NENebraska rankings

Towns with the best public schools in Nebraska

Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Nebraska average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 57 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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

Nebraska · Best schools

Wahoo ranks #19 of 57

+6.1 pts vs. the NE average in math + reading · Visit Wahoo →

1 Seward +19.6 pts Math 71.1% · Reading 62.3% 2 Wayne +15.4 pts Math 63.2% · Reading 61.9% 3 Township 7 Washington County +15.1 pts Math 69.9% · Reading 54.6%

#Townvs. state averageMathReading

1 SewardSEWARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS +19.6 pts 71.1% 62.3%

2 WayneWAYNE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS +15.4 pts 63.2% 61.9%

3 Township 7Washington County · ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS +15.1 pts 69.9% 54.6%

GretnaGRETNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS +14.9 pts 61.1% 62.9%

5 Township 1Washington County · FORT CALHOUN COMMUNITY SCHS +13.5 pts 59.3% 62.1%

McCookMC COOK PUBLIC SCHOOLS +12.6 pts 59% 60.6%

AshlandSaunders County · ASHLAND-GREENWOOD PUBLIC SCHS +12.4 pts 60% 59%

David CityDAVID CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS +9.9 pts 57% 57%

9 UnionSaunders County · YUTAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS +9.6 pts 56.5% 57%

AuroraAURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS +9.4 pts 54.2% 58.9%

11 PapillionPAPILLION LA VISTA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS +9.1 pts 55.2% 57.3%

12 ChadronCHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS +8.9 pts 55.9% 56.2%

West PointWEST POINT PUBLIC SCHOOLS +8.7 pts 52.7% 59%

14 ValentineVALENTINE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS +8.3 pts 53.7% 57.1%

SidneySIDNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS +8.0 pts 49.7% 60.5%

MindenMINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS +7.5 pts 57% 52.4%

17 MilfordMILFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS +7.5 pts 55.9% 53.3%

18 KearneyKEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS +6.3 pts 53.6% 53.2%

WahooWAHOO PUBLIC SCHOOLS +6.1 pts 55% 51.4%

20 AuburnAUBURN PUBLIC SCHOOLS +6.0 pts 50% 56.3%

WaverlyWAVERLY SCHOOL DISTRICT 145 +5.4 pts 55.4% 49.7%

YorkYORK PUBLIC SCHOOLS +5.1 pts 55% 49.4%

BlairBLAIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS +5.0 pts 52.8% 51.4%

HoldregeHOLDREGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS +4.6 pts 49.3% 54.3%

Broken BowBROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS +3.2 pts 49.9% 50.8%

26 LincolnLINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS +3.1 pts 48.6% 51.9%

27 La VistaPAPILLION LA VISTA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS +1.4 pts 45.6% 51.5%

BeatriceBEATRICE PUBLIC SCHOOLS +0.8 pts 44.9% 51%

29 Central CityCENTRAL CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS +0.3 pts 44.7% 50.2%

30 St. PaulST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS −0.3 pts 49% 44.7%

31 OgallalaOGALLALA PUBLIC SCHOOLS −0.8 pts 43.1% 49.6%

GothenburgGOTHENBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS −1.0 pts 40.9% 51.5%

O'NeillO'NEILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS −1.6 pts 44.1% 47%

34 Offutt AFBBELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS −1.9 pts 45.4% 45.1%

ValleyDOUGLAS CO WEST COMMUNITY SCHS −2.2 pts 46.4% 43.6%

NorfolkNORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS −2.8 pts 43.9% 44.9%

ScottsbluffSCOTTSBLUFF PUBLIC SCHOOLS −3.2 pts 44.5% 43.5%

Falls CityFALLS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS −3.4 pts 43% 44.5%

39 GeringGERING PUBLIC SCHOOLS −3.6 pts 43.7% 43.4%

40 PlattsmouthPLATTSMOUTH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS −4.5 pts 40.8% 44.6%

41 North PlatteNORTH PLATTE PUBLIC SCHOOLS −4.7 pts 42.8% 42.2%

42 CozadCOZAD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS −5.2 pts 41.8% 42%

Dakota CitySO SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHS −5.2 pts 47% 37%

CreteCRETE PUBLIC SCHOOLS −5.3 pts 43.5% 40.2%

ColumbusCOLUMBUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS −6.3 pts 38.8% 42.9%

OmahaOMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS −7.6 pts 36.7% 42.4%

47 BellevueBELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS −7.6 pts 38.1% 41.1%

HastingsHASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS −7.6 pts 37% 42.1%

49 FairburyFAIRBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS −8.4 pts 39.9% 37.5%

50 South Sioux CitySO SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHS −9.1 pts 40.2% 35.9%

FremontFREMONT PUBLIC SCHOOLS −9.5 pts 36% 39.2%

52 AllianceALLIANCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS −11.4 pts 31.6% 39.8%

SchuylerSCHUYLER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS −12.0 pts 39% 31.2%

54 RalstonRALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS −12.0 pts 31.9% 38.4%

55 Grand IslandGRAND ISLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS −13.2 pts 33.5% 34.4%

LexingtonLEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS −15.6 pts 31.4% 31.7%

Nebraska CityNEBRASKA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS −17.6 pts 25.9% 33.2%

How this ranking works

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