysis that same year from Curbed Los Angeles found homes in top-notch public school districts in LA were 79% more expensive than similar homes in average districts.
It stands to reason that access to good public schools is extremely valuable. The average annual tuition for a private school is $12,167 per student, according to the Education Data Initiative. So paying even tens of thousands of dollars more for a house with top-notch public education can be similar in total costs to buying a cheaper house in a lesser district while paying for private education.
Stacker used data from Niche to look at the 25 cities with the best school districts in the United States. To identify the leading cities, Niche used their individual public schools ranking data, weighted based on their student populations. The overall Niche grade is also included, which scores the city more generally as a place to live.
Of the top 25 districts in the U.S., 11 are in California, five are in Texas, and two are in Virginia. Seven states each have one of the top districts: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington.
25. Roseville, California
- Population: 145,687
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A-
24. Round Rock, Texas
- Population: 117,735
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A
23. Temecula, California
- Population: 109,376
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: B+
22. Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Population: 457,658
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A
21. Columbia, Maryland
- Population: 105,086
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A+
20. San Diego
- Population: 1,385,398
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A
19. Santa Clara, California
- Population: 127,922
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A+
18. Richardson, Texas
- Population: 115,904
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A+
17. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Population: 116,892
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A+
16. Boulder, Colorado
- Population: 104,930
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A
15. Sunnyvale, California
- Population: 155,550
- Public school grade: A
- Overall Niche grade: A+
14. College Station, Texas
- Population: 116,276
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A
13. Burbank, California
- Population: 107,364
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A
12. Torrance, California
- Population: 147,156
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A
11. Arlington, Virginia
- Population: 235,764
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
10. Berkeley, California
- Population: 119,607
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
9. Overland Park, Kansas
- Population: 195,249
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
8. Plano, Texas
- Population: 282,181
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
7. Thousand Oaks, California
- Population: 127,274
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A
6. The Woodlands, Texas
- Population: 115,716
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
5. Carlsbad, California
- Population: 114,858
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A
4. Irvine, California
- Population: 297,868
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
3. Bellevue, Washington
- Population: 149,365
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
2. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Population: 122,731
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
1. Naperville, Illinois
- Population: 149,013
- Public school grade: A+
- Overall Niche grade: A+
Data reporting by Emma Rubin. Story editing by Ashleigh Graf. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Michael Flocker.
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