Multiple Sources · 47 states

States With Best Public Schools

Public school quality varies dramatically across the United States, with consequences that follow students throughout their lives. States with the highest-performing public schools share common features: higher per-pupil spending, well-compensated teachers, affluent communities, and strong academic expectations. School performance is measured using a composite score factoring in test proficiency, graduation rates, college readiness, and student growth. The correlation between school quality and household income is one of the most persistent patterns in American education. However, some states achieve strong results despite moderate spending by investing in teacher quality and evidence-based curricula.

Key Findings

1New Hampshire leads with a school performance score of 59, followed by North Dakota (58) and Maine (57).
2Mississippi ranks last at 47, while New Hampshire leads at 59.
3The national median across all states is 54 (Maryland at the midpoint).
4The top 10 states are: New Hampshire, North Dakota, Maine, New Jersey, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, Connecticut, Idaho, Nebraska.

Full Ranking: States With Best Public Schools

Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

#	State	School Score	Grade	Schools
1	Wyoming	57	C	351
2	Wisconsin	56	C	2,205
3	West Virginia	54	C	648
4	Washington	54	C	2,465
5	Virginia	52	C	1,869
6	Vermont	57	C	289
7	Utah	56	C	1,068
8	Texas	52	C	9,061
9	Tennessee	54	C	1,844
10	South Dakota	57	C	698
11	South Carolina	50	C	1,215
12	Rhode Island	55	C	309
13	Pennsylvania	53	C	2,930
14	Oregon	53	C	1,277
15	Oklahoma	52	C	1,778
16	Ohio	55	C	3,586
17	North Dakota	58	C	499
18	North Carolina	51	C	2,703
19	New York	54	C	4,812
20	New Mexico	50	C	873
21	New Jersey	57	C	2,509
22	New Hampshire	59	C	500
23	Nevada	48	D	742
24	Nebraska	56	C	1,010
25	Montana	54	C	826
26	Missouri	54	C	2,321
27	Mississippi	47	D	877
28	Michigan	53	C	3,399
29	Massachusetts	55	C	1,831
30	Maryland	54	C	1,383
31	Maine	57	C	570
32	Louisiana	51	C	1,330
33	Kansas	55	C	1,354
34	Illinois	54	C	3,845
35	Idaho	56	C	778
36	Hawaii	55	C	295
37	Georgia	52	C	2,315
38	Florida	53	C	4,029
39	District of Columbia	54	C	243
40	Delaware	54	C	223
41	Connecticut	56	C	1,005
42	Colorado	55	C	1,923
43	California	51	C	10,006
44	Arkansas	52	C	1,069
45	Arizona	54	C	2,186
46	Alaska	55	C	496
47	Alabama	52	C	1,369

Methodology

Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

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Frequently Asked Questions

New Hampshire has the highest school performance score at 59, according to Census ACS 2023 data. North Dakota and Maine round out the top three.

Mississippi has the lowest school performance score at 47. Nevada is second-lowest at 48.

The median across all 47 states is 54. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently — the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.

This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.

Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS data (currently 2023 5-Year estimates). The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually, typically in September. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates