Best places to live for public schools (2026)

The top 50 of 1,991 US cities, suburbs and towns.

Ranked by our Schools score: public school math and reading results in 2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP 2019, so places in different states compare fairly.

1. 1East Meadow, NYSuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $818k100
2. 2Belmont, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.37M100
3. 3Lexington, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 11 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.24M100
4. 4Brentwood, TNSuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $800k99
5. 5Los Altos, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 21 students per teacher · 3-bed $4.13M99
6. 6Potomac, MDSuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $868k98
7. 7Cupertino, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 24 students per teacher · 3-bed $2.69M98
8. 8Southlake, TXSuburb · tests well above US average · 16 students per teacher · 3-bed $951k98
9. 9Westport, CTSuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.39M97
10. 10Livingston, NJSuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $909k97
11. 11Bethesda, MDSuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.02M96
12. 12Saratoga, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 22 students per teacher · 3-bed $3.09M96
13. 13Bernards, NJSuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $911k96
14. 14Wellesley, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.48M96
15. 15Lower Merion, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $917k96
16. 16Northbrook, ILSuburb · tests well above US average · 11 students per teacher · 3-bed $603k96
17. 17Mount Lebanon, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $423k96
18. 18Commack, NYSuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $782k96
19. 19Plainview, NYSuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $956k96
20. 20Radnor, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $933k96
21. 21West Windsor, NJSuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $844k95
22. 22Saratoga Springs, NYSmall city · tests well above US average · 15 students per teacher · 3-bed $601k95
23. 23Sammamish, WASuburb · tests well above US average · 20 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.16M95
24. 24Manhattan Beach, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 25 students per teacher · 3-bed $2.78M95
25. 25Needham, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.24M95
26. 26Tredyffrin, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 16 students per teacher · 3-bed $771k95
27. 27Bethany, ORSuburb · tests well above US average · 21 students per teacher · 3-bed $813k94
28. 28South Pasadena, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 25 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.65M94
29. 29Palo Alto, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 18 students per teacher · 3-bed $3.28M94
30. 30Granger, INCollege town · tests well above US average · 22 students per teacher · 3-bed $342k94
31. 31Upper Dublin, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $628k94
32. 32Westfield, NJSuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $999k94
33. 33Hanover, NHCollege town · tests well above US average · 11 students per teacher · 3-bed $964k94
34. 34San Ramon, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 25 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.20M94
35. 35Pittsford, NYSuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $424k94
36. 36Brookline, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.36M93
37. 37Severna Park, MDSuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $632k93
38. 38McLean, VASuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.11M93
39. 39Johns Creek, GASuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $481k93
40. 40Lake Oswego, ORSuburb · tests well above US average · 20 students per teacher · 3-bed $753k93
41. 41Carmel, INSuburb · tests well above US average · 20 students per teacher · 3-bed $461k93
42. 42Newton, MASuburb · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $1.27M93
43. 43Belmont, CASuburb · tests well above US average · 23 students per teacher · 3-bed $2.15M93
44. 44Brownsburg, INSuburb · tests well above US average · 17 students per teacher · 3-bed $308k92
45. 45Princeton, NJCollege town · tests well above US average · 11 students per teacher · 3-bed $793k92
46. 46State College, PACollege town · tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher · 3-bed $386k92
47. 47Mason, OHSuburb · tests well above US average · 21 students per teacher · 3-bed $361k92
48. 48West Islip, NYSuburb · tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher · 3-bed $740k92
49. 49Trumbull, CTSuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $620k92
50. 50McCandless, PASuburb · tests well above US average · 14 students per teacher · 3-bed $381k92

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families · Best places for public schools

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.