The Richest School Districts in Every State
Families from various economic backgrounds face different interests and issues, but people of all income backgrounds tend to share at least one priority: their children’s education.
Educational opportunities, however, often are greater for children living in school districts where the local inhabitants have higher incomes. School districts located in areas that have a higher median income generally have a higher property tax base to draw on — plus parents willing to write a check for special projects.
Even if you aren’t among the wealthiest people in your area, you still might find housing you can afford in some of the nation’s best — or at least the most well-funded — public schools in your state. GOBankingRates analyzed every unified school district across America and used U.S. Census Bureau data to find the school district with the highest median household income in each state. Read on to discover if your child is attending school in one of the richest areas in the U.S.
Alabama — Mountain Brook City School District
Median household income: $143,221
This school district serves the small city of Mountain Brook, a wealthy suburb of Birmingham, Alabama.
Alaska — Valdez City School District
Median household income: $95,847
Alaska’s Valdez City School District sits “where the mountains meet the sea,” in the words of the district’s slogan.
Arizona — Cave Creek Unified District
Median household income: $112,102
Roughly 40 miles north-northeast of Phoenix lies Arizona’s richest school district: the Cave Creek Unified District. It’s located on the edge of Tonto National Forest.
Arkansas — Valley View School District
Median household income: $86,220
Nestled near the Arkansas city of Jonesboro, the Valley View School District is about an hour’s drive northwest of Memphis, Tennessee.
California — Piedmont Unified School District
Median household income: $210,889
In a battle of wealth between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, the tech entrepreneurs appear to have beaten out the movie stars. Piedmont is located just outside of Oakland, California, and its school district boasts the richest inhabitants in the state.
Colorado — Lewis-Palmer School District 38
Median household income: $118,963
Located north of Colorado Springs, the Lewis-Palmer School District 38 is close to the legendary Colorado landmark Pikes Peak. It also has the distinction of being the state’s richest school district.
Connecticut — Weston School District
Median household income: $219,083
Students in the Weston School District, which boasts the fourth-highest state median household income in this study, have plenty of opportunities to explore the natural world should they develop an interest in biology. Devil’s Den Nature Preserve is right next door, and the beaches of Sherwood Island State Park lie less than 10 miles to the south.
Delaware — Appoquinimink School District
Median household income: $101,759
Don’t worry, spelling “Appoquinimink” correctly probably isn’t a requirement for your child to attend school in this district. But, with a median household income north of six figures, most of the local residents likely could afford an English tutor, anyway.
Florida — St. Johns County School District
Median household income: $77,323
Sitting southeast of Jacksonville, Florida, St. Johns County School District is situated between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic coast.
Georgia — Forsyth County School District
Median household income: $101,743
Roughly a 50-mile drive northeast of Atlanta, the Forsyth County School District is located relatively close to Lake Lanier. Its residents earn a median household income of just over $100,000.
Hawaii — Hawaii Department of Education
Median household income: $78,084
You might be able to lead a less stressful life in the island paradise of Hawaii. Picking the right school district for your child won’t be an issue because all 256 schools in the state are administered by the Hawaii Department of Education.
Idaho — Kuna Joint School District 3
Median household income: $71,125
Kuna Joint School District 3 is the wealthiest school district in Idaho, but it’s also the “poorest” of the richest school districts. Among all the districts included in this ranking, Kuna Joint School District 3 has the lowest median household income.
Illinois — Barrington Community Unit School District 220
Median household income: $127,086
The richest school district in Illinois is located in the suburbs of Chicago. Barrington is about 40 miles northwest of the Windy City.
Indiana — Zionsville Community Schools
Median household income: $121,168
Zionsville is a suburb of Indianapolis, just north of the city along the winding Eagle Creek. The town’s inhabitants have done pretty well for themselves, as their school district boasts Indiana’s highest median household income.
Iowa — Van Meter Community School District
Median household income: $114,038
If you’re driving out of Des Moines, Iowa, and headed west on Interstate 80, it won’t be long before you’re driving past the Van Meter Community School District, where the median household income exceeds six figures.
Kansas — Blue Valley Unified School District 229
Median household income: $116,494
Families in suburban Kansas City’s Blue Valley Unified School District 229 are the top dogs in the state, earning well into six figures on average.
Read More: The States That Spend the Most and Least on Education
Kentucky — Oldham County School District
Median household income: $97,597
Oldham County is located northeast of Louisville, Kentucky. It’s one of 15 school districts in GOBankingRates’ study that have a median household income below $100,000 a year.
Louisiana — Ascension Parish School District
Median household income: $76,589
Louisiana has one of the lowest median incomes in the U.S., and this is reflected in its wealthiest school district. The Ascension Parish School District ranks third-lowest in the nation in terms of median household income. It is located roughly 30 minutes from Baton Rouge.
Maine — Falmouth School Department
Median household income: $119,679
Falmouth is a well-to-do school district located to the north of Portland, Maine. And, with the University of Southern Maine and the Portland Observatory close by, children attending school in this district probably don’t lack for good field trip options.
Maryland — Howard County Public Schools
Median household income: $117,730
Howard County is situated to the west of Baltimore. With a median household income approaching $118,000, it’s clear why this area is home to Maryland’s richest school district.
Massachusetts — Wellesley School District
Median household income: $188,908
The Wellesley School District gives Massachusetts the seventh-wealthiest district in the nation. Many young professionals live in this Boston suburb.
Michigan — East Grand Rapids Public School District
Median household income: $133,696
This small Grand Rapids suburb offers residents a rural feel and a good school district.
Minnesota — Edina Public School District
Median household income: $119,294
Edina is a large suburb southwest of Minneapolis. The wealthy urban region houses many retirees, in addition to families that enjoy its highly rated public schools.
Mississippi — Madison County School District
Median household income: $81,082
The Madison County School District sits just northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. Both the Bienville and the Delta national forests are close enough to be viable day trips, which might appeal to avid biology students.
Missouri — Ladue School District
Median household income: $121,447
With a median household income of more than $121,000 a year, the Ladue School District is situated west of St. Louis, aka the Gateway to the West. A field trip to this major city could be a great way for students to learn about the Lewis and Clark expedition in history class.
Montana — Cottonwood Elementary School District (Gallatin County)
Median household income: $111,250
Cottonwood Elementary School District is in Big Sky country. In picturesque Gallatin County, residents can enjoy everything from the charm of Bozeman to the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone National Park.
Nebraska — Gretna Public Schools
Median household income: $109,176
Gretna is a suburb southwest of Omaha popular with families and young professionals. It’s a great place to raise kids interested in baseball; the home of the College World Series is just a short jaunt away.
Nevada — Lander County School District
Median household income: $93,583
If you assumed that Nevada’s richest school district would be located near Las Vegas, state capital Reno or the swanky Lake Tahoe, you were wrong. The Lander County School District is next to Interstate 80 in Battle Mountain in the northern part of the state.
New Hampshire — Windham School District
Median household income: $133,222
Even though Windham is in New Hampshire, it’s considered a suburb of Boston. Located northwest of the city, Windham is known for its good schools and its rural feel, popular with families.
New Jersey — Mountain Lakes Borough School District
Median household income: $216,250
The Mountain Lakes Borough School District gives New Jersey a hold on the fifth-wealthiest spot in the nation. Despite its location, Mountain Lakes is considered a rural suburb of New York City.
New Mexico — Los Alamos Public Schools
Median household income: $115,248
Los Alamos is home to New Mexico’s richest school district. It’s also close to places such as the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and the Bradbury Science Museum, which means kids developing a passion for science should have a lot to feed their interest.
New York — Scarsdale Union Free School District and Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Median household income: $250,000
Two districts tie for the title of richest school district in the country, and they both lie in New York. The Scarsdale Union Free School District is just south of White Plains, New York, while the Cold Spring Harbor Central School District is on Long Island.
Find Out: What It Costs To Live In America’s Most Expensive ZIP Codes
North Carolina — Wake County Public School System
Median household income: $76,956
While the highest earners in North Carolina live within the Wake County Public School System, their wages don’t compare to those in the richest school districts in other states. The median household income in the Wake County district is less than $77,000 a year, which is the fourth-lowest in GOBankingRates’ study.
North Dakota — Thompson Public School District 61
Median household income: $108,519
Thompson Public Schools — home of the Tommies — states its mission is to “develop lifelong learners and responsible citizens.” With the median household income exceeding six figures, the school district should have plenty of funding to commit to seeing its mission through.
Ohio — Orange City School District
Median household income: $136,793
Located in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, the Orange City School District has the highest median household income in Ohio, making it the Buckeye State’s richest school district.
Oklahoma — Deer Creek Public Schools
Median household income: $111,786
Head north from Oklahoma City, and you’ll eventually pass through the Deer Creek Public Schools region, near Edmond, Oklahoma. The median household income in this school district is more than $111,000 per year.
Oregon — Riverdale School District 51J
Median household income: $234,167
Riverdale School District 51J boasts a median household income of $234,167, putting it among the wealthiest school districts in the country. Only two other districts in this study — those New York schools tied for the top position on the list — have higher average incomes.
Pennsylvania — Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
Median household income: $133,983
This district lies in suburban Tredyffrin Township, northwest of Philadelphia, and is popular with families — no doubt in part due to the immense educational opportunities lying a short distance away in the home of the Constitutional Convention.
Rhode Island — Barrington School District
Median household income: $123,021
In the nation’s smallest state, the richest school district can be found in Barrington, a suburb of Providence, the state capital. Its residents have a median household income exceeding $123,000.
South Carolina — York School District 4
Median household income: $91,690
Not far from Lake Wylie, South Carolina’s richest school district sits near the border with North Carolina. It goes by both the Fort Mills School District and the York School District 4.
South Dakota — Brandon Valley School District 49-2
Median household income: $88,619
This suburb of Sioux Falls has the highest median income in South Dakota. On a national basis, the median household income of Brandon Valley School District residents ranks 10th lowest.
Tennessee — Williamson County Schools
Median household income: $120,338
The district is based in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. That proximity no doubt inspires budding musicians and singers in the state’s wealthiest school district.
Texas — Carroll Independent School District
Median household income: $219,315
Texas has the third-highest median household income on the GOBankingRates list, courtesy of the Carroll Independent School District, located northwest of Dallas and northeast of Fort Worth.
See: States Where You’re Rich Making Less Than $100,000
Utah — Park City School District
Median household income: $119,523
Park City is famous as the host of the Sundance Film Festival, but it’s also home to Utah’s richest school district. The Park City School District has a median household income of nearly $120,000.
Vermont — Chittenden East Supervisory Union
Median household income: $90,064
Chittenden East Supervisory Union served the children of five Vermont towns in the Green Mountains: Bolton, Huntington, Jericho, Richmond and Underhill. Through voter-approved consolidation, the Chittenden East district now is part of the Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District.
Virginia — Loudoun County Public Schools
Median household income: $136,268
Sitting right outside the nation’s capital, Virginia’s wealthiest school district is Loudon County Public Schools. The average household in this section of the suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C., pulls down more than $136,000 per year in income.
Washington — Mercer Island School District
Median household income: $142,413
Mercer Island is surrounded by Lake Washington, located between Seattle and Bellevue, Washington. It’s home to a high concentration of wealth — the state’s richest residents can be found in this area.
West Virginia — Jefferson County School District
Median household income: $76,503
West Virginia’s richest school district is the Jefferson County School District. However, the median household income in this area is low compared to the wealthiest school districts in other states, ranking second to last in the country.
Wisconsin — Norris School District
Median household income: $146,250
About 25 miles inland from Lake Michigan, suburban Milwaukee’s Norris School District is the richest school district in Wisconsin. The average household in this area earns more than $146,000 per year.
Wyoming — Sublette County School District No. 1
Median household income: $84,405
Sublette County School District No. 1 is located in the shadows of the Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest. It serves the community of Pinedale, Wyoming.
The Richest School Districts Across America
Even among the nation’s wealthiest school districts, there’s still a wide income gap between the top earners in each state. For example, the richest school district in Idaho — Kuna Joint School District 3 — has a median household income that’s less than one-third of what families in the Scarsdale Union Free and Cold Spring Harbor Central school districts near New York City make.
Click through to find out how much money you need to be in the top 5% in each state.
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John Csiszar contributed to the reporting of this article.
Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed every unified school district in all 50 states, determining the wealthiest school districts based on the highest median household income, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey. All data was collected and is up to date as of Aug. 12, 2020.
Photo disclaimer: Photos are used for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, major cities located near the school districts were used.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Richest School Districts in Every State
