ALAlabama rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Alabama

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Alabama average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 180 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-yearTest scores SY2020–21

Alabama · Best schools

New Hope ranks #53 of 180

+4.2 pts vs. the AL average in math + reading · Visit New Hope →

1 Mountain Brook +44.3 pts Math 72.5% · Reading 83.4%

2 Vestavia Hills +39.0 pts Math 64.3% · Reading 81.1%

3 Homewood +28.8 pts Math 54.7% · Reading 70.3%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

Mountain BrookMountain Brook City +44.3 pts 72.5% 83.4%

Vestavia HillsVestavia Hills City +39.0 pts 64.3% 81.1%

HomewoodHomewood City +28.8 pts 54.7% 70.3%

4 TrussvilleTrussville City +28.7 pts 54.1% 70.7%

MadisonMadison City +26.2 pts 52% 67.7%

MeadowbrookShelby County +25.8 pts 47% 72%

7 AuburnAuburn City +24.2 pts 50.8% 65.1%

SaralandSaraland City +24.1 pts 49.6% 66%

FairhopeBaldwin County +23.5 pts 49.8% 64.6%

10 Indian Springs VillageShelby County +22.1 pts 47.7% 63.8%

11 Spanish FortBaldwin County +22.0 pts 47.1% 64.2%

12 HooverHoover City +21.0 pts 47% 62.3%

13 Gulf ShoresGulf Shores City +18.3 pts 42.5% 61.4%

ArabArab City +18.3 pts 44.5% 59.4%

HartselleHartselle City +18.1 pts 42.2% 61.3%

WinfieldWinfield City +17.0 pts 39% 62.3%

17 RedlandElmore County +16.8 pts 35% 66%

18 Muscle ShoalsMuscle Shoals City +15.4 pts 43.7% 54.6%

ChelseaShelby County +14.8 pts 40% 57%

SpringvilleSt Clair County +14.4 pts 31.2% 65.1%

21 Rainbow CityEtowah County +13.9 pts 32.1% 63%

22 CullmanCullman City +13.4 pts 36.8% 57.4%

23 StapletonBaldwin County +13.3 pts 37% 57%

HoltvilleElmore County +13.2 pts 35.1% 58.7%

25 PricevilleMorgan County +13.1 pts 35.4% 58.3%

26 AlabasterAlabaster City +13.0 pts 37.5% 55.9%

27 EnterpriseEnterprise City +12.9 pts 39.4% 53.7%

28 PiedmontPiedmont City +12.9 pts 38.9% 54.2%

29 BrewtonBrewton City +12.2 pts 36.1% 55.7%

30 DaphneBaldwin County +11.9 pts 36.4% 54.9%

31 Pike RoadPike Road City +10.8 pts 31.1% 57.8%

32 HuguleyChambers County +10.8 pts 32% 57%

OxfordOxford City +10.2 pts 32.1% 55.7%

34 HelenaShelby County +9.4 pts 30.2% 56.1%

35 MargaretSt Clair County +9.3 pts 29% 57%

36 SatsumaSatsuma City +8.7 pts 28.4% 56.3%

AthensAthens City +8.4 pts 32.6% 51.6%

Moores MillMadison County +8.3 pts 27% 57%

39 Mount OliveJefferson County +8.3 pts 27% 57%

40 PrattvilleAutauga County +7.9 pts 26.6% 56.6%

41 JacksonvilleJacksonville City +7.6 pts 23.2% 59.5%

OppOpp City +7.0 pts 32.7% 48.6%

43 MeridianvilleMadison County +6.8 pts 19% 62%

OneontaOneonta City +6.8 pts 29.3% 51.7%

HartfordGeneva County +6.7 pts 30.7% 50.1%

46 PelhamPelham City +6.2 pts 29% 50.8%

47 SouthsideEtowah County +6.0 pts 29.9% 49.4%

48 HeadlandHenry County +5.5 pts 27% 51.3%

RainsvilleDeKalb County +5.3 pts 25% 53%

JasperJasper City +4.5 pts 27.6% 48.7%

51 AndalusiaAndalusia City +4.5 pts 28.6% 47.8%

52 GlencoeEtowah County +4.3 pts 20.4% 55.6%

53 New HopeMadison County +4.2 pts 27.6% 48.2%

54 ScottsboroScottsboro City +3.7 pts 26.9% 47.9%

55 MoodySt Clair County +3.6 pts 24.4% 50.2%

GenevaGeneva City +3.6 pts 27.4% 47.3%

HeflinCleburne County +3.6 pts 22.8% 51.9%

FlorenceFlorence City +3.3 pts 29.9% 44%

59 LadoniaRussell County +3.3 pts 27% 47%

60 AlexandriaCalhoun County +2.7 pts 24.5% 48.2%

WetumpkaElmore County +2.2 pts 23.5% 48.3%

62 Pine LevelAutauga County +2.2 pts 29.2% 42.7%

LoxleyBaldwin County +1.8 pts 22% 49%

RobertsdaleBaldwin County +1.4 pts 27% 43.2%

CentreCherokee County +1.4 pts 26.6% 43.7%

66 Hokes BluffEtowah County +1.3 pts 22.4% 47.5%

67 GuntersvilleGuntersville City +1.1 pts 25.2% 44.4%

68 WarriorJefferson County +0.8 pts 17% 52%

HaleyvilleHaleyville City +0.7 pts 24.4% 44.4%

Smiths StationLee County +0.5 pts 23.6% 44.7%

71 MillbrookElmore County −0.1 pts 23.9% 43.3%

HuntsvilleHuntsville City −0.6 pts 22.6% 43.7%

73 ColumbianaShelby County −0.8 pts 24.1% 41.7%

74 HarvestMadison County −1.2 pts 19% 46%

75 Hazel GreenMadison County −1.3 pts 23% 41.8%

HamiltonMarion County −1.4 pts 16.7% 48%

77 KimberlyJefferson County −1.6 pts 22.8% 41.3%

78 Grand BayMobile County −1.7 pts 17% 47%

79 RussellvilleRussellville City −2.1 pts 24.8% 38.4%

80 LinevilleClay County −2.2 pts 22% 41%

81 ClantonChilton County −2.5 pts 25% 37.5%

82 RoanokeRoanoke City −2.5 pts 21.3% 41%

83 Good HopeCullman County −2.5 pts 23% 39.4%

SylacaugaSylacauga City −2.6 pts 21.4% 40.7%

85 BoazBoaz City −2.7 pts 25.3% 36.7%

86 GardendaleJefferson County −2.9 pts 17.1% 44.5%

TallasseeTallassee City −2.9 pts 23.6% 38%

88 MontevalloShelby County −3.2 pts 20.1% 41%

Pell CityPell City −3.3 pts 18.5% 42.3%

NorthportTuscaloosa County −3.5 pts 21.3% 39.2%

91 Tillmans CornerMobile County −3.6 pts 14% 46.3%

92 LeedsLeeds City −3.7 pts 21.1% 38.9%

Phenix CityPhenix City −3.9 pts 21.7% 37.8%

94 WeaverCalhoun County −3.9 pts 13.2% 46.5%

DecaturDecatur City −4.1 pts 21.5% 37.7%

96 Fort PayneFort Payne City −4.2 pts 22.6% 36.5%

97 Red BayFranklin County −4.2 pts 17.6% 41.5%

FayetteFayette County −4.4 pts 19.2% 39.4%

MoultonLawrence County −4.4 pts 18.9% 39.7%

100

DemopolisDemopolis City −4.5 pts 20.3% 38.1%

101 TuscumbiaTuscumbia City −4.7 pts 20.1% 38%

102 LincolnTalladega County −4.7 pts 16.4% 41.7%

103 OpelikaOpelika City −5.0 pts 24.6% 32.9%

104 RemlapBlount County −5.2 pts 15% 42%

105

TuscaloosaTuscaloosa City −5.7 pts 19.2% 36.7%

106 Bay MinetteBaldwin County −6.3 pts 17.8% 37%

107

DothanDothan City −6.4 pts 18.2% 36.5%

108

FoleyBaldwin County −6.4 pts 19.9% 34.8%

109

LivingstonUniversity Charter School −6.5 pts 14.1% 40.3%

110 East BrewtonEscambia County −6.5 pts 13.4% 41%

111

BrookwoodTuscaloosa County −6.6 pts 15.4% 38.8%

112 Underwood-PetersvilleLauderdale County −6.7 pts 12% 42%

113

HenagarDeKalb County −6.7 pts 12% 42%

114 HancevilleCullman County −7.0 pts 14.4% 39%

115 TroyTroy City −7.1 pts 20.9% 32.3%

116

AlbertvilleAlbertville City −7.3 pts 18% 34.9%

117

West End-Cobb TownCalhoun County −7.3 pts 15% 37.8%

118 IrondaleJefferson County −7.5 pts 16.3% 36.1%

119 ThomasvilleThomasville City −7.6 pts 13.3% 39%

120

CaleraShelby County −7.7 pts 16.5% 35.6%

121 ChildersburgTalladega County −8.0 pts 11.8% 39.7%

122 OdenvilleSt Clair County −8.1 pts 13.3% 37.9%

123 HoltTuscaloosa County −8.2 pts 16% 35%

124 EufaulaEufaula City −8.7 pts 10.6% 39.5%

125 SaksCalhoun County −8.7 pts 15% 35%

126

ElbaElba City −8.8 pts 13.5% 36.4%

127 GadsdenGadsden City −8.9 pts 15.1% 34.5%

128 Bon SecourBaldwin County −9.0 pts 15% 34.5%

129 LuverneCrenshaw County −9.2 pts 16% 33%

130

CottondaleTuscaloosa County −9.2 pts 10.3% 38.7%

131 MobileMobile County −9.5 pts 13.8% 34.6%

132

OzarkOzark City −9.9 pts 14.6% 33%

133 AttallaAttalla City −10.5 pts 10.6% 35.8%

134

MoundvilleHale County −10.7 pts 10.1% 35.9%

135 ValleyChambers County −10.8 pts 10.6% 35.2%

136

Pleasant GroveJefferson County −11.0 pts 7.3% 38%

137 DalevilleDaleville City −12.2 pts 10% 33%

138

AtmoreEscambia County −12.9 pts 14.4% 27.3%

139 TrinityMorgan County −13.1 pts 11.3% 29.9%

140 JemisonChilton County −13.4 pts 9.9% 30.6%

141

MontgomeryMontgomery County −14.0 pts 9.9% 29.6%

142 SheffieldSheffield City −14.0 pts 12.7% 26.6%

143

GraysvilleJefferson County −14.2 pts 17% 22%

144 McCallaJefferson County −14.8 pts 7.5% 30.4%

145 Alexander CityAlexander City −15.3 pts 12.6% 24.2%

146 DadevilleTallapoosa County −15.6 pts 10.1% 26.1%

147 CentrevilleBibb County −15.8 pts 12.9% 23%

148

Valley GrandeDallas County −15.9 pts 2.2% 33.4%

149 JacksonClarke County −16.1 pts 9.8% 25.5%

150 TheodoreMobile County −16.4 pts 9.5% 25.1%

151

BrentBibb County −16.5 pts 7.5% 27%

152 ChickasawChickasaw City −17.6 pts 6.1% 26.1%

153

HueytownJefferson County −17.7 pts 5.9% 26.2%

154 EvergreenConecuh County −17.8 pts 6.8% 25%

155

ClayJefferson County −18.1 pts 7% 24.2%

156 FultondaleJefferson County −18.1 pts 4.5% 26.6%

157 AbbevilleHenry County −19.0 pts 7.5% 22%

158 La FayetteChambers County −19.1 pts 7.9% 21.3%

159

CitronelleMobile County −19.2 pts 8.1% 20.9%

160

SelmaSelma City −21.4 pts 3.2% 21.5%

161 PinsonJefferson County −21.5 pts 3.9% 20.5%

162

MonroevilleMonroe County −21.6 pts 4% 20.1%

163

EutawGreene County −21.8 pts 3.8% 20%

164

GreenvilleButler County −22.0 pts 4.6% 18.8%

165 TalladegaTalladega City −22.1 pts 6.5% 16.8%

166 LanettLanett City −22.5 pts 5.2% 17.3%

167 BirminghamBirmingham City −23.1 pts 4.3% 16.9%

168 TarrantTarrant City −23.6 pts 3.4% 16.8%

169 BessemerBessemer City −23.7 pts 3.1% 16.8%

170

BrightonJefferson County −23.7 pts 5% 15%

171

DoraWalker County −24.0 pts 2.5% 17%

172 PrichardMobile County −24.3 pts 4.9% 13.8%

173

MarionPerry County −24.5 pts 0.5% 18%

174

Union SpringsBullock County −24.7 pts 2% 15.9%

175 FairfieldFairfield City −24.9 pts 1.7% 16%

176 AnnistonAnniston City −25.0 pts 2.4% 15%

177

AdamsvilleJefferson County −25.6 pts 2.6% 13.6%

178 MidfieldMidfield City −26.9 pts 1.9% 11.6%

179 TuskegeeMacon County −27.1 pts 2.5% 10.6%

180 Center PointJefferson County −27.2 pts 2.5% 10.6%

How this ranking works

For every public school in a town we take its latest math and reading proficiency and subtract the Alabama average for the same test. The town’s score is the average of those gaps, weighted by each school’s enrollment, so a big high school counts more than a small annex. Private schools aren’t included.

Each state writes its own tests, so these scores compare towns within Alabama only. We don’t rank a town unless at least 150 students in its schools were tested. Test data: EDFacts via Urban Institute Education Data Portal (SY2020-21).

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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