Best Schools in Wilmington, Delaware
81 schools · 39 Elementary · 8 Middle · 18 High · 16 Other
Choosing a school in Wilmington?
Use this page to compare every school in Wilmington 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.
Hanby Elementary School
Elementary · Brandywine School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Marbrook Elementary School
Elementary · Red Clay Consolidated School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Forwood Elementary School
Elementary · Brandywine School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Wilmington for 2026 are Hanby Elementary School (9.1/10), Marbrook Elementary School (8.5/10), and Forwood Elementary School (8.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 48 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
81
51 public · 30 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$359,030
home value · ACS
Districts
14
serving the city
Schools
81
51 public · 30 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$359,030
home value · ACS
Districts
14
serving the city
STAAR proficiency rose +4.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Wilmington schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Wilmington
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 48 rated schools; 81 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanby Elementary School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 2 | Marbrook Elementary School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Forwood Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Carrcroft Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Conrad Schools of Science | 8.2 / 10 |
| 6 | Richey Elementary School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Linden Hill Elementary School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 8 | First State Montessori Academy | 7.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Heritage Elementary School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Charter School of Wilmington | 7.8 / 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
- 6.4/10
- Median household income
- $89,823
- Median home value
- $359,030
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 45%
- Avg commute
- 24 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 65%
46% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Wilmington compares
Delaware rank
#11 of 23
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above Delaware avg (6.4)
Median household income
$90k
104% of Delaware median
Schools in this city
72
Education Snapshot
Wilmington, DelawareWilmington's school landscape spans 83 schools across 14 districts, serving roughly 36,044 students — a level mix that skews toward elementary, with 45 elementary schools compared to 7 middle and 17 high schools. The city's 71 scored schools average 6.4/10 on the MySchoolScout composite, a small but measurable edge above Delaware's state average of 6.3/10. Ten charter schools provide alternatives alongside district-run options. A median household income of $90,584 runs 2% above the Delaware median of $88,976, and 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — both indicators above the state norm. The 14 districts operating within a single city create a fragmented governance structure that sets Wilmington apart from most comparably sized cities; families here navigate more distinct administrative boundaries than the raw school count suggests, which makes individual school ratings the more reliable guide.
14 districts draw attendance lines through Wilmington
Wilmington is not one school system. 14 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 41% of the public campuses.
Red Clay Consolidated School District is the largest slice at 21 of 51 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a Wilmington address is choosing a district first.
Among 48 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.2 to 9.1 — the spread is inside Wilmington, not a citywide average.
10 of the 51 public schools are charters (20%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Red Clay Consolidated School District21 public · 41%
- Brandywine School District14 public · 27%
- Christina School District4 public · 8%
- New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District2 public · 4%
- Charter School of Wilmington1 public · 2%
About Schools in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington's public school system spans 50 ranked schools, giving families a wide range of options across elementary, middle, and high school levels. The city average sits at 6.5 out of 10, which reflects a genuinely mixed landscape — some schools performing well above state norms, others significantly below. That spread matters when you're choosing where to live or enroll.
The top of the range is strong. Brandywine High School leads all 50 ranked schools with a score of 8.6 out of 10, followed closely by Concord High School at 8.5. At the elementary level, Marbrook Elementary scores 8.4, with Carrcroft Elementary and Linden Hill Elementary both at 8.2. These schools consistently outperform most peers in the region and represent the ceiling of what Wilmington's public system offers. Notably, 22 of the 50 ranked schools — 44% — score 7 or above, meaning nearly half the city's schools clear a solid performance threshold. That's a more encouraging picture than the citywide average alone suggests.
The practical challenge is that school quality in Wilmington is closely tied to district boundaries and neighborhood. The higher-scoring schools are concentrated in specific attendance zones, so address matters more here than in cities with more uniform performance. Parents relocating to the area should check district boundaries before committing to a neighborhood, since two streets apart can mean meaningfully different school assignments. Delaware's charter school landscape also gives some families additional choices beyond their assigned school, worth researching in parallel.
For parents starting their search, Brandywine and Concord stand out as the strongest high school options by the numbers. At the elementary level, Marbrook, Carrcroft, and Linden Hill are the benchmark performers. If you're zoned for a school scoring below the 6.5 city average, Delaware's open enrollment and charter options are worth a close look. The 44% of schools above the 7-point mark shows real opportunity in Wilmington — but finding it requires digging into the data school by school, not relying on the citywide average as your guide.
Elementary Schools
39 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 514 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.1 |
| 2 | 431 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 366 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 476 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.3 |
| 5 | 375 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.2 |
| 6 | 547 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.2 |
| 7 | 643 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.9 |
| 8 | 493 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.9 |
| 9 | 191 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.5 |
| 10 | 710 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
Show all 39 elementary schools in Wilmington
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 880 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 | ||
| 2 | 749 students · 6th–8th | 7.5 | ||
| 3 | 800 students · 6th–8th | 6.6 | ||
| 4 | 619 students · 6th–8th | 5.7 | ||
| 5 | 472 students · 6th–8th | 4.1 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Serviam Girls AcademyPrivate 44 students · 5th–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 53 students · 5th–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Ursuline Academy, LowerPrivate 456 students · 3rd–8th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
18 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,163 students · 6th–12th | 8.2 |
| 2 | 971 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 |
| 3 | 934 students · 6th–12th | 7.7 |
| 4 | 1,015 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 |
| 5 | 941 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 6 | 1,074 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 7 | 567 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 |
| 8 | 1,032 students · 6th–12th | 5.7 |
| 9 | 145 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 |
| 10 | 1,598 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 |
Show all 18 high schools in Wilmington
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
16 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 91 students · 2nd–12th | 7.5 | ||
| 2 | 289 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 7.0 | ||
| 3 | 2,192 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 4 | 535 students · 1st–9th | 5.8 | ||
| 5 | 272 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.1 | ||
| 6 | 18 students · Kindergarten–10th | — | ||
Private Schools10 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Concord Christian AcademyPrivate 136 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | The Tatnall SchoolPrivate 457 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Centerville Layton SchoolPrivate 88 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | St Elizabeth SchoolPrivate 364 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 16 other schools in Wilmington
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Schools in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware · 81 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 10 ZIP codes
Median Income
$89,823
Median Home Value
$359,030
Median Rent
$1,363/mo
Population
219,376
College Educated
45%
Homeownership
65%
Avg Commute
24 min
Poverty Rate
12.4%
Community Profile
Wilmington has a median household income of $89,823. It is a well-educated community where 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $359,030, with a median rent of $1,363/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.4%. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Delaware
- Elementary
- 39
- Middle
- 8
- High
- 18
- Other
- 16
Resources
School Districts (14)
Charter School of Wilmington
1 school · 971 students
East Side Charter School
1 school · 446 students
Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School
1 school · 601 students
Kuumba Academy Charter School
1 school · 599 students
Delaware Military Academy
1 school · 567 students
Odyssey Charter School
1 school · 2,192 students
Gateway Charter School
1 school · 191 students
First State Montessori Academy
1 school · 643 students
Freire Charter School Wilmington
1 school · 411 students
Great Oaks Charter School
1 school · 145 students
Christina School District
29 schools · 13,076 students
Brandywine School District
17 schools · 10,350 students
New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District
4 schools · 4,782 students
Red Clay Consolidated School District
28 schools · 14,546 students
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 Wilmington, Delaware
How many schools are in Wilmington, Delaware?
Wilmington has 81 schools, including 51 public and 30 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Wilmington, Delaware?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Wilmington is 6.4 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 Wilmington, Delaware?
The top-ranked school in Wilmington on MySchoolScout is Hanby Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in Wilmington, Delaware?
The top-ranked elementary school in Wilmington on MySchoolScout is Hanby Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Wilmington, Delaware?
The top-ranked middle school in Wilmington on MySchoolScout is Talley Middle School with a composite score of 7.7/10.
What is the best high school in Wilmington, Delaware?
The top-ranked high school in Wilmington on MySchoolScout is Conrad Schools of Science with a composite score of 8.2/10.
How many school districts serve Wilmington, Delaware?
Wilmington is served by 14 school districts: Charter School of Wilmington, East Side Charter School, Edison (thomas A.) Charter School, Kuumba Academy Charter School, Delaware Military Academy, Odyssey Charter School, Gateway Charter School, First State Montessori Academy, Freire Charter School Wilmington, Great Oaks Charter School, Christina School District, Brandywine School District, New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, Red Clay Consolidated School District.
What is the education level in Wilmington, Delaware?
According to Census data, 45% of adults in Wilmington have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Wilmington, Delaware?
The median household income in Wilmington is approximately $89,823 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Wilmington, Delaware?
Yes, Wilmington has 30 private schools alongside 51 public schools. The top-rated private school is Concord Christian Academy with a score of 8.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Wilmington, Delaware?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Wilmington is 11.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Wilmington, Delaware?
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.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Delaware Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.