Counties with the best public schools

Everyone stresses the importance of receiving a good education from a young age. Oftentimes, the quality of the schools in the area is a significant factor to consider when a family chooses to move to a new place. Because the prices for private school tuition keep rising, many families tend to enroll their kids in a public school. Certain public schools are better than others; however, certain counties have better public schools to choose from.

In order to alleviate some of the stress of choosing a new location to settle down in, Stacker looked at data from Niche's 2018 Counties with the Best Public Schools in America list to determine which county in every state has the best public schools. Niche used a combination of graduation rates, standardized and state test scores, quality of teachers, and reviews from parents and students to rank each public school in a county and then aggregated those rankings to give a final ranking for each county. Niche's full methodology can be found here.

Stacker compiled a list of 50 counties—one from every state in alphabetical order—with at least 10,000 residents. Included in the list besides a grade for public schools are the county's population, as well as grades for cost of living, diversity, crime and safety in the area, outdoor activities, commuting, and an overall Niche grade.

Finding the best quality of education can be a tedious task; Stacker is here to help you alleviate some of that stress with our analysis.

Kevin Dooley // Flickr

1 / 50

Wyoming: Sheridan County

Population: 29,924
Overall Niche grade: A-
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A

GoodFreePhotos

2 / 50

Wisconsin: Ozaukee County

Population: 87,625
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B

Ryan Stanton // Flickr

3 / 50

West Virginia: Ohio County

Population: 43,257
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: A-
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A-

Joe Mabel // Wikicommons

4 / 50

Washington: King County

Population: 2,079,550
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: D
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: C
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Wikipedia

5 / 50

Virginia: Loudoun County

Population: 362,435
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: C+

Beyond My Ken // Wikicommons

6 / 50

Vermont: Chittenden County

Population: 160,510
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: A-

Tricia Simpson // Wikicommons

7 / 50

Utah: Summit County

Population: 39,009
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: D+
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: A+
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B+

Patrick Feller // Flickr

8 / 50

Texas: Collin County

Population: 886,633
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: B-
Commute grade: C+

Concord715 // Wikicommons

9 / 50

Tennessee: Williamson County

Population: 205,645
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B-
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: C+

Jon Platek // Wikicommons

10 / 50

South Dakota: Brookings County

Population: 33,435
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A-
Cost of living grade: B+
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A

Connor401 // Wikicommons

11 / 50

South Carolina: York County

Population: 245,606
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B-

Marcbela // Wikicommons

12 / 50

Rhode Island: Bristol County

Population: 49,228
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: A-
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Wikipedia

13 / 50

Pennsylvania: Montgomery County

Population: 815,876
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Joe Mabel // Wikicommons

14 / 50

Oregon: Benton County

Population: 87,455
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: A

Keith8404 // Wikicommons

15 / 50

Oklahoma: Payne County

Population: 79,953
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: N/A
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: C
Commute grade: A

Ron Reiring // Wikicommons

16 / 50

Ohio: Delaware County

Population: 188,996
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B-
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: C+

Wikipedia

17 / 50

North Dakota: Grand Forks County

Population: 69,793
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: B-
Commute grade: A

James Willamor // Wikicommons

18 / 50

North Carolina: Orange County

Population: 139,807
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A-

Steve Carrea // Wikicommons

19 / 50

New York: Westchester County

Population: 969,229
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: D-
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B-

AllenS // Wikicommons

20 / 50

New Mexico: Los Alamos County

Population: 17,895
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: A-
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: A+

Lalmeister // Wikicommons

21 / 50

New Jersey: Morris County

Population: 498,215
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: D+
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B-

Doug Kerr // Flickr

22 / 50

New Hampshire : Grafton County

Population: 89,164
Overall Niche grade: A-
Public schools grade: A-
Cost of living grade: C
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: A-

Ken L. // Wikicommons

23 / 50

Nevada: Douglas County

Population: 47,426
Overall Niche grade: B+
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: N/A
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Hanyou23 // Wikicommons

24 / 50

Nebraska: Lancaster County

Population: 301,707
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A

Prizrak 2084 // Wikicommons

25 / 50

Montana: Missoula County

Population: 113,101
Overall Niche grade: A-
Public schools grade: B+
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A

Mwkruse // Wikicommons

26 / 50

Missouri: Platte County

Population: 94,970
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: B

BobCummings // Wikicommons

27 / 50

Mississippi: Lafayette County

Population: 52,193
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: A

Dwight Burdette // Wikicommons

28 / 50

Minnesota: Carver County

Population: 97,143
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Traveler100 // Wikicommons

29 / 50

Michigan: Washtenaw County

Population: 358,082
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B-
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: A-

John Phelan // Wikicommons

30 / 50

Massachusetts: Norfolk County

Population: 691,218
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B-

Author Mike Haw from Hyattsville, MD, USA // Wikicommons

31 / 50

Maryland: Howard County

Population: 308,447
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: N/A
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: C+

Lee Coursey // Wikicommons

32 / 50

Maine: Hancock County

Population: 54,483
Overall Niche grade: B+
Public schools grade: A-
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: C
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B+

Spatms // Wikicommons

33 / 50

Louisiana: St. Charles Parish

Population: 52,708
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: N/A
Outdoor activities grade: B
Commute grade: C+

Nyttend // Wikicommons

34 / 50

Kentucky: Calloway County

Population: 38,302
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B+
Diversity grade: C+
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: B
Commute grade: A

Ichabod // Wikicommons

35 / 50

Kansas: Johnson County

Population: 572,428
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B

Ashton B Crew // Wikicommons

36 / 50

Iowa: Story County

Population: 94,834
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B-
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: B-
Commute grade: A

Carmel,Indiana // Wikicommons

37 / 50

Indiana: Hamilton County

Population: 303,042
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: A-
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: B-

Kseferovic // Wikicommons

38 / 50

Illinois: DuPage County

Population: 930,514
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B-

Acroterion // Wikicommons

39 / 50

Idaho: Blaine County

Population: 21,427
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A
Cost of living grade: D+
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B+
Outdoor activities grade: B
Commute grade: A

ErgoSum88 // Wikicommons

40 / 50

Hawaii: Honolulu County

Population: 986,999
Overall Niche grade: B-
Public schools grade: B-
Cost of living grade: D-
Diversity grade: N/A
Crime & safety grade: N/A
Outdoor activities grade: C
Commute grade: B

Thomson200 // Wikicommons

41 / 50

Georgia: Forsyth County

Population: 203,841
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B-
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: C

Pixabay

42 / 50

Florida: St. Johns County

Population: 218,362
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: C+
Diversity grade: B
Crime & safety grade: C
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B-

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikicommons

43 / 50

Delaware: Kent County

Population: 171,474
Overall Niche grade: B+
Public schools grade: A-
Cost of living grade: B-
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: C
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: B

Wikipedia

44 / 50

Connecticut: Fairfield County

Population: 941,618
Overall Niche grade: A
Public schools grade: A-
Cost of living grade: D
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: B

Hustvedt // Wikicommons

45 / 50

Colorado: Boulder County

Population: 313,961
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: D+
Diversity grade: B+
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: A
Commute grade: A-

Brocken Inaglory // Wikicommons

46 / 50

California: Marin County

Population: 259,358
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: D-
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: B-
Outdoor activities grade: A+
Commute grade: B

Brandonrush // Wikicommons

47 / 50

Arkansas: Benton County

Population: 245,231
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B+
Diversity grade: A-
Crime & safety grade: B
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: B+

Tony the Marine // Wikicommons

48 / 50

Arizona: Maricopa County

Population: 4,088,549
Overall Niche grade: A-
Public schools grade: B
Cost of living grade: C-
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: A-
Commute grade: B

Scott McMurren // Wikicommons

49 / 50

Alaska: Kenai Peninsula Borough

Population: 57,637
Overall Niche grade: B
Public schools grade: B
Cost of living grade: C
Diversity grade: N/A
Crime & safety grade: C+
Outdoor activities grade: B-
Commute grade: A-

Brandonrush // Wikicommons

50 / 50

Alabama: Madison County

Population: 349,973
Overall Niche grade: A+
Public schools grade: A+
Cost of living grade: B+
Diversity grade: A
Crime & safety grade: C
Outdoor activities grade: B+
Commute grade: B

Counties with the best public schools

Wyoming: Sheridan County

Wisconsin: Ozaukee County

West Virginia: Ohio County

Washington: King County

Virginia: Loudoun County

Vermont: Chittenden County

Utah: Summit County

Texas: Collin County

Tennessee: Williamson County

South Dakota: Brookings County

South Carolina: York County

Rhode Island: Bristol County

Pennsylvania: Montgomery County

Oregon: Benton County

Oklahoma: Payne County

Ohio: Delaware County

North Dakota: Grand Forks County

North Carolina: Orange County

New York: Westchester County

New Mexico: Los Alamos County

New Jersey: Morris County

New Hampshire : Grafton County

Nevada: Douglas County

Nebraska: Lancaster County

Montana: Missoula County

Missouri: Platte County

Mississippi: Lafayette County

Minnesota: Carver County

Michigan: Washtenaw County

Massachusetts: Norfolk County

Maryland: Howard County

Maine: Hancock County

Louisiana: St. Charles Parish

Kentucky: Calloway County

Kansas: Johnson County

Iowa: Story County

Indiana: Hamilton County

Illinois: DuPage County

Idaho: Blaine County

Hawaii: Honolulu County

Georgia: Forsyth County

Florida: St. Johns County

Delaware: Kent County

Connecticut: Fairfield County

Colorado: Boulder County

California: Marin County

Arkansas: Benton County

Arizona: Maricopa County

Alaska: Kenai Peninsula Borough

Alabama: Madison County

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