KYKentucky rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Kentucky

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Kentucky average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 126 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

1 Anchorage +42.7 pts Math 79.7% · Reading 76.7% 2 Pikeville +29.0 pts Math 66.7% · Reading 62.2% 3 Fort Thomas +27.4 pts Math 62.6% · Reading 63.3%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

AnchorageAnchorage Independent +42.7 pts 79.7% 76.7%

2 PikevillePikeville Independent +29.0 pts 66.7% 62.2%

3 Fort ThomasFort Thomas Independent +27.4 pts 62.6% 63.3%

Fort MitchellBeechwood Independent +25.1 pts 59.6% 61.5%

5 FrancisvilleBoone County +22.5 pts 57% 59%

UnionBoone County +19.0 pts 54.3% 54.6%

MurrayMurray Independent +18.2 pts 51.3% 56.1%

HurstbourneJefferson County +18.0 pts 46% 61%

Indian HillsJefferson County +16.5 pts 46% 58%

10 CrestwoodOldham County +15.9 pts 48.2% 54.7%

11 MassacMcCracken County +15.6 pts 49.2% 52.9%

HebronBoone County +14.6 pts 46% 54.2%

SimpsonvilleShelby County +13.0 pts 49% 48%

14 LondonLaurel County +12.4 pts 44.4% 51.4%

15 Cold SpringCampbell County +12.2 pts 48.3% 47.1%

16 HendronMcCracken County +12.2 pts 45% 50.5%

17 Villa HillsKenton County +12.0 pts 49% 46%

18 EddyvilleLyon County +10.2 pts 41% 50.4%

19 EdgewoodKenton County +9.5 pts 40.6% 49.3%

SomersetPulaski County +9.3 pts 41.1% 48.5%

21 VersaillesWoodford County +9.3 pts 42.1% 47.5%

22 FlatwoodsRussell Independent +8.6 pts 40.3% 47.8%

23 DanvilleBoyle County +8.5 pts 39.6% 48.4%

24 ClaryvilleCampbell County +8.3 pts 41.7% 45.8%

25 BrandenburgMeade County +8.1 pts 41.4% 45.7%

IndependenceKenton County +7.9 pts 41.7% 45.2%

BucknerOldham County +7.7 pts 41.1% 45.3%

28 MiddletownJefferson County +7.2 pts 41.1% 44.3%

AlexandriaCampbell County +6.9 pts 38.9% 45.9%

30 WilmoreJessamine County +6.7 pts 39.5% 44.8%

Junction CityBoyle County +6.5 pts 37% 47%

32 Douglass HillsJefferson County +5.0 pts 32% 49%

33 CorbinCorbin Independent +4.9 pts 36.9% 43.9%

BurlingtonBoone County +4.5 pts 35.7% 44.2%

35 Mount WashingtonBullitt County +4.3 pts 35.1% 44.5%

Beaver DamOhio County +4.3 pts 31.5% 48.1%

ElizabethtownHardin County +4.2 pts 32.4% 47%

38 WaltonWalton-Verona Independent +4.2 pts 34.4% 45.1%

39 MayfieldGraves County +3.9 pts 36.5% 42.2%

HartfordOhio County +3.8 pts 34.2% 44.5%

La GrangeOldham County +3.5 pts 42% 36%

42 Lexington-Fayette urban countyFayette County +3.1 pts 34.8% 42.4%

43 TompkinsvilleMonroe County +3.1 pts 33.4% 43.9%

CrittendenGrant County +3.0 pts 40% 37%

Mount SterlingMontgomery County +2.7 pts 30.9% 45.4%

GlasgowBarren County +2.6 pts 33.2% 43%

47 MarionCrittenden County +2.6 pts 34.9% 41.3%

48 LawrenceburgAnderson County +2.3 pts 34.2% 41.4%

NicholasvilleJessamine County +2.2 pts 31.9% 43.4%

RichmondMadison County +2.1 pts 29.5% 45.7%

51 Calvert CityMarshall County +1.5 pts 32% 42%

AshlandAshland Independent +1.3 pts 31.1% 42.4%

BereaMadison County +1.3 pts 30% 43.5%

Taylor MillKenton County +1.3 pts 34.7% 38.9%

55 ReidlandMcCracken County +1.3 pts 33% 40.5%

56 GeorgetownScott County +1.1 pts 32.3% 41%

57 MadisonvilleHopkins County +0.8 pts 29.8% 42.8%

58 LouisaLawrence County +0.7 pts 27.2% 45.1%

Russell SpringsRussell County +0.5 pts 29% 42.9%

BentonMarshall County −0.8 pts 29.3% 40.1%

61 HodgenvilleLaRue County −0.8 pts 28.4% 41%

OwensboroOwensboro Independent −0.9 pts 30.1% 39%

63 PrincetonCaldwell County −1.0 pts 32% 37%

Pioneer VillageBullitt County −1.0 pts 32% 37%

GraysonCarter County −1.1 pts 27.8% 41%

SpringfieldWashington County −1.1 pts 30.9% 37.9%

67 FlorenceBoone County −1.2 pts 30.2% 38.3%

EminenceEminence Independent −1.3 pts 24.2% 44.2%

69 FrankfortFranklin County −1.4 pts 29.2% 39.1%

70 PaducahPaducah Independent −1.7 pts 26.8% 40.8%

71 BarbourvilleKnox County −1.8 pts 26.1% 41.3%

HazardPerry County −1.9 pts 26% 41.2%

73 HendersonHenderson County −2.0 pts 33% 33.9%

BardstownNelson County −2.0 pts 27.2% 39.8%

FlemingsburgFleming County −2.2 pts 28.2% 38.4%

MoreheadRowan County −2.3 pts 27.4% 39%

LeitchfieldGrayson County −2.3 pts 26.3% 40.1%

Bowling GreenWarren County −2.4 pts 28.9% 37.2%

79 Vine GroveHardin County −2.4 pts 27.1% 39.1%

80 LancasterGarrard County −2.4 pts 27.8% 38.5%

81 LebanonMarion County −2.9 pts 27.9% 37.2%

82 FranklinSimpson County −3.3 pts 27.5% 37%

83 SorghoDaviess County −3.5 pts 27% 37%

MaysvilleMason County −3.6 pts 24% 39.7%

WinchesterClark County −3.8 pts 27.3% 36.2%

CadizTrigg County −3.9 pts 25.8% 37.3%

87 GreenvilleMuhlenberg County −4.7 pts 26.5% 35.2%

88 CampbellsvilleTaylor County −5.1 pts 23.4% 37.4%

89 LudlowLudlow Independent −5.1 pts 26.5% 34.3%

WilliamstownWilliamstown Independent −5.3 pts 28.4% 32.1%

91 HarrodsburgMercer County −5.4 pts 25.7% 34.6%

92 PaintsvilleJohnson County −5.4 pts 23.1% 37.1%

HopkinsvilleChristian County −5.7 pts 26.2% 33.4%

94 ColumbiaAdair County −5.8 pts 23.5% 35.9%

95 WestwoodFairview Independent −5.9 pts 24.7% 34.4%

HillviewBullitt County −6.0 pts 20.8% 38.1%

97 ProvidenceWebster County −6.0 pts 22% 37%

LyndonJefferson County −6.3 pts 21.9% 36.6%

99 RussellvilleRussellville Independent −6.5 pts 24.6% 33.4%

100 ShepherdsvilleBullitt County −6.7 pts 25.4% 32.1%

101 ScottsvilleAllen County −6.7 pts 26.6% 31%

102

CynthianaHarrison County −7.2 pts 22.6% 33.9%

103 RadcliffHardin County −7.6 pts 22.3% 33.5%

104

MonticelloWayne County −7.6 pts 21.1% 34.8%

105

DaytonDayton Independent −7.7 pts 23.1% 32.5%

106

ErlangerErlanger-Elsmere Independent −7.8 pts 23.9% 31.4%

107

StanfordLincoln County −7.9 pts 20.2% 35%

108 West LibertyMorgan County −8.0 pts 21.7% 33.2%

109 ParisBourbon County −8.4 pts 24% 30.2%

110 Louisville/Jefferson County metro governmentJefferson County −9.3 pts 19.7% 32.6%

111

ShelbyvilleShelby County −9.6 pts 20.6% 31.1%

112

CovingtonCovington Independent −10.1 pts 20.2% 30.6%

113 JeffersontownJefferson County −11.1 pts 18.3% 30.4%

114

St. MatthewsJefferson County −11.1 pts 14.9% 33.8%

115

MiddlesboroughMiddlesboro Independent −11.5 pts 16.2% 31.7%

116

BellevueBellevue Independent −11.8 pts 15.4% 32%

117

WilliamsburgWilliamsburg Independent −12.4 pts 15.2% 31%

118

StantonPowell County −13.2 pts 13.2% 31.5%

119

SouthgateSouthgate Independent −13.5 pts 12% 32%

120 ShivelyJefferson County −13.9 pts 14.8% 28.3%

121

ElsmereErlanger-Elsmere Independent −14.4 pts 17.4% 24.7%

122 NewportNewport Independent −15.6 pts 14.3% 25.5%

123 PrestonsburgFloyd County −15.9 pts 11.6% 27.6%

124

MorganfieldUnion County −16.0 pts 22% 17%

125 CarrolltonCarroll County −17.9 pts 13.5% 21.7%

126 Cave CityCaverna Independent −25.8 pts 7.5% 12%

How this ranking works

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