HIHawaii rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Hawaii

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Hawaii average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 73 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

Hawaii · Best schools

Where Whitmore Village lands: #27 of 73

+1.4 pts vs. the HI average in math + reading · Visit Whitmore Village →

1 Laie +24.4 pts Math 66% · Reading 64% 2 Hickam Housing +24.0 pts Math 58.2% · Reading 71.1% 3 Waimalu +22.9 pts Math 60% · Reading 67%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

LaieHawaii Department of Education +24.4 pts 66% 64%

2 Hickam HousingHawaii Department of Education +24.0 pts 58.2% 71.1%

3 WaimaluHawaii Department of Education +22.9 pts 60% 67%

4 Mililani MaukaHawaii Department of Education +20.8 pts 52.5% 70.4%

5 East HonoluluHawaii Department of Education +18.0 pts 46.6% 70.7%

KailuaHawaii Department of Education +17.1 pts 44.7% 70.7%

PupukeaHawaii Department of Education +14.9 pts 53% 58%

8 Mililani TownHawaii Department of Education +14.8 pts 44.3% 66.5%

WaipioHawaii Department of Education +13.9 pts 49% 60%

KoloaHawaii Department of Education +13.9 pts 47% 62%

Pearl CityHawaii Department of Education +12.4 pts 43.7% 62.4%

HanamauluHawaii Department of Education +11.9 pts 49% 56%

WaialuaHawaii Department of Education +11.8 pts 42.1% 62.7%

HaleiwaHawaii Department of Education +11.4 pts 52% 52%

KalaheoHawaii Department of Education +11.4 pts 52% 52%

16 WaikeleHawaii Department of Education +8.9 pts 44% 55%

17 Urban HonoluluHawaii Department of Education +7.0 pts 38.3% 57%

18 Kaneohe BaseHawaii Department of Education +6.9 pts 40% 55%

KilaueaHawaii Department of Education +6.4 pts 42% 52%

20 KapoleiHawaii Department of Education +6.1 pts 33.2% 60.3%

LihueHawaii Department of Education +5.9 pts 35.5% 57.7%

PukalaniHawaii Department of Education +4.9 pts 39% 52%

23 KaiminaniHawaii Department of Education +3.9 pts 27% 62%

24 KulaHawaii Department of Education +3.9 pts 30.3% 58.7%

25 Ewa GentryHawaii Department of Education +2.4 pts 36% 50%

KiheiHawaii Department of Education +1.9 pts 34% 51%

Whitmore VillageHawaii Department of Education +1.4 pts 35% 49%

MakakiloHawaii Department of Education +0.8 pts 37.1% 45.7%

Schofield BarracksHawaii Department of Education +0.8 pts 34.7% 48.1%

30 Ewa BeachHawaii Department of Education +0.8 pts 25.8% 57.1%

KahuluiHawaii Department of Education +0.2 pts 26% 55.8%

WaipahuHawaii Department of Education −0.3 pts 27.3% 53.5%

Iroquois PointHawaii Department of Education −0.7 pts 31% 49%

KaneoheHawaii Department of Education −1.1 pts 25.3% 53.8%

35 Ocean PointeHawaii Department of Education −1.2 pts 28.6% 50.3%

36 HiloHawaii Department of Education −1.3 pts 26.5% 52.3%

AieaHawaii Department of Education −1.3 pts 27% 51.7%

HalawaHawaii Department of Education −1.4 pts 32.7% 45.7%

WahiawaHawaii Department of Education −1.5 pts 28.1% 50.3%

WailukuHawaii Department of Education −2.5 pts 26.7% 49.7%

41 Haiku-PauwelaHawaii Department of Education −3.7 pts 37% 37%

42 KapaaHawaii Department of Education −5.0 pts 23.4% 47.8%

43 EleeleHawaii Department of Education −5.2 pts 29% 42%

HeeiaHawaii Department of Education −5.5 pts 24.7% 45.5%

WaimeaHawaii Department of Education −6.5 pts 23.7% 44.6%

46 HauulaHawaii Department of Education −8.7 pts 27% 37%

Captain CookHawaii Department of Education −8.7 pts 26% 38%

MakawaoHawaii Department of Education −9.5 pts 21.6% 40.7%

Waikoloa VillageHawaii Department of Education −9.7 pts 23% 39%

50 KailuaHawaii Department of Education −9.9 pts 20.5% 41%

LahainaHawaii Department of Education −10.7 pts 14.6% 45.4%

52 East KapoleiHawaii Department of Education −11.2 pts 17% 42%

AnaholaHawaii Department of Education −11.2 pts 22% 37%

54 Royal KuniaHawaii Department of Education −12.2 pts 20% 37%

55 Ewa VillagesHawaii Department of Education −12.7 pts 22% 34%

KualapuuHawaii Department of Education −12.9 pts 22.7% 32.8%

Waihee-WaiehuHawaii Department of Education −13.2 pts 18% 37%

KahaluuHawaii Department of Education −13.7 pts 22% 32%

59 PuhiHawaii Department of Education −13.7 pts 22% 32%

HolualoaHawaii Department of Education −13.7 pts 17% 37%

PaiaHawaii Department of Education −13.7 pts 17% 37%

62 KalaeloaHawaii Department of Education −14.2 pts 17% 35.9%

MakahaHawaii Department of Education −15.2 pts 11% 39.9%

Waimanalo BeachHawaii Department of Education −15.3 pts 14.8% 35.9%

KaunakakaiHawaii Department of Education −16.2 pts 17% 32%

Lanai CityHawaii Department of Education −16.2 pts 15% 34%

KekahaHawaii Department of Education −18.9 pts 20.2% 23.3%

68 MailiHawaii Department of Education −19.7 pts 16% 26%

WaimanaloHawaii Department of Education −24.7 pts 8% 24%

Hawaiian BeachesHawaii Department of Education −24.7 pts 8% 24%

71 WaianaeHawaii Department of Education −25.9 pts 8.5% 21%

NanakuliHawaii Department of Education −28.0 pts 8.2% 17.1%

73 Mountain ViewHawaii Department of Education −28.7 pts 8.1% 15.8%

How this ranking works

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

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WV WI WY