These Are The Best School Districts In IL, New Ranking Says

Find out how Chicago-area school districts stack up in Niche's rankings.

By Lauren Traut, Patch Staff

Sep 30, 2026 10:53 AM CDT

Parents choosing where to live in Illinois often look first at the quality of the local school district.

The best school district in the Chicago metro area is Glenbrook High School District 225, according to the 2027 Best School Districts in America list recently released by the education ranking service Niche.

Glenbrook High School District 225 has an overall grade of A+, according to Niche. It serves 5,034 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. According to state test scores, 80 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 84 percent in reading. Read more here.

Other school districts in the Chicago area that got an "A-" or better grade are, in the order ranked, are:

#2. New Trier Township High School District No. 203: A+

3,656 students in 2 schools
Student-teacher ratio of

#3. Community High School District 128: A+

3,196 students in 2 main schools; 1 transition program offered.
Student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1.

#4. Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86: A+

3,815 students in 2 schools
Student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1.

#5. Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204: A+

26,108 students in grades PK, K-12
Student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1
31 total schools

#6. Township High School District No. 113: A+

3,098 students in grades 9-12
Student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1.

#7. Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220: A+

7,936 students in grades PK, K-12
Student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1

#8. Elmhurst School District No. 205: A+

8,280 students in grades PK, K-12
Student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1.

#9. Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203: A+

16,047 students in grades PK, K-12
Student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1

#10. Township High School District No. 211: A+

12,458 students in grades 9-12

Student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.

Niche also released its best public schools and best private schools rankings.

Niche's rankings combine federal and state data, school statistics, and over 3 million reviews from students, parents, and teachers to evaluate schools beyond test scores.

This year, Niche updated its methodology and created separate public and private rankings for categories including arts, diversity, college prep and teachers. It also introduced school-type-specific methodologies for boarding schools and private online high schools.

"Families deserve a complete view of their options, whether they're evaluating schools in their area or exploring what's available elsewhere," Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release.