Best Schools in Daly City, California
25 schools · 19 Elementary · 2 Middle · 4 High
Choosing a school in Daly City?
Use this page to compare every school in Daly City by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Thomas Edison Elementary
Elementary · Jefferson Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Junipero Serra Elementary
Elementary · South San Francisco Unified. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Thomas R. Pollicita Middle
Middle · Jefferson Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Daly City for 2026 are Thomas Edison Elementary (8.8/10), Junipero Serra Elementary (8.8/10), and Thomas R. Pollicita Middle (7.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 20 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
25
20 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$1,066,200
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Schools
25
20 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$1,066,200
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Rates 8.8/10 despite 41% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.1 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Daly City schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +23.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Daly City schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Daly City
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 20 rated schools; 25 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Edison Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Junipero Serra Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 3 | Thomas R. Pollicita Middle | 7.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Westlake Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Bayshore | 7.5 / 10 |
| 6 | Skyline Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Westmoor High | 7.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Woodrow Wilson Elementary | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Summit Public School: Shasta | 6.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Jefferson High | 6.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.5/10
- Median household income
- $119,533
- Median home value
- $1,066,200
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 37%
- Avg commute
- 29 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 60%
41% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Daly City compares
California rank
#247 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.2
above California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$120k
120% of California median
Schools in this city
22
Jefferson Elementary runs 60% of Daly City's public schools
Daly City touches 6 districts, but Jefferson Elementary is the one most addresses actually attend.
Jefferson Elementary accounts for 12 of 20 public schools (60%). The other 5 districts hold the remaining 8.
Among 20 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.8 to 8.8 — the spread is inside Daly City, not a citywide average.
- Jefferson Elementary12 public · 60%
- Jefferson Union High3 public · 15%
- South San Francisco Unified2 public · 10%
- Bayshore Elementary1 public · 5%
- Brisbane Elementary1 public · 5%
About Schools in Daly City, California
Daly City's public school system spans 20 ranked schools with an average score of 6.9 out of 10. That average sits in solid territory, and the distribution tells an even stronger story: 12 of those 20 schools — 60% — score 7 or higher. Parents here have genuine options, with most schools landing at or above a competitive baseline rather than clustering near the bottom of the range.
The elementary sector drives the city's strongest results. Panorama Elementary tops the rankings at 9.6 out of 10, a score that stands out at any geographic level. George Washington Elementary (8.8) and John F. Kennedy Elementary (8.7) anchor a tight top three, followed by Margaret Pauline Brown Elementary (8.5) and Marjorie H. Tobias Elementary (8.0). Five elementary schools clearing the 8.0 threshold in one city represents a meaningful concentration of strong foundational options — families with school-age children are looking at the most competitive tier in the system.
The 60% of schools scoring 7 or better signals consistent quality spread across most of the system, not performance concentrated in a single pocket. That matters for families who may not land in a top-five attendance zone — the baseline across most Daly City schools remains competitive, which reduces the stakes of boundary assignments outside the highest-ranked schools.
For parents in active research mode, start with your attendance boundary and compare it directly to school-level scores rather than the city average. If Panorama Elementary falls in your zone, that 9.6 is the strongest result in the city. If your address maps elsewhere, the 6.9 average and the 60% above-7 rate suggest you are more likely than not to land somewhere solid. The gaps between the top and bottom of the system are real, so boundary-specific lookup — not the headline average — should drive your final comparison.
Elementary Schools
19 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 293 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.8 |
| 2 | 288 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.8 |
| 3 | 330 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.6 |
| 4 | 337 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.5 |
| 5 | 359 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.4 |
| 6 | 246 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 7 | 346 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.4 |
| 8 | 312 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.1 |
| 9 | 437 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.8 |
| 10 | 307 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.3 |
Show all 19 elementary schools in Daly City
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 584 students · 6th–8th | 7.6 |
| 2 | 515 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 |
High Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,256 students · 9th–12th | 7.3 |
| 2 | 449 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
| 3 | 1,071 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 |
| 4 | 116 students · 9th–12th | 2.8 |
Schools in Daly City
Daly City, California · 25 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$119,533
Median Home Value
$1,066,200
Median Rent
$2,425/mo
Population
110,390
College Educated
37%
Homeownership
60%
Avg Commute
29 min
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Community Profile
Daly City has a median household income of $119,533. It is an area where 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,066,200, with a median rent of $2,425/month. The local poverty rate of 7.0% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 29 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 19
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 4
Resources
School Districts (6)
Other Major Cities in California
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Daly City, California
How many schools are in Daly City, California?
Daly City has 25 schools, including 20 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Daly City, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Daly City is 6.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Daly City, California?
The top-ranked school in Daly City on MySchoolScout is Thomas Edison Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Daly City, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Daly City on MySchoolScout is Thomas Edison Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Daly City, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Daly City on MySchoolScout is Thomas R. Pollicita Middle with a composite score of 7.6/10.
What is the best high school in Daly City, California?
The top-ranked high school in Daly City on MySchoolScout is Westmoor High with a composite score of 7.3/10.
How many school districts serve Daly City, California?
Daly City is served by 6 school districts: Summit Public School: Shasta District, Bayshore Elementary, Brisbane Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Jefferson Union High, South San Francisco Unified.
What is the education level in Daly City, California?
According to Census data, 37% of adults in Daly City have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Daly City, California?
The median household income in Daly City is approximately $119,533 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Daly City, California?
Yes, Daly City has 5 private schools alongside 20 public schools. The top-rated private school is Hilldale School with a score of 8.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Daly City, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Daly City is 19.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Daly City, California?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best States for Public Schools in 2026: A Complete Rankingdata insights
- Charter Schools vs Public Schools: What the Data Actually Shows (2026)school choice
- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.