- Realtor.com ranked the most popular school districts for families in the 50 largest US metros.
- The school districts considered had at least 100 homes for sale between May and July 2025.
- In more than half of the top school districts, homeowners pay well above the typical home price.
Most parents are willing to go the extra mile for their kids, no matter the extra cost.
This is especially true when it comes to education. For many parents, the quality of local schools is a top priority and a big factor in homebuying decisions. Often, getting into the best schools also means paying a premium to live in the district.
To determine the most popular school districts for families in the 50 largest US metros, Realtor.com analyzed the number of views listings on its website received from out-of-market shoppers between May and July 2025. The study focused on districts with at least 100 homes for sale during this period, and at least one nearby public school rated 8 or higher by the nonprofit website GreatSchools.
Realtor.com found that while the nation's top-rated school districts are spread across the country, many share one thing in common: homeowners in these districts pay much more for a typical home than those in the surrounding metro. In 27 of the 50 most sought-after districts, median listing prices averaged $1.21 million — 135% higher than in surrounding areas.
Carroll Independent School District (CISD), serving the Dallas suburbs of Southlake and Grapevine, ranks among the top school districts and has the steepest premium. Homeowners there pay an eye-popping $2,159,833 for a typical home, a 390.9% premium, or $1,718,866 more than other homes in the metro.
"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.
Below are 10 of the most popular school districts with the highest premiums, according to Realtor.com.
10. Eureka Union School District
Sacramento, California.
Getty Images.
- Metro: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, California
- Median listing price in district: $1,235,083
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $632,154
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 95.4%
- Locale: Large suburb
9. Narragansett School District
Prospect Terrace Park in Providence, Rhode Island.
Shutterstock/Sean Pavone
- Metro: Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts
- Median listing price in district: $1,173,083
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $599,950
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 95.5%
- Locale: Large suburb
8. Del Mar Union Elementary School District
San Diego, California cityscape at the Gaslamp Quarter.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
- Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
- Median listing price in district: $2,194,583
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $992,500
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 121.1%
- Locale: Large city
7. Cave Creek Unified District
Phoenix, Arizona
4kodiak/Getty Images
- Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
- Median listing price in district: $1,656,908
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $516,667
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 220.7%
- Locale: Midsize city
6. Ladue School District
St. Louis, Missouri.
Art Wager/Getty Images
- Metro: St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois
- Median listing price in district: $968,247
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $299,950
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 222.8%
- Locale: Large suburb
5. New Hope-Solebury School District 8
Abbamonte is not a fan of the food or sports culture in Philadelphia.
Joe Daniel Price / Getty Images
- Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-
New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland - Median listing price in district: $1,249,567
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $385,800
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 223.9%
- Locale: Town
4. Mountain Brook City School District
Birmingham, Alabama.
Isabella Pino/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
- Metro: Birmingham, Alabama
- Median listing price in district: $1,046,408
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $306,433
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 241.5%
- Locale: Large suburb
3. Reed Union Elementary School District
Oakland, California city skyline.
Jonathan Clark/Getty Images
- Metro: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California
- Median listing price in district: $4,029,750
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $995,767
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 304.7%
- Locale: Large suburb
2. Laguna Beach Unified School District
Laguna Beach in California.
TraceRouda/Getty Images
- Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
- Median listing price: $4,959,833
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $4,959,833
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 322.0%
- Locale: Large suburb
1. Carroll Independent School District
Dallas, Texas.
f11photo/Shutterstock
- Metro: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
- Median listing price in district: $2,159,833
- Median listing price surrounding metro: $439,967
- Premium vs. surrounding metros: 390.9%
- Locale: Large suburb
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