When it’s time for a larger house or a relocation, parents of school-age children often are focused on schools: What’s the reputation? The ranking in the county or state? The proximity to a particular house? Does the district offer specific support for children with special needs? And of course, what are the school taxes?
According to a 2019 research report from the National Association of Realtors, 53% of home buyers with children under the age of 18 chose a neighborhood based on quality of school district, and half chose a neighborhood based on its physical convenience to schools.
For buyers in the greater Philadelphia area, recent rankings from data compiler Niche suggest the suburbs in this part of the state are brimming with highly rated options in public-school districts. The Niche research looked at the following areas in its research of Pennsylvania’s 500 public school districts:
- Academics
- Diversity
- Teachers
- College Prep
- Clubs & Activities
- Health & Safety
- Administration
- Sports
- Food
- Resources & Facilities
[Learn more about the methodology Niche used to create these rankings here.]
Top-Rated School Districts in the Philadelphia Area
The districts that came out on top are Radnor Township and Tredyffrin-Easttown, in first and second place, respectively. Lower Merion is rated #4. All three of these are on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Several more in the Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty market area of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties also are in the top 20, including Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, Wallingford-Swarthmore, Upper Dublin, Garnet Valley, Wissahickon, Central Bucks, Colonial, Great Valley and Downingtown.
Because we understand how important schools are when searching for a home, Kurfiss SIR recently added a “Search by school district” to the Kurfiss.com site for searches in our markets areas in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Below is a list of the Top 100 districts from the Niche rankings; each links to current homes for sale in that district in the greater Philadelphia area. For more specific guidance in a particular area, contact our offices. And while Philadelphia is not represented on this list, be assured there are some outstanding options in town for those who plan to send their children to public school in the city. See links at the bottom of this story where you can research Pennsylvania school performance and get additional information.
One-Click Search for Homes in the Top-Rated School Districts
- Radnor Township School District
- Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
- Fox Chapel Area School District
- Lower Merion School District
- Mt. Lebanon School District
- North Allegheny School District
- Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
- Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
- School District of Upper Dublin
- Upper St. Clair School District
- Garnet Valley School District
- Wissahickon School District
- Hampton Township School District
- Central Bucks School District
- Colonial School District
- South Fayette Township School District
- Great Valley School District
- Derry Township School District
- State College Area School District
- Downingtown Area School District
- Spring-Ford Area School District
- Rose Tree Media School District
- Lower Moreland Township School District
- Quaker Valley School District
- Fairview School District
- New Hope-Solebury School District
- West Chester Area School District
- Parkland School District
- Springfield School District (Delaware County)
- Peters Township School District
- School District of Haverford Township
- Perkiomen Valley School District
- North Penn School District
- Council Rock School District
- Manheim Township School District
- Lewisburg Area School District
- Central Columbia School District
- Wyomissing Area School District
- York Suburban School District
- Montour School District
- Moon Area School District
- Owen J. Roberts School District
- Southern Lehigh School District
- Cumberland Valley School District
- Pine-Richland School District
- Marple Newtown School District
- Greater Latrobe School District
- Jenkintown School District
- Franklin Regional School District
- Phoenixville Area School District
- Abington Heights School District
- Wilson Area School District
- Upper Merion Area School District
- Abington School District
- Nazareth Area School District
- Wilson School District
- North Hills School District
- Kennett Consolidated School District
- Lampeter-Strasburg School District
- Pennsbury School District
- Souderton Area School District
- North Pocono School District
- Penn-Trafford School District
- Hempfield School District
- Seneca Valley School District
- Norwin School District
- North East School District
- Danville Area School District
- Plum Borough School District
- Mechanicsburg Area School District
- Windber Area School District
- Northeastern York School District
- General McLane School District
- Methacton School District
- Central York School District
- Richland School District
- Delaware Valley School District
- Mars Area School District
- Camp Hill School District
- Fort LeBoeuf School District
- Upper Moreland Township School District
- Palmyra Area School District
- Springfield Township School District
- Bethel Park School District
- Avonworth School District
- Canon-McMillan School District
- Penn Manor School District
- Greencastle-Antrim School District
- Dallastown Area School District
- Gettysburg Area School District
- Dallas School District
- East Penn School District
- Hermitage School District
- Neshaminy School District
- Cocalico School District
- Spring Grove Area School District
- Millcreek Township School District
- Southern York County School District
- Lower Dauphin School District
- Conestoga Valley School District
To Do Additional Research on Schools in Pennsylvania
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin or sex, and this law is the reason why agents will not, or should not, ever steer a client toward a particular school (or neighborhood or building.) They should refrain from injecting opinions into discussions with clients. Agents can recommend buyers conduct their own research on such matters and make their own decisions about what homes they will consider. These sites contain rankings and additional information on schools throughout the state.
Kurfiss Sotheby's International Realty 