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IDIdaho rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Idaho

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Idaho average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 63 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

1 Eagle +21.1 pts Math 62.6% · Reading 73.2% Map of McCall 2 McCall +20.9 pts Math 59.9% · Reading 75.5% Map of Victor 3 Victor +17.7 pts Math 74.5% · Reading 54.5%
#Townvs. state averageMathReading
1 EagleJOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 +21.1 pts 62.6% 73.2%
2 Map of McCall McCallMCCALL-DONNELLY JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT +20.9 pts 59.9% 75.5%
3 Map of Victor VictorTETON COUNTY DISTRICT +17.7 pts 74.5% 54.5%
4 Map of Hidden Springs Hidden SpringsBOISE INDEPENDENT DISTRICT +15.2 pts 57% 67%
5 Map of Hayden HaydenCOEUR D'ALENE DISTRICT +14.2 pts 55.8% 66.2%
6 Map of Rathdrum RathdrumLAKELAND DISTRICT +12.7 pts 52.8% 66.1%
7 MeridianJOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 +12.5 pts 51.5% 67.1%
8 Map of Ketchum KetchumBLAINE COUNTY DISTRICT +12.2 pts 55% 63%
9 Map of Moscow MoscowMOSCOW DISTRICT +11.5 pts 48.4% 68.2%
10 Map of Chubbuck ChubbuckPOCATELLO DISTRICT +11.5 pts 55.2% 61.5%
11 Map of Star StarJOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 +10.5 pts 50.6% 64.1%
12 Mountain Home AFBMOUNTAIN HOME DISTRICT +7.7 pts 47% 62%
13 Map of Montpelier MontpelierBEAR LAKE COUNTY DISTRICT +6.2 pts 47.1% 58.9%
14 Soda Springs Soda SpringsSODA SPRINGS JOINT DISTRICT +6.0 pts 46.6% 59%
15 Coeur d'AleneCOEUR D'ALENE DISTRICT +5.5 pts 42.1% 62.4%
16 Map of Pocatello PocatelloPOCATELLO DISTRICT +4.5 pts 43.8% 58.7%
17 Map of Grangeville GrangevilleMOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT +4.1 pts 42.4% 59.4%
18 Boise CityBOISE INDEPENDENT DISTRICT +3.9 pts 42.5% 58.9%
19 LincolnBONNEVILLE JOINT DISTRICT +3.7 pts 44% 57%
20 AmmonBONNEVILLE JOINT DISTRICT +3.0 pts 42.2% 57.3%
21 Map of Lewiston LewistonLEWISTON INDEPENDENT DISTRICT +2.8 pts 43.5% 55.6%
22 Post FallsPOST FALLS DISTRICT +2.5 pts 41.3% 57.2%
23 IonaBONNEVILLE JOINT DISTRICT +2.2 pts 44% 54%
24 Map of Sandpoint SandpointLAKE PEND OREILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT +1.9 pts 37.5% 59.8%
25 Map of Orofino OrofinoOROFINO JOINT DISTRICT +1.5 pts 37% 59.5%
26 Map of Middleton MiddletonMIDDLETON DISTRICT +1.4 pts 39.7% 56.7%
27 Map of Bonners Ferry Bonners FerryBOUNDARY COUNTY DISTRICT +1.1 pts 36.7% 59.1%
28 RexburgMADISON DISTRICT −1.6 pts 41.4% 49%
29 Map of Kimberly KimberlyKIMBERLY DISTRICT −1.8 pts 37.3% 52.6%
30 Twin Falls Twin FallsTWIN FALLS DISTRICT −2.0 pts 36.1% 53.4%
31 PrestonPRESTON JOINT DISTRICT −2.6 pts 36.9% 51.5%
32 Map of Fruitland FruitlandFRUITLAND DISTRICT −2.9 pts 36.9% 50.8%
33 Malad CityONEIDA COUNTY DISTRICT −2.9 pts 34.4% 53.5%
34 Map of Filer FilerFILER DISTRICT −3.8 pts 33.5% 52.6%
35 Map of St. Anthony St. AnthonyFREMONT COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT −4.5 pts 33.9% 50.7%
36 Map of Idaho Falls Idaho FallsIDAHO FALLS DISTRICT −4.6 pts 34.7% 49.8%
37 Garden City Garden CityANSER OF IDAHO INC. −5.0 pts 34.1% 49.6%
38 EmmettEMMETT INDEPENDENT DISTRICT −5.2 pts 33.5% 49.6%
39 Map of Salmon SalmonSALMON DISTRICT −5.4 pts 30.7% 52%
40 RigbyJEFFERSON COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT −5.7 pts 39.6% 42.6%
41 HaileyBLAINE COUNTY DISTRICT −7.0 pts 31.2% 48.3%
42 Map of Shelley ShelleySHELLEY JOINT DISTRICT −7.0 pts 27.4% 52.3%
43 BellevueBLAINE COUNTY DISTRICT −7.3 pts 32% 47%
44 Map of Blackfoot BlackfootBLACKFOOT DISTRICT −7.7 pts 32.3% 45.8%
45 Map of Homedale HomedaleHOMEDALE JOINT DISTRICT −8.2 pts 31.1% 46.1%
46 AberdeenABERDEEN DISTRICT −8.4 pts 30.5% 46.3%
47 KunaKUNA JOINT DISTRICT −8.8 pts 30.7% 45.4%
48 WeiserWEISER DISTRICT −8.8 pts 29.9% 46.2%
49 Map of Gooding GoodingGOODING JOINT DISTRICT −9.0 pts 28.5% 47%
50 Burley BurleyCASSIA COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT −9.7 pts 32.4% 41.8%
51 St. MariesST MARIES JOINT DISTRICT −10.1 pts 30.6% 42.7%
52 Map of Driggs DriggsTETON COUNTY DISTRICT −10.3 pts 26.8% 46.3%
53 NampaNAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT −10.6 pts 25.5% 46.8%
54 Mountain Home Mountain HomeMOUNTAIN HOME DISTRICT −10.6 pts 27.8% 44.5%
55 Map of Caldwell CaldwellVALLIVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT −11.1 pts 27.1% 44.4%
56 Map of Buhl BuhlBUHL JOINT DISTRICT −13.5 pts 28.7% 37.8%
57 Map of Wendell WendellWENDELL DISTRICT −14.8 pts 21.9% 42.1%
58 Map of American Falls American FallsAMERICAN FALLS JOINT DISTRICT −14.9 pts 27.6% 36.1%
59 Map of Rupert RupertMINIDOKA COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT −16.5 pts 21.9% 38.7%
60 PayettePAYETTE JOINT DISTRICT −18.6 pts 23.9% 32.5%
61 Map of Jerome JeromeJEROME JOINT DISTRICT −19.1 pts 19.2% 36.2%
62 Map of Heyburn HeyburnMINIDOKA COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT −21.6 pts 23.9% 26.5%
63 Map of Fort Hall Fort HallCHIEF TAHGEE ELEMENTARY ACADEMY INC. −31.9 pts 11.4% 18.5%

How this ranking works

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