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Long Island has yet again shown itself as a hub of educational excellence, with 11 of its school districts landing among the top 100 in the United States, according to Niche’s 2025 Best Schools rankings, posted Friday afternoon.
Of those, three Long Island districts secured positions in the top 10, cementing the region’s dominance in the rankings.
Niche, an organization known for its comprehensive school and neighborhood rankings, assesses districts across America based on a range of factors, including academic performance, teacher quality, college readiness, and student and parent reviews. Niche’s annual Best Schools report also incorporates data from the U.S. Department of Education, standardized test scores and graduation rates.
Long Island’s top performers
East Williston, home to the prestigious Wheatley School that serves grades 8-12, is the top-ranked Long Island district, placing No. 4 in the nation — up significantly from No. 40 in Niche’s 2024 rankings. The relatively small district — it educates about 1,600 students — is ranked No. 1 in New York state, jumping eight spots from last year.
Following closely behind on the national list is Syosset, which made a giant leap to No. 5 in the country, up from No. 21 in 2024. Syosset is ranked No. 2 in the state, having climbed four spots from last year’s No. 6 position.
Meanwhile, Jericho, which held the top spot in New York in 2024, fell back to No. 3 in the state and No. 11 nationally. Roslyn is No. 4 in the state and No. 15 in the country, the report said.
Suffolk County’s highest-ranked district, Half Hollow Hills, placed No. 20 in the nation and No. 6 in New York.
Region dominates New York top school districts rankings
Nine of the top 10 school districts in New York are located on Long Island, according to Niche’s rankings. Scarsdale Union Free School District, at No. 5, is the only non-Long Island district to make the top 10. In fact, 25 of the top 50 New York districts are on Long Island, further emphasizing the region’s concentration of educational prowess.
Below are Niche’s top 50 school districts in New York. Half of them are either in Nassau or Suffolk. The Long Island school districts are indicated by an asterisk.* (Scroll down to see the top 100 school districts in the United States).
| 1. East Williston* |
| 2. Syosset* |
| 3. Jericho* |
| 4. Roslyn* |
| 5. Scarsdale |
| 6. Half Hollow Hills* |
| 7. Great Neck* |
| 8. Hewlett-Woodmere* |
| 9. Herricks* |
| 10. Bethpage* |
| 11. Bronxville |
| 12. Briarcliff Manor |
| 13. Bellmore-Merrick* |
| 14. Pittsford |
| 15. Chappaqua |
| 16. Manhasset* |
| 17. North Shore* |
| 18. Rye City |
| 19. Brighton |
| 20. Three Village* |
| 21. Lynbrook* |
| 22. Edgemont |
| 23. Ardsley |
| 24. Plainview-Old Bethpage* |
| 25. Pelham |
| 26. Fayetteville-Manlius |
| 27. Cold Spring Harbor* |
| 28. Harrison |
| 29. Elwood* |
| 30. Port Washington* |
| 31. Williamsville |
| 32. Harborfields* |
| 33. New York City Geographic District No. 13 |
| 34. Mamaroneck |
| 35. East Meadow* |
| 36. Spackenkill |
| 37. Commack* |
| 38. Byram Hills |
| 39. Katonah-Lewisboro |
| 40. South Orangetown |
| 41. Rye Neck |
| 42. Oyster Bay-East Norwich* |
| 43. Island Trees* |
| 44. North Colonie |
| 45. Eastchester |
| 46. Bethlehem |
| 47. South Huntington* |
| 48. Suffern |
| 49. Yorktown |
| 50. Westhampton Beach* |
Top 100 U.S. school districts in Niche’s 2025 Best Schools report
Below is a list of the top 100 school districts in the United States, according to the new Niche report. The Long Island school districts in the list below are indicated by an asterisk.*
| 1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125 | Illinois |
| 2. Glenbrook High School District 225 | Illinois |
| 3. Evanston Township High School District No. 202 | Illinois |
| 4. East Williston Union Free School District* | New York |
| 5. Syosset Central School District* | New York |
| 6. Ladue School District | Missouri |
| 7. Eanes Independent School District | Texas |
| 8. Palo Alto Unified School District | California |
| 9. Township High School District No. 113 | Illinois |
| 10. Jericho Union Free School District* | New York |
| 11. Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District | California |
| 12. Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86 | Illinois |
| 13. San Dieguito Union High School District | California |
| 14. West Lafayette Community School Corporation | Indiana |
| 15. Roslyn Union Free School District* | New York |
| 16. Community High School District 128 | Illinois |
| 17. Radnor Township School District | Pennsylvania |
| 18. Township High School District No. 211 | Illinois |
| 19. Scarsdale Union Free School District | New York |
| 20. Half Hollow Hills Central School District* | New York |
| 21. Novi Community School District | Michigan |
| 22. Buford City Schools | Georgia |
| 23. Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District | California |
| 24. North Allegheny School District | Pennsylvania |
| 25. Great Neck Public Schools* | New York |
| 26. Niles Township Community High School District No. 219 | Illinois |
| 27. South Texas Independent School District | Texas |
| 28. Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220 | Illinois |
| 29. Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204 | Illinois |
| 30. New Canaan Public Schools | Connecticut |
| 31. School District of Clayton | Missouri |
| 32. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District | Pennsylvania |
| 33. Homewood City Schools | Alabama |
| 34. Westport School District | Connecticut |
| 35. Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District* | New York |
| 36. Weston Public Schools | Massachusetts |
| 37. Northern Valley Regional High School District | New Jersey |
| 38. Princeton Public Schools | New Jersey |
| 39. Public Schools of Brookline | Massachusetts |
| 40. Redondo Beach Unified School District | California |
| 41. Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203 | Illinois |
| 42. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District | California |
| 43. Wayzata Public Schools | Minnesota |
| 44. Northville Public Schools | Michigan |
| 45. Fremont Union High School District | California |
| 46. Township High School District No. 214 | Illinois |
| 47. Herricks Union Free School District* | New York |
| 48. South Pasadena Unified School District | California |
| 49. Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Nuames) | Utah |
| 50. Elmbrook School District | Wisconsin |
| 51. Arcadia Unified School District | California |
| 52. Bethpage Union Free School District* | New York |
| 53. Carmel Unified School District | California |
| 54. Pleasanton Unified School District | California |
| 55. La Canada Unified School District | California |
| 56. Bronxville Union Free School District | New York |
| 57. San Mateo Union High School District | California |
| 58. Carroll Independent School District | Texas |
| 59. San Marino Unified School District | California |
| 60. Mariemont City Schools | Ohio |
| 61. Millburn Township School District | New Jersey |
| 62. New Trier Township High School District No. 203 | Illinois |
| 63. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District | Texas |
| 64. Coppell Independent School District | Texas |
| 65. Acalanes Union High School District | California |
| 66. Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District | New York |
| 67. Ridgewood Public School District | New Jersey |
| 68. Mason City School District | Ohio |
| 69. Tamalpais Union High School District | California |
| 70. Wilton Public Schools | Connecticut |
| 71. Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District* | New York |
| 72. Isu Laboratory Schools | Illinois |
| 73. West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District | New Jersey |
| 74. Madison City Schools | Alabama |
| 75. Solon City School District | Ohio |
| 76. Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park) | Kansas |
| 77. Belmont Public Schools | Massachusetts |
| 78. Lower Merion School District | Pennsylvania |
| 79. Minnetonka Public School District | Minnesota |
| 80. Piedmont City Unified School District | California |
| 81. Troy School District | Michigan |
| 82. Lexington Public Schools | Massachusetts |
| 83. Darien School District | Connecticut |
| 84. Carmel Clay Schools | Indiana |
| 85. Community High School District No. 155 | Illinois |
| 86. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District | California |
| 87. Pittsford Central School District | New York |
| 88. Mt. Lebanon School District | Pennsylvania |
| 89. Poway Unified School District | California |
| 90. Allen Independent School District | Texas |
| 91. Chappaqua Central School District | New York |
| 92. Sycamore Community School District | Ohio |
| 93. Irvine Unified School District | California |
| 94. Oak Park Unified School District | California |
| 95. Upper St. Clair School District | Pennsylvania |
| 96. Hopkinton Public Schools | Massachusetts |
| 97. Elmhurst School District No. 205 | Illinois |
| 98. Auburn City Schools | Alabama |
| 99. Manhasset Union Free School District* | New York |
| 100. Tenafly Public School District | New Jersey |
Top photo: Students at East Williston’s The Wheatley School (Facebook/East Williston Union Free School District).
