Best Schools in Oroville, California
31 schools · 16 Elementary · 4 Middle · 6 High · 5 Other
Choosing a school in Oroville?
Use this page to compare every school in Oroville 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.
Concow Elementary
Elementary · Golden Feather Union Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Nelson Avenue Middle
Middle · Thermalito Union Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Plumas Avenue Elementary
Elementary · Thermalito Union Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Oroville for 2026 are Concow Elementary (8.9/10), Nelson Avenue Middle (7.7/10), and Plumas Avenue Elementary (7.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 21 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
31
26 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.1
out of 10
Median Home
$302,400
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Schools
31
26 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.1
out of 10
Median Home
$302,400
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Rates 8.9/10 despite 85% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.7 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 Oroville schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +23.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Oroville schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Oroville
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 21 rated schools; 31 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concow Elementary | 8.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Nelson Avenue Middle | 7.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Plumas Avenue Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 4 | Golden Hills Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Poplar Avenue Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Sierra Avenue Elementary | 7.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Hearthstone | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Prospect High (continuation) | 6.8 / 10 |
| 9 | Oroville High | 6.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Ipakanni Early College Charter | 6.5 / 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
- 6.1/10
- Median household income
- $58,658
- Median home value
- $302,400
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 16%
- Avg commute
- 24 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 68%
32% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Oroville compares
California rank
#375 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.2
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$59k
59% of California median
Schools in this city
25
8 districts draw attendance lines through Oroville
Oroville is not one school system. 8 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 23% of the public campuses.
Oroville City Elementary is the largest slice at 6 of 26 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a Oroville address is choosing a district first.
Among 21 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.6 to 8.9 — the spread is inside Oroville, not a citywide average.
4 of the 26 public schools are charters (15%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Oroville City Elementary6 public · 23%
- Thermalito Union Elementary6 public · 23%
- Butte County Office of Education5 public · 19%
- Oroville Union High4 public · 15%
- Palermo Union Elementary2 public · 8%
About Schools in Oroville, California
Oroville, California has 22 ranked public schools, spanning elementary through middle grades. The city's average school score is 5.5 out of 10 — and performance across those schools is uneven. Only 4 schools, or 18% of the ranked total, clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold. That gap means where a child enrolls within Oroville matters considerably more than the city-level average suggests.
The strongest performers cluster at the elementary level. Helen M. Wilcox Elementary leads the city with a score of 8.2 — the highest of any school in Oroville — followed closely by Wyandotte Academy at 8.1 and Concow Elementary at 8.0. All three score well above the 5.5 city average and represent the clearest high-confidence options for families with younger children. Nelson Avenue Middle earns a 7.5, making it the standout middle-grade choice and one of just four schools citywide to break the 7-point mark. Oakdale Heights Elementary rounds out the top five at 6.8 — above average, but with real distance from the city's leading three.
Below that top tier, scores drop noticeably. The 5.5 average reflects a wide middle band of schools where the performance gap between options is meaningful in practice. Families with address flexibility should treat elementary placement as a high-stakes early decision — the three top elementary schools represent a concentrated pocket of strong performance in an otherwise average field.
The practical takeaway: Oroville has genuinely strong elementary schools, but they account for a small fraction of the 22 available options. Parents should evaluate school-level scores when choosing a neighborhood or pursuing open enrollment, and plan middle school transitions early. Nelson Avenue Middle is the natural continuation for students coming out of Wilcox, Wyandotte, or Concow — and with a 7.5, it holds the tier well.
Elementary Schools
16 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.9 |
| 2 | 335 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.7 |
| 3 | 247 students · 4th–5th | 7.6 |
| 4 | 324 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.3 |
| 5 | 358 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 6 | 418 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.4 |
| 7 | 41 students · Kindergarten–3rd | 6.3 |
| 8 | 566 students · Kindergarten–3rd | 5.4 |
| 9 | 481 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.1 |
| 10 | 441 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.8 |
Show all 16 elementary schools in Oroville
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 457 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 |
| 2 | 335 students · 6th–8th | 6.5 |
| 3 | 325 students · 5th–8th | 6.0 |
| 4 | 5 students · 5th–8th | — |
High Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 870 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 | ||
| 3 | 77 students · 9th–12th | 4.4 | ||
| 4 | 1,299 students · 9th–12th | 4.2 | ||
| 5 | 7 students · 9th–12th | — | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 6 students · Kindergarten–11th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 179 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.2 |
| 2 | 63 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.5 |
| 3 | 61 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.9 |
| 4 | 17 students · Kindergarten–12th | — |
| 5 | 15 students · 1st–12th | — |
Schools in Oroville
Oroville, California · 31 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$58,658
Median Home Value
$302,400
Median Rent
$1,118/mo
Population
50,189
College Educated
16%
Homeownership
68%
Avg Commute
24 min
Poverty Rate
19.0%
Community Profile
Oroville has a median household income of $58,658. It is a community where 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $302,400, with a median rent of $1,118/month. The area has a poverty rate of 19.0%. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 16
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 6
- Other
- 5
Resources
School Districts (8)
Ipakanni Early College Charter District
1 school · 63 students
STREAM Charter District
1 school · 481 students
Golden Feather Union Elementary
1 school · 72 students
Oroville City Elementary
7 schools · 2,055 students
Oroville Union High
4 schools · 2,264 students
Palermo Union Elementary
6 schools · 1,283 students
Thermalito Union Elementary
6 schools · 1,520 students
Butte County Office of Education
7 schools · 388 students
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 Oroville, California
How many schools are in Oroville, California?
Oroville has 31 schools, including 26 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Oroville, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Oroville is 6.1 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 Oroville, California?
The top-ranked school in Oroville on MySchoolScout is Concow Elementary with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best elementary school in Oroville, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Oroville on MySchoolScout is Concow Elementary with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best middle school in Oroville, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Oroville on MySchoolScout is Nelson Avenue Middle with a composite score of 7.7/10.
What is the best high school in Oroville, California?
The top-ranked high school in Oroville on MySchoolScout is Prospect High (continuation) with a composite score of 6.8/10.
How many school districts serve Oroville, California?
Oroville is served by 8 school districts: Ipakanni Early College Charter District, Stream Charter District, Golden Feather Union Elementary, Oroville City Elementary, Oroville Union High, Palermo Union Elementary, Thermalito Union Elementary, Butte County Office of Education.
What is the education level in Oroville, California?
According to Census data, 16% of adults in Oroville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Oroville, California?
The median household income in Oroville is approximately $58,658 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Oroville, California?
Yes, Oroville has 5 private schools alongside 26 public schools. The top-rated private school is Feather River Adventist School with a score of 7.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Oroville, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Oroville is 17.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Oroville, 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.