KSKansas rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Kansas

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Kansas average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 123 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

Kansas · Best schools

Junction City ranks #57 of 123

+0.5 pts vs. the KS average in math + reading · Visit Junction City →

1 St. George Pottawatomie County +27.8 pts Math 57% · Reading 62% 2 Leawood +26.7 pts Math 52.8% · Reading 64% 3 Prairie Village +26.0 pts Math 54.8% · Reading 60.7%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

1 St. GeorgePottawatomie County · Rock Creek +27.8 pts 57% 62%

2 LeawoodBlue Valley +26.7 pts 52.8% 64%

3 Prairie VillageShawnee Mission Pub Sch +26.0 pts 54.8% 60.7%

4 MissionShawnee County · Shawnee Mission Pub Sch +22.9 pts 49.7% 59.6%

5 MortonSedgwick County · Cheney +22.9 pts 51.4% 57.8%

ShermanLeavenworth County · Basehor-Linwood +22.8 pts 54.5% 54.5%

7 AubryJohnson County · Blue Valley +20.3 pts 42% 62%

8 MadisonRiley County · Riley County +19.1 pts 53.4% 48.3%

AtticaSedgwick County · Goddard +17.8 pts 43% 56.1%

Roeland ParkShawnee Mission Pub Sch +17.8 pts 42% 57%

BrunoButler County · Andover +16.2 pts 41.9% 53.9%

EmmaHarvey County · Hesston +16.2 pts 47.1% 48.7%

LenexaShawnee Mission Pub Sch +16.0 pts 44.9% 50.5%

14 LouisburgLouisburg +15.4 pts 39.5% 54.7%

15 HillsboroDurham-Hillsboro-Lehigh +15.1 pts 46.8% 46.8%

16 Valley CenterSedgwick County · Valley Center Pub Sch +14.7 pts 44.1% 48.7%

Overland ParkBlue Valley +14.1 pts 41.8% 49.7%

De SotoDe Soto +13.7 pts 47.1% 43.8%

Garden CityFinney County · Garden City +12.8 pts 42% 47%

Smoky HillGeary County · Geary County Schools +11.7 pts 39.9% 46.8%

21 ShawneeShawnee Mission Pub Sch +11.5 pts 40.1% 46.3%

GypsumSedgwick County · Derby +9.7 pts 39.6% 43.3%

HaysHays +9.5 pts 37.2% 45.3%

GirardGirard +9.4 pts 35.8% 46.4%

ManhattanManhattan-Ogden +9.1 pts 37% 44.6%

26 OlatheOlathe +8.8 pts 36.6% 44.5%

AuburnShawnee County · Auburn-Washburn +8.8 pts 34% 47%

LarnedFt Larned +8.0 pts 35.5% 44%

FairmountLeavenworth County · Basehor-Linwood +6.8 pts 34.5% 42.4%

ParkSedgwick County · Maize +6.4 pts 35.3% 40.9%

FranklinFranklin County · Wellsville +6.3 pts 34.4% 41.6%

Clay CenterClay County +5.9 pts 37% 38.1%

33 LawrenceLawrence +5.8 pts 31.7% 43.3%

34 BeloitBeloit +5.7 pts 37.5% 37.4%

St. MarysPottawatomie County · Kaw Valley +5.6 pts 32.3% 42.3%

36 KechiSedgwick County · Wichita +5.3 pts 37% 37%

EdwardsvilleBonner Springs +5.3 pts 32% 42%

38 UnionSedgwick County · Renwick +5.3 pts 32% 42%

39 FrontenacFrontenac Public Schools +5.1 pts 27.7% 46%

40 Rock CreekJefferson County · Jefferson West +5.1 pts 39.2% 34.4%

Osage CityOsage City +5.0 pts 33.5% 39.9%

BurlingtonBurlington +4.8 pts 36.2% 36.9%

43 LansingLansing +4.6 pts 31.8% 40.9%

EudoraDouglas County · Eudora +4.4 pts 31.2% 41%

LeavenworthLeavenworth +4.3 pts 30.5% 41.6%

PrattPratt +4.0 pts 35.1% 36.3%

47 WamegoPottawatomie County · Wamego +3.3 pts 31% 39%

GardnerGardner Edgerton +3.1 pts 32.3% 37.3%

49 MerriamShawnee Mission Pub Sch +2.5 pts 30.4% 38.1%

NinnescahSedgwick County · Clearwater +2.2 pts 33.4% 34.3%

GarnettGarnett +1.9 pts 34.9% 32.3%

HoltonHolton +1.8 pts 29.5% 37.4%

53 SoldierShawnee County · Seaman +1.6 pts 31.2% 35.3%

LindsborgSmoky Valley +1.4 pts 27% 39.1%

Spring HillSpring Hill +1.1 pts 25.9% 39.6%

Baxter SpringsBaxter Springs +0.9 pts 28.4% 36.7%

57 Junction CityGeary County Schools +0.5 pts 28% 36.5%

AugustaAugusta +0.4 pts 28.1% 36%

59 Bel AireWichita +0.2 pts 25.8% 37.9%

60 IndependenceIndependence +0.2 pts 30.3% 33.5%

AbileneAbilene −0.2 pts 25.4% 37.6%

62 EllsworthEllsworth −0.5 pts 27.8% 34.7%

PaolaPaola −0.7 pts 29.7% 32.2%

PalmyraDouglas County · Baldwin City −1.0 pts 25.8% 35.5%

65 NortonNorton Community Schools −1.3 pts 24.9% 36%

HoisingtonHoisington −1.5 pts 32.7% 27.6%

PittsburgPittsburg −1.6 pts 27.3% 33%

MarysvilleMarysville −1.7 pts 25% 35%

69 McPhersonMcPherson −2.2 pts 26.5% 32.5%

70 LincolnLinn County · Prairie View −2.2 pts 22% 37%

71 NeodeshaNeodesha −2.3 pts 29.3% 29.6%

72 El DoradoEl Dorado −2.4 pts 24.9% 33.8%

ColbyColby Public Schools −2.5 pts 27.8% 30.5%

74 TecumsehShawnee County · Shawnee Heights −2.9 pts 26.7% 31%

75 RockfordSedgwick County · Derby −3.0 pts 24.1% 33.2%

TonganoxieLeavenworth County · Tonganoxie −3.0 pts 24.3% 33.2%

77 MonmouthShawnee County · Shawnee Heights −3.2 pts 27% 30%

ChanuteChanute Public Schools −4.0 pts 21.9% 33.6%

GrantSedgwick County · Valley Center Pub Sch −4.3 pts 26.5% 28.4%

80 ConcordiaConcordia −4.3 pts 20.9% 33.8%

HiawathaHiawatha −4.3 pts 25.2% 29.6%

HalsteadHalstead −4.3 pts 25.9% 28.9%

GardenCherokee County · Riverton −4.4 pts 20.6% 34%

84 WilliamsportShawnee County · Auburn-Washburn −5.0 pts 21.6% 31.9%

85 HugotonHugoton Public Schools −5.1 pts 23.9% 29.2%

86 Great BendGreat Bend −5.2 pts 23.9% 29.1%

EmporiaEmporia −5.3 pts 21.2% 31.6%

88 SalinaSalina −5.4 pts 21.1% 31.5%

89 GalenaGalena −5.5 pts 20.6% 31.9%

90 TowandaButler County · Circle −5.6 pts 20.2% 32%

GoodlandGoodland −5.8 pts 26.5% 25.2%

OttawaOttawa −5.9 pts 22% 29.7%

NewtonNewton −6.8 pts 18.6% 31.2%

HutchinsonHutchinson Public Schools −6.9 pts 19% 30.6%

95 WinfieldWinfield −7.2 pts 19.5% 29.5%

RussellRussell County −7.6 pts 23.4% 24.7%

97 ColumbusColumbus −7.6 pts 13.5% 34.7%

98 ParsonsParsons −7.7 pts 22.1% 25.9%

99 WellingtonWellington −7.8 pts 22.7% 25.1%

100 RichlandButler County · Rose Hill Public Schools −8.2 pts 20% 27.1%

101 RenoReno County · Nickerson −8.3 pts 21.3% 25.4%

102 RiversideSedgwick County · Haysville −8.6 pts 17.5% 28.7%

103

Scott CityScott County −9.4 pts 20.1% 24.5%

104

IolaIola −9.7 pts 19.9% 24.2%

105 Bonner SpringsBonner Springs −9.8 pts 17.3% 26.4%

106

AtchisonAtchison Public Schools −10.3 pts 17.4% 25.4%

107

KingmanKingman - Norwich −10.4 pts 17.8% 24.7%

108

Garden CityGarden City −10.8 pts 18.4% 23.3%

109 OsawatomieOsawatomie −10.9 pts 17.9% 23.6%

110

TopekaTopeka Public Schools −11.0 pts 17.5% 23.8%

111 Fort ScottFort Scott −11.1 pts 16.7% 24.5%

112

Dodge CityDodge City −11.6 pts 18.5% 21.8%

113 WichitaWichita −11.8 pts 16% 23.7%

114 LyonsLyons −12.6 pts 19.9% 18.2%

115

WashingtonDoniphan County · Riverside −12.8 pts 12.3% 25.4%

116 WashingtonCrawford County · Northeast −13.8 pts 16.5% 19.4%

117 SherlockFinney County · Holcomb −14.6 pts 16.1% 18.1%

118

CoffeyvilleCoffeyville −14.8 pts 11.2% 22.6%

119 Arkansas CityArkansas City −16.4 pts 10.8% 19.9%

120

Belle PlaineSumner County · Belle Plaine −17.0 pts 11.6% 17.8%

121 Kansas CityKansas City −17.6 pts 10.5% 17.8%

122 UlyssesUlysses −19.1 pts 10.1% 15.1%

123 LiberalLiberal −20.7 pts 7.5% 14.6%

How this ranking works

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