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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

Waldron
Arkansas · Best schools

Where Waldron lands: #79 of 113

−7.9 pts vs. the AR average in math + reading · Visit Waldron →

Cave Springs 1 Cave Springs +36.0 pts Math 78% · Reading 67% Bella Vista 2 Bella Vista +25.5 pts Math 64% · Reading 60% Map of Greenbrier 3 Greenbrier +22.8 pts Math 58.6% · Reading 60.1%
#Townvs. state averageMathReading
1 Cave Springs Cave SpringsBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +36.0 pts 78% 67%
2 Bella Vista Bella VistaBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +25.5 pts 64% 60%
3 Map of Greenbrier GreenbrierGREENBRIER SCHOOL DISTRICT +22.8 pts 58.6% 60.1%
4 Map of Greenwood GreenwoodGREENWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT +20.9 pts 58.9% 56%
5 Pottsville PottsvillePOTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +18.1 pts 57% 52.3%
6 Bentonville BentonvilleBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +16.9 pts 52.9% 53.9%
7 Harrison HarrisonHARRISON SCHOOL DISTRICT +15.7 pts 52.2% 52.2%
8 Map of Centerton CentertonBENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +14.7 pts 49.2% 53.3%
9 Fayetteville FayettevilleFAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +14.3 pts 51.7% 50%
10 Map of Ward WardCABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT +13.0 pts 57% 42%
11 Map of Salem SalemBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +12.0 pts 56% 41%
12 Lowell LowellROGERS SCHOOL DISTRICT +11.6 pts 54.4% 42%
13 Map of Heber Springs Heber SpringsHEBER SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT +10.8 pts 47.6% 47%
14 Map of Bryant BryantBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +10.3 pts 45.6% 48.1%
15 Gravette GravetteGRAVETTE SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.6 pts 46.9% 45.3%
16 Benton BentonBENTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.5 pts 49.3% 42.8%
17 Vilonia ViloniaVILONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.1 pts 44.7% 46.7%
18 Charleston CharlestonCHARLESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +9.0 pts 47.9% 43.2%
19 Rogers RogersROGERS SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.8 pts 44.6% 46.1%
20 Map of Clinton ClintonCLINTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.8 pts 46.4% 44.4%
21 Map of Cabot CabotCABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.7 pts 47.3% 43.1%
22 Gosnell GosnellGOSNELL SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.5 pts 47.7% 42.3%
23 Map of Shannon Hills Shannon HillsBRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT +8.0 pts 49% 40%
24 Conway ConwayCONWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT +7.9 pts 43.3% 45.6%
25 Farmington FarmingtonFARMINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.8 pts 43.2% 43.5%
26 Map of Mountain Home Mountain HomeMOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.6 pts 41.8% 44.6%
27 Russellville RussellvilleRUSSELLVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +6.1 pts 42.7% 42.7%
28 Map of Barling BarlingFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT +5.5 pts 52% 32%
29 Van Buren Van BurenVAN BUREN SCHOOL DISTRICT +5.3 pts 41.4% 42.2%
30 Map of Searcy SearcySEARCY SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.7 pts 42.5% 40.1%
31 Prairie Grove Prairie GrovePRAIRIE GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.5 pts 43.8% 38.2%
32 De Queen De QueenDE QUEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.4 pts 40.3% 41.6%
33 Lake City Lake CityRIVERSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.4 pts 36.3% 45.6%
34 Hot Springs Village Hot Springs VillageJESSIEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.2 pts 39.7% 41.8%
35 Dardanelle DardanelleDARDANELLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.1 pts 41% 40.3%
36 Siloam Springs Siloam SpringsSILOAM SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.8 pts 41.2% 39.4%
37 Ozark OzarkOZARK SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.8 pts 42.1% 38.7%
38 DeWitt DeWittDEWITT SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.6 pts 40% 40.2%
39 Map of Pea Ridge Pea RidgePEA RIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT +3.4 pts 39.2% 40.8%
40 Map of Southside SouthsideSOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence) +3.1 pts 43.4% 35.9%
41 Paris ParisPARIS SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.9 pts 44.3% 34.5%
42 Map of Brookland BrooklandBROOKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.5 pts 38.9% 39.3%
43 Map of Beebe BeebeBEEBE SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.3 pts 42.2% 35.5%
44 Map of Haskell HaskellHARMONY GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Saline) +2.3 pts 37.6% 40%
45 Mena MenaMENA SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.2 pts 39.3% 38.2%
46 Corning CorningCORNING SCHOOL DISTRICT +2.0 pts 37.2% 39.9%
47 Gentry GentryGENTRY SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.6 pts 34.6% 41.8%
48 Elkins ElkinsELKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.6 pts 36.7% 39.6%
49 Map of Morrilton MorriltonSOUTH CONWAY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.3 pts 39.3% 36.3%
50 Manila ManilaMANILA SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.3 pts 39.7% 36.1%
51 East EndSHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.2 pts 37.4% 38.1%
52 Nashville NashvilleNASHVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.1 pts 38.1% 37.2%
53 Map of Springdale SpringdaleSPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT +0.6 pts 38.3% 35.9%
54 Mountain View Mountain ViewMOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT +0.3 pts 34.5% 39.2%
55 White Hall White HallWHITE HALL SCHOOL DISTRICT 0.0 pts 34.5% 38.6%
56 Map of Green Forest Green ForestGREEN FOREST SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.1 pts 37.8% 35.2%
57 Map of Batesville BatesvilleBATESVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.2 pts 35.9% 36.8%
58 Map of Wynne WynneWYNNE SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.4 pts 33.3% 39%
59 Fort Smith Fort SmithFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT −0.8 pts 32.5% 39.1%
60 Sheridan SheridanSHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.4 pts 33.5% 36.9%
61 Map of Atkins AtkinsATKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.4 pts 35.9% 34.5%
62 Paragould ParagouldGREENE COUNTY TECH SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.7 pts 34.6% 35%
63 Map of Maumelle MaumellePULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −1.7 pts 34.2% 35.6%
64 Map of Alma AlmaALMA SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.0 pts 32.1% 36.9%
65 Map of Mayflower MayflowerMAYFLOWER SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.1 pts 35.4% 33.5%
66 Booneville BoonevilleBOONEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.5 pts 34% 34.2%
67 El Dorado El DoradoEL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT −2.6 pts 34.5% 33.5%
68 Hot Springs Hot SpringsHOT SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT −3.5 pts 32.8% 33.2%
69 Jonesboro JonesboroJONESBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT −4.9 pts 30% 33.4%
70 Map of Bald Knob Bald KnobBALD KNOB SCHOOL DISTRICT −4.9 pts 33.2% 30%
71 Map of Sherwood SherwoodPULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 30.9% 31.3%
72 Piggott PiggottPIGGOTT SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 33.9% 28.4%
73 Hoxie HoxieHOXIE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.4 pts 33.1% 29.3%
74 Berryville BerryvilleBERRYVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.6 pts 29.5% 32.3%
75 Lincoln LincolnLINCOLN SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.8 pts 34.4% 27.1%
76 Huntsville HuntsvilleHUNTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −5.9 pts 32.2% 29.2%
77 Clarksville ClarksvilleCLARKSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.1 pts 24.5% 34.3%
78 Lonoke LonokeLONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.1 pts 27.9% 31.1%
79 Waldron WaldronWALDRON SCHOOL DISTRICT −7.9 pts 29.2% 28.1%
80 Newport NewportNEWPORT SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 31% 25%
81 Trumann TrumannTRUMANN SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 29.4% 26.5%
82 Ashdown AshdownASHDOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.6 pts 30.6% 25.2%
83 Magnolia MagnoliaMAGNOLIA SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.7 pts 26.7% 29%
84 Arkadelphia ArkadelphiaARKADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT −8.9 pts 27.5% 27.8%
85 Little Rock Little RockLITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT −9.3 pts 24.9% 29.6%
86 Pocahontas PocahontasPOCAHONTAS SCHOOL DISTRICT −9.3 pts 25.7% 28.8%
87 West Fork West ForkWEST FORK SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.4 pts 24.1% 26.2%
88 Monticello MonticelloDREW CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.6 pts 22.2% 27.7%
89 Stuttgart StuttgartSTUTTGART SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.7 pts 27.7% 22%
90 Marion MarionMARION SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.8 pts 21.2% 28.4%
91 McGehee McGeheeMCGEHEE SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.9 pts 26.4% 23%
92 North Little Rock North Little RockNORTH LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.4 pts 22.4% 25.9%
93 Walnut Ridge Walnut RidgeLAWRENCE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.5 pts 24% 24.1%
94 Hamburg HamburgHAMBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.6 pts 21.4% 26.5%
95 Fordyce FordyceFORDYCE SCHOOL DISTRICT −12.7 pts 20.2% 27.5%
96 Crossett CrossettCROSSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT −13.8 pts 23.6% 21.8%
97 Warren WarrenWARREN SCHOOL DISTRICT −13.9 pts 24.4% 21%
98 Texarkana TexarkanaTEXARKANA SCHOOL DISTRICT −14.1 pts 21.6% 23.3%
99 Malvern MalvernMALVERN SCHOOL DISTRICT −14.6 pts 22% 21.9%
100 Map of Prescott PrescottPRESCOTT SCHOOL DISTRICT −17.9 pts 18.3% 18.9%
101 Jacksonville JacksonvilleJACKSONVILLE NORTH PULASKI SCHOOL DISTRICT −18.3 pts 16.8% 19.7%
102 Dumas DumasDUMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT −19.3 pts 12.3% 22.2%
103 Map of Landmark LandmarkPULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT −19.6 pts 17% 17%
104 Hope HopeHOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT −20.5 pts 12.9% 19.3%
105 Pine Bluff 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 Helena Helena-West HelenaHELENA WEST HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT −22.2 pts 10.9% 17.7%
108 Brinkley BrinkleyBRINKLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT −23.6 pts 12% 14%
109 Osceola OsceolaOSCEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT −24.6 pts 11.4% 12.6%
110 Map of Camden CamdenCAMDEN FAIRVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT −25.4 pts 6.4% 15.9%
111 Blytheville BlythevilleBLYTHEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT −25.9 pts 9.4% 11.8%
112 Forrest City Forrest CityFORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT −26.0 pts 10.3% 10.7%
113 Marianna 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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