Towns with the best public schools in Wisconsin
Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the Wisconsin average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 262 towns with 2,500+ residents.
Germantown ranks #72 of 262
+9.8 pts vs. the WI average in math + reading · Visit Germantown →
1
St. Joseph
St. Croix County
+39.1 pts
Math 82% · Reading 72%
2
Harrison
+33.3 pts
Math 80% · Reading 62.4%
3
Norway
Racine County
+32.9 pts
Math 71.8% · Reading 70%
How this ranking works
For every public school in a town we take its latest math and reading proficiency and subtract the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.