ARArkansas rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Arkansas

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Arkansas average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 113 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

1 Cave Springs +36.0 pts Math 78% · Reading 67%

2 Bella Vista +25.5 pts Math 64% · Reading 60% 3 Greenbrier +22.8 pts Math 58.6% · Reading 60.1%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

Cave SpringsBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +36.0 pts 78% 67%

Bella VistaBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +25.5 pts 64% 60%

3 GreenbrierGREENBRIER SCHOOL DISTRICT +22.8 pts 58.6% 60.1%

GreenwoodGREENWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT +20.9 pts 58.9% 56%

5 PottsvillePOTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +18.1 pts 57% 52.3%

6 BentonvilleBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +16.9 pts 52.9% 53.9%

7 HarrisonHARRISON SCHOOL DISTRICT +15.7 pts 52.2% 52.2%

8 CentertonBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +14.7 pts 49.2% 53.3%

FayettevilleFAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +14.3 pts 51.7% 50%

WardCABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT +13.0 pts 57% 42%

11 SalemBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +12.0 pts 56% 41%

12 LowellROGERS SCHOOL DISTRICT +11.6 pts 54.4% 42%

13 Heber SpringsHEBER SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT +10.8 pts 47.6% 47%

BryantBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +10.3 pts 45.6% 48.1%

15 GravetteGRAVETTE SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.6 pts 46.9% 45.3%

16 BentonBENTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.5 pts 49.3% 42.8%

ViloniaVILONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.1 pts 44.7% 46.7%

18 CharlestonCHARLESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.0 pts 47.9% 43.2%

RogersROGERS SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.8 pts 44.6% 46.1%

20 ClintonCLINTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.8 pts 46.4% 44.4%

21 CabotCABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.7 pts 47.3% 43.1%

GosnellGOSNELL SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.5 pts 47.7% 42.3%

Shannon HillsBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.0 pts 49% 40%

24 ConwayCONWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT +7.9 pts 43.3% 45.6%

FarmingtonFARMINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.8 pts 43.2% 43.5%

Mountain HomeMOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.6 pts 41.8% 44.6%

27 RussellvilleRUSSELLVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.1 pts 42.7% 42.7%

BarlingFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT +5.5 pts 52% 32%

29 Van BurenVAN BUREN SCHOOL DISTRICT +5.3 pts 41.4% 42.2%

SearcySEARCY SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.7 pts 42.5% 40.1%

Prairie GrovePRAIRIE GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.5 pts 43.8% 38.2%

32 De QueenDE QUEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.4 pts 40.3% 41.6%

Lake CityRIVERSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.4 pts 36.3% 45.6%

34 Hot Springs VillageJESSIEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.2 pts 39.7% 41.8%

35 DardanelleDARDANELLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.1 pts 41% 40.3%

36 Siloam SpringsSILOAM SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.8 pts 41.2% 39.4%

OzarkOZARK SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.8 pts 42.1% 38.7%

DeWittDEWITT SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.6 pts 40% 40.2%

Pea RidgePEA RIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.4 pts 39.2% 40.8%

SouthsideSOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence) +3.1 pts 43.4% 35.9%

ParisPARIS SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.9 pts 44.3% 34.5%

42 BrooklandBROOKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.5 pts 38.9% 39.3%

43 BeebeBEEBE SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.3 pts 42.2% 35.5%

HaskellHARMONY GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Saline) +2.3 pts 37.6% 40%

45 MenaMENA SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.2 pts 39.3% 38.2%

CorningCORNING SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.0 pts 37.2% 39.9%

GentryGENTRY SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.6 pts 34.6% 41.8%

ElkinsELKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.6 pts 36.7% 39.6%

MorriltonSOUTH CONWAY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.3 pts 39.3% 36.3%

50 ManilaMANILA SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.3 pts 39.7% 36.1%

51 East EndSHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.2 pts 37.4% 38.1%

52 NashvilleNASHVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.1 pts 38.1% 37.2%

53 SpringdaleSPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT +0.6 pts 38.3% 35.9%

54 Mountain ViewMOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT +0.3 pts 34.5% 39.2%

White HallWHITE HALL SCHOOL DISTRICT 0.0 pts 34.5% 38.6%

56 Green ForestGREEN FOREST SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.1 pts 37.8% 35.2%

BatesvilleBATESVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.2 pts 35.9% 36.8%

58 WynneWYNNE SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.4 pts 33.3% 39%

59 Fort SmithFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.8 pts 32.5% 39.1%

60 SheridanSHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.4 pts 33.5% 36.9%

AtkinsATKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.4 pts 35.9% 34.5%

62 ParagouldGREENE COUNTY TECH SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.7 pts 34.6% 35%

63 MaumellePULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.7 pts 34.2% 35.6%

AlmaALMA SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.0 pts 32.1% 36.9%

65 MayflowerMAYFLOWER SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.1 pts 35.4% 33.5%

66 BoonevilleBOONEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.5 pts 34% 34.2%

67 El DoradoEL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.6 pts 34.5% 33.5%

68 Hot SpringsHOT SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT −3.5 pts 32.8% 33.2%

69 JonesboroJONESBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT −4.9 pts 30% 33.4%

70 Bald KnobBALD KNOB SCHOOL DISTRICT −4.9 pts 33.2% 30%

SherwoodPULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 30.9% 31.3%

72 PiggottPIGGOTT SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 33.9% 28.4%

HoxieHOXIE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 33.1% 29.3%

BerryvilleBERRYVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.6 pts 29.5% 32.3%

LincolnLINCOLN SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.8 pts 34.4% 27.1%

76 HuntsvilleHUNTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.9 pts 32.2% 29.2%

77 ClarksvilleCLARKSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.1 pts 24.5% 34.3%

78 LonokeLONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.1 pts 27.9% 31.1%

WaldronWALDRON SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.9 pts 29.2% 28.1%

80 NewportNEWPORT SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 31% 25%

TrumannTRUMANN SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 29.4% 26.5%

82 AshdownASHDOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 30.6% 25.2%

83 MagnoliaMAGNOLIA SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.7 pts 26.7% 29%

84 ArkadelphiaARKADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.9 pts 27.5% 27.8%

85 Little RockLITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT −9.3 pts 24.9% 29.6%

PocahontasPOCAHONTAS SCHOOL DISTRICT −9.3 pts 25.7% 28.8%

87 West ForkWEST FORK SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.4 pts 24.1% 26.2%

88 MonticelloDREW CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.6 pts 22.2% 27.7%

89 StuttgartSTUTTGART SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.7 pts 27.7% 22%

90 MarionMARION SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.8 pts 21.2% 28.4%

McGeheeMCGEHEE SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.9 pts 26.4% 23%

92 North Little RockNORTH LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.4 pts 22.4% 25.9%

93 Walnut RidgeLAWRENCE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.5 pts 24% 24.1%

94 HamburgHAMBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.6 pts 21.4% 26.5%

95 FordyceFORDYCE SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.7 pts 20.2% 27.5%

96 CrossettCROSSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT −13.8 pts 23.6% 21.8%

97 WarrenWARREN SCHOOL DISTRICT −13.9 pts 24.4% 21%

TexarkanaTEXARKANA SCHOOL DISTRICT −14.1 pts 21.6% 23.3%

99 MalvernMALVERN SCHOOL DISTRICT −14.6 pts 22% 21.9%

100 PrescottPRESCOTT SCHOOL DISTRICT −17.9 pts 18.3% 18.9%

101 JacksonvilleJACKSONVILLE NORTH PULASKI SCHOOL DISTRICT −18.3 pts 16.8% 19.7%

102 DumasDUMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT −19.3 pts 12.3% 22.2%

103 LandmarkPULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −19.6 pts 17% 17%

104 HopeHOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT −20.5 pts 12.9% 19.3%

105 Pine BluffPINE BLUFF SCHOOL DISTRICT −21.3 pts 14.8% 15.8%

106 West MemphisWEST MEMPHIS SCHOOL DISTRICT −21.5 pts 15.3% 14.9%

107

Helena-West HelenaHELENA WEST HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT −22.2 pts 10.9% 17.7%

108 BrinkleyBRINKLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT −23.6 pts 12% 14%

109

OsceolaOSCEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT −24.6 pts 11.4% 12.6%

110 CamdenCAMDEN FAIRVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT −25.4 pts 6.4% 15.9%

111

BlythevilleBLYTHEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −25.9 pts 9.4% 11.8%

112

Forrest CityFORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT −26.0 pts 10.3% 10.7%

113 MariannaLEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT −27.8 pts 8.2% 9.3%

How this ranking works

For every public school in a town we take its latest math and reading proficiency and subtract the Arkansas 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 Arkansas 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.

Same ranking in other states

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