Families Target Top-Rated School Districts This Moving Season--But at a Price
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA) has released its 2025 analysis of the Most Popular School Districts across America's 50 largest metros, revealing significant price premiums for top-rated education. The study shows that 27 of the 50 most sought-after districts command a 135% premium over their metro areas, with median listing prices averaging $1.21 million.
Leading districts include Carroll Independent School District (Dallas metro) with a 390.9% premium, Laguna Beach Unified (Orange County) at 322% premium, and Reed Union Elementary (San Francisco) at 304.7% premium. However, some popular districts like Johnston County (Raleigh) and Humble ISD (Houston) offer prices below metro averages, combining quality education with affordability.
The analysis focused on districts with schools rated 8 or higher and examined factors including class sizes, walkability, and lifestyle amenities, based on out-of-district home shopper data from May to July 2025.
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA) ha pubblicato la sua analisi 2025 dei distretti scolastici più popolari nelle 50 aree metropolitane più grandi degli Stati Uniti, rivelando significativi premi di prezzo per l'istruzione di alto livello. Lo studio mostra che 27 dei 50 distretti più ricercati applicano un premio del 135% rispetto alle loro aree metropolitane, con prezzi medi di listino pari a 1,21 milioni di dollari.
Tra i distretti di vertice ci sono Carroll Independent School District (area metropolitana di Dallas) con un premio del 390,9%, Laguna Beach Unified (Orange County) al 322% e Reed Union Elementary (San Francisco) al 304,7%. Tuttavia, alcuni distretti popolari come Johnston County (Raleigh) e Humble ISD (Houston) mostrano prezzi sotto la media metropolitana, offrendo così qualità educativa e convenienza.
L'analisi si è concentrata sui distretti con scuole valutate 8 o più e ha esaminato fattori come la dimensione delle classi, la camminabilità e i servizi per lo stile di vita, basandosi sui dati sugli acquirenti di case provenienti da fuori distretto raccolti tra maggio e luglio 2025.
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA) ha publicado su análisis 2025 de los distritos escolares más populares en las 50 áreas metropolitanas más grandes de Estados Unidos, revelando primas de precio significativas para la educación mejor valorada. El estudio muestra que 27 de los 50 distritos más solicitados registran una prima del 135% sobre sus áreas metropolitanas, con precios medios de venta de 1,21 millones de dólares.
Entre los distritos líderes figuran Carroll Independent School District (metro de Dallas) con una prima del 390,9%, Laguna Beach Unified (Condado de Orange) con 322% y Reed Union Elementary (San Francisco) con 304,7%. Sin embargo, algunos distritos populares como Johnston County (Raleigh) y Humble ISD (Houston) presentan precios por debajo de la media metropolitana, combinando educación de calidad con asequibilidad.
El análisis se centró en distritos con escuelas calificadas con 8 o más y examinó factores como el tamaño de las clases, la caminabilidad y los servicios para el estilo de vida, basándose en datos de compradores de vivienda fuera del distrito recopilados entre mayo y julio de 2025.
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA)가 미국 50대 대도시의 '가장 인기 있는 학군'에 대한 2025년 분석을 발표했습니다. 이 조사는 상위 등급 교육이 상당한 가격 프리미엄으로 이어진다는 점을 보여줍니다. 연구에 따르면 가장 수요가 많은 50개 학군 중 27곳이 해당 대도시 평균보다 135% 높은 프리미엄을 요구하며, 중간 매물가는 평균 121만 달러입니다.
상위 학군으로는 Carroll Independent School District(댈러스 메트로)가 390.9% 프리미엄, Laguna Beach Unified(오렌지 카운티) 322%, Reed Union Elementary(샌프란시스코) 304.7%를 기록했습니다. 반면 Johnston County(롤리)와 Humble ISD(휴스턴) 같은 인기 학군은 대도시 평균보다 가격이 낮아 양질의 교육과 합리적 비용을 동시에 제공합니다.
이번 분석은 평점 8점 이상 학교가 있는 학군을 대상으로 학급 규모, 도보 접근성, 생활 편의 시설 등 요소를 조사했으며, 2025년 5월~7월 기간의 구역 밖 주택 구매자 데이터를 기반으로 했습니다.
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA) a publié son analyse 2025 des districts scolaires les plus populaires des 50 plus grandes métropoles américaines, mettant en évidence des primes de prix importantes pour les établissements les mieux notés. L'étude révèle que 27 des 50 districts les plus recherchés affichent une prime de 135% par rapport à leurs zones métropolitaines, avec des prix affichés médians d'environ 1,21 million de dollars.
Parmi les districts en tête figurent Carroll Independent School District (métro de Dallas) avec une prime de 390,9%, Laguna Beach Unified (comté d'Orange) à 322% et Reed Union Elementary (San Francisco) à 304,7%. Toutefois, certains districts populaires comme Johnston County (Raleigh) et Humble ISD (Houston) présentent des prix inférieurs à la moyenne métropolitaine, alliant ainsi qualité éducative et abordabilité.
L'analyse s'est concentrée sur les districts ayant des écoles notées 8 ou plus et a examiné des facteurs tels que la taille des classes, la praticabilité à pied et les équipements de style de vie, sur la base des données d'acheteurs de logements hors district recueillies de mai à juillet 2025.
Realtor.com (NASDAQ:NWSA) hat seine Analyse 2025 der beliebtesten Schulbezirke in den 50 größten Metropolregionen der USA veröffentlicht und damit erhebliche Preisaufschläge für erstklassige Bildung aufgezeigt. Die Studie zeigt, dass 27 der 50 gefragtesten Bezirke eine Prämie von 135% gegenüber ihren Metropolen verlangen, mit mittleren Angebotspreisen von durchschnittlich 1,21 Millionen US-Dollar.
Zu den führenden Bezirken zählen Carroll Independent School District (Dallas-Metro) mit einer Prämie von 390,9%, Laguna Beach Unified (Orange County) mit 322% und Reed Union Elementary (San Francisco) mit 304,7%. Einige beliebte Bezirke wie Johnston County (Raleigh) und Humble ISD (Houston) liegen jedoch unter dem Metrodurchschnitt und vereinen Qualität und Erschwinglichkeit.
Die Analyse konzentrierte sich auf Bezirke mit Schulen, die mit 8 oder höher bewertet wurden, und untersuchte Faktoren wie Klassengrößen, Fußgängerfreundlichkeit und Freizeitangebote, basierend auf Daten von außerhalb des Bezirks stammenden Wohnungsinteressenten aus dem Zeitraum Mai bis Juli 2025.
- Several top districts offer prices below metro averages, providing affordable quality education options
- Comprehensive data analysis covering multiple factors including class sizes and walkability scores
- Strong market interest in suburban and rural districts offering lifestyle amenities
- Data shows clear correlation between school quality and property values, beneficial for existing homeowners
- Significant price premiums of up to 390.9% in top-rated school districts
- Average 135% price premium in 27 of 50 most sought-after districts
- High pupil-teacher ratios in some popular districts, exceeding 20:1
- Limited walkability scores in many high-demand school districts
Insights
Realtor.com's school district analysis reveals significant housing premiums for top education, highlighting strategic positioning in the competitive real estate data space.
This research from Realtor.com provides compelling insights into how school quality drives housing premiums across major U.S. markets. The data shows a stark reality: in 27 of the 50 most sought-after school districts, families are paying an average
What makes this analysis particularly valuable is its identification of contrarian opportunities—districts like Johnston County (Raleigh), Humble ISD (Houston), and Palm Beach County (Miami) that offer strong educational outcomes without the typical price premium. These areas actually list below their metro averages, indicating strategic opportunities for value-conscious families.
The comprehensive dataset also reveals nuanced buyer preferences beyond academics, including community factors (Wimberley ISD), educational quality metrics like pupil-teacher ratios (Old Saybrook, Fayette County), and lifestyle considerations such as walkability (East Grand Rapids, Alamo Heights ISD). This multidimensional approach demonstrates Realtor.com's sophisticated understanding of homebuyer decision-making.
The research methodology shows particular rigor—focusing on out-of-market shopping patterns from May-July 2025, filtering for districts with at least one school rated 8+, and requiring sufficient inventory (100+ listings) to ensure statistical relevance. By integrating data from the National Center for Education Statistics and Local Logic's walkability metrics, Realtor.com has created a proprietary, high-value dataset that differentiates its market intelligence capabilities.
This research initiative represents a strategic content play for News Corp's Realtor.com, addressing a prime decision factor for family relocations while showcasing the platform's data analytics capabilities. The research strategically positions Realtor.com as an authoritative source in the intensely competitive real estate information landscape, where differentiated consumer insights drive platform engagement.
By focusing on the education-housing price relationship across 50 major metros, Realtor.com demonstrates its ability to combine proprietary user behavior data (out-of-district shopping patterns) with external educational metrics and housing inventory data. This creates uniquely valuable content that serves multiple strategic purposes: attracting family homebuyers to the platform, providing marketing material for real estate professionals, and generating media coverage that reinforces brand authority.
The timing—August, just before the school year—maximizes relevance and search interest. The research reveals substantial pricing inefficiencies in the market (some top districts commanding
This type of content initiative specifically counters competitive threats from both traditional MLS systems and newer entrants by establishing Realtor.com as a research and insights leader rather than merely a listings aggregator. The comprehensive dataset combines housing metrics with educational quality indicators and lifestyle factors (walkability, locale type, student-teacher ratios)—creating a multidimensional analysis that would be difficult for competitors to replicate without similar data resources.
Realtor.com® reveals the most sought-after school districts in the nation's 50 largest metros
The findings reveal that in 27 of the 50 most sought-after districts, high ratings come with a steep price tag—median listing prices in these top-rated districts averaged 1.21 million,
Still, affordability is influencing family moves. Several top districts—such as
Other features drawing families include:
- Appealing lifestyle: Rural and mid-size suburban districts like Wimberley ISD near
Austin offer a strong sense of community and abundant outdoor amenities. - Small class sizes: Districts such as
Old Saybrook (Hartford ) andFayette County (Atlanta ) provide low pupil-teacher ratios for more personalized learning. - Walkability: Areas like
East Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids metro) and Alamo Heights ISD (San Antonio ) score high for walkable access between homes and schools.
"School quality has long been a driver of homebuying decisions. Our data shows families are making trade-offs—sometimes paying a significant premium for top-rated districts, and other times prioritizing value in areas that still offer strong academics," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com®. "This year, we also saw sizable interest in districts outside major urban centers, reflecting both affordability concerns and a desire for lifestyle amenities."
The full list of Most Popular School Districts in the Top 50 U.S. Metros is available at realtor.com/research/school-housing-2025.
Metro | Most Popular | District | Median | Median | Premium | Premium | Locale | Pupil/ | School |
Atlanta-Sandy |
| 8 | 42.2 % | Suburb: Large | 13.62 | 0.79 | |||
Austin-Round |
| 8 | 60.7 % | Rural: Distant | 14.81 | 0.02 | |||
| 7 | 13.0 % | Suburb: Mid | 14.21 | 1.90 | ||||
Mountain | 10 | 241.5 % | Suburb: Large | 11.47 | 3.46 | ||||
* | 9 | 82.8 % | Suburb: Large | 11.91 | 0.29 | ||||
| 8 | 61.9 % | Town: Fringe | 10.85 | 2.85 | ||||
| 5 | 7.7 % | Suburb: Large | 16.36 | 0.11 | ||||
|
| 8 | 30.2 % | Suburb: Large | 14.32 | 3.79 | |||
|
| 7 | 53.9 % | Suburb: Large | 17.09 | 3.43 | |||
| 8 | 125.3 % | Suburb: Large | 14.9 | 3.68 | ||||
Granville | 8 | 66.7 % | Suburb: Small | 18.38 | 0.15 | ||||
Dallas-Fort | Carroll | 9 | 390.9 % | Suburb: Large | 15.31 | 3.42 | |||
Platte Canyon | 7 | 6.4 % | Rural: Distant | 13.42 | 0.00 | ||||
Trenton Public | 7 | -9.9 % | - | Suburb: Large | 16.42 | 6.28 | |||
East Grand | 9 | 113.4 % | Suburb: Large | 18.26 | 7.64 | ||||
Hartford-West |
| 7 | 103.5 % | Suburb: Large | 8.84 | 1.17 | |||
| Humble | 6 | -3.3 % | - | Suburb: Large | 14.36 | 4.61 | ||
Carmel Clay | 8 | 84.6 % | City: Mid | 15.92 | 2.99 | ||||
| 8 | 35.8 % | Suburb: Large | 17.76 | 0.24 | ||||
| Shawnee | 6 | 24.5 % | City: Mid | 13.93 | 4.99 | |||
| ** | 6 | 0.0 % | - | City: Large | 20.71 | 4.43 | ||
Los Angeles-Long |
| 9 | 322.0 % | Suburb: Large | 18.79 | 2.60 | |||
|
| 7 | 79.6 % | Suburb: Large | 16.5 | 0.20 | |||
|
| 8 | 63.7 % | Suburb: Large | 14.58 | 3.49 | |||
Miami-Fort |
| 6 | -2.7 % | - | Suburb: Large | 16.57 | 2.42 | ||
| 8 | 10.5 % | Suburb: Large | 15.64 | 2.57 | ||||
|
| 7 | 48.2 % | Town: Fringe | 18.85 | 1.51 | |||
| 7 | 41.7 % | City: Small | 10.58 | 3.70 | ||||
| Holmdel | 8 | 73.3 % | Suburb: Large | 10.14 | 1.47 | |||
| Edmond | 7 | 43.9 % | Suburb: Large | 17.47 | 2.75 | |||
| 6 | 2.0 % | Suburb: Large | 17.14 | 2.88 | ||||
|
| 8 | 223.9 % | Town: Fringe | 11.32 | 1.82 | |||
| 7 | 220.7 % | City: Mid | 17.51 | 0.01 | ||||
Peters | 9 | 114.1 % | Suburb: Large | 15.74 | 2.07 | ||||
| 8 | 117.7 % | Suburb: Large | 16.7 | 5.93 | ||||
| 8 | 95.5 % | Suburb: Large | 11.05 | 0.34 | ||||
| 7 | -19.3 % | - | Rural: Fringe | 15.18 | 0.24 | |||
Chesterfield | 5 | 5.4 % | Suburb: Large | 13.84 | 1.37 | ||||
Riverside-San |
| 8 | 47.3 % | Suburb: Large | 24.49 | 5.48 | |||
| Eureka Union | 9 | 95.4 % | Suburb: Large | 23.76 | 5.02 | |||
Ladue School | 8 | 222.8 % | Suburb: Large | 13.82 | 5.04 | ||||
San Antonio-New |
| 8 | 70.6 % | City: Large | 12.91 | 6.33 | |||
San Diego-Chula | Del Mar Union | 8 | 121.1 % | City: Large | 19.99 | 4.67 | |||
| Reed Union | 9 | 304.7 % | Suburb: Large | 14.99 | 2.86 | |||
|
| 6 | 5.2 % | Suburb: Mid | 21.56 | 4.13 | |||
Peninsula | 7 | 17.6 % | Suburb: Large | 18.46 | 0.13 | ||||
Tampa-St. |
| 5 | 7.8 % | Suburb: Large | 18.32 | 3.57 | |||
Catalina | 9 | 39.7 % | Suburb: Large | 17.2 | 2.16 | ||||
| 6 | 68.9 % | Rural: Distant | 15.95 | 0.01 | ||||
|
| 6 | 3.0 % | Suburb: Large | 15.04 | 3.62 | |||
*Data from | |||||||||
Methodology:
To identify the most popular school districts across top 50 U.S. metros, we analyzed views per property from out-of-market home shoppers between May and July 2025. To focus on school-driven housing demand, our analysis included only listings with at least one nearby public school rated 8 or higher, according to GreatSchools ratings. In addition, we restricted our analysis to school districts with an average of at least 100 for-sale properties during this period to ensure we are capturing districts of a meaningful size and housing market presence.
Please note that there might be some overlaps between these popular school districts and our hottest zip codes. While top schools are undoubtedly attracting shoppers to certain zips, it's also likely that a district's apparent popularity is influenced by broader market conditions and the overall appeal of the ZIP code itself. Therefore, whether the overlap is limited or extensive, it suggests that this is not a major concern / this may be an important contributing factor.
School district location types (urban, suburban, town, or rural) and pupil-teacher ratios were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics. School walkability scores were aggregated from the latest property-level data provided by Local Logic, which measures the distance to the nearest elementary and high school for each known property within a district.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.
Media contact: Mallory Micetich, press@realtor.com
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/families-target-top-rated-school-districts-this-moving-seasonbut-at-a-price-302529447.html
SOURCE Realtor.com
FAQ
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