6.8 avg / 10

Best Schools in Lake City, Florida

24 schools · 9 Elementary · 2 Middle · 3 High · 10 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 15

Private: 9

Districts: 1

Avg Rating: 6.8/10

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Choosing a school in Lake City?

Use this page to compare every school in Lake City by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Columbia. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Lake City for 2026 are Pinemount Elementary School (8.5/10), Columbia City Elementary School (8.4/10), and Niblack Elementary School (8.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 19 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.

Best value · beats the odds

Niblack Elementary School

Rates 8.2/10 despite 94% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 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 Lake City schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Lake City

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (19 of 24). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Pinemount Elementary School	8.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.7	89th
2	Columbia City Elementary School	8.4 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	87th
3	Niblack Elementary School	8.2 / 10	Elementary	+2.0	84th
4	Epiphany Catholic School	8.2 / 10	Elementary	—	97th
5	Eastside Elementary School	8.1 / 10	Elementary	+1.3	82th
6	Westside Elementary School	8.1 / 10	Elementary	+1.0	82th
7	Cambridge Prep Academy	8.1 / 10	Other	—	96th
8	Richardson Sixth Grade Academy	8.0 / 10	Middle	+1.1	81th
9	Belmont Academy	7.4 / 10	Other	-0.2	71th
10	Covenant Community School	6.6 / 10	Other	—	58th

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: 6.8/10
Median household income: $55,489
Median home value: $182,600
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17%
Avg commute: 24 min
Owner-occupied homes: 68%

How Lake City compares

Florida rank

#93 of 280

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.5

above Florida avg (6.3)

Median household income

$55k

74% of Florida median

Schools in this city

19

About Schools in Lake City, Florida

Lake City, Florida is home to 24 schools, including 15 public schools and 9 private schools. The city's schools span 9 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools.

With an average rating of 6.8 out of 10, schools in Lake City show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Lake City is Pinemount Elementary School with a composite score of 8.5/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Lake City is served by 1 school district: COLUMBIA. These districts collectively serve 9,785 students.

Lake City's community shows 17% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $55,489. The poverty rate in the area is 17.5%.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (24) Elementary (9) Middle (2) High (3)

Filter by Type: All Types (24) Public (15) Private (9)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (24) Academics (13) Growth (13) Diversity (13) Resources (13)

Filter by ZIP: 32025 (12) 32024 (6) 32055 (6)

Elementary Schools

9 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Pinemount Elementary School 471 students · Pre-K–5th	471	Pre-K–5th	8.5
2	Columbia City Elementary School 586 students · Pre-K–5th	586	Pre-K–5th	8.4
3	Niblack Elementary School 307 students · Pre-K–5th	307	Pre-K–5th	8.2
4	Eastside Elementary School 664 students · Pre-K–5th	664	Pre-K–5th	8.1
5	Westside Elementary School 714 students · Pre-K–5th	714	Pre-K–5th	8.1
6	Summers Elementary School 531 students · Pre-K–5th	531	Pre-K–5th	6.0
7	Five Points Elementary School 359 students · Pre-K–5th	359	Pre-K–5th	5.5
8	Melrose Park Elementary School 388 students · Pre-K–5th	388	Pre-K–5th	5.0
Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Epiphany Catholic School Private 110 students · Kindergarten–8th	110	Kindergarten–8th	8.2

Middle Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Richardson Sixth Grade Academy 420 students · 6th–6th	420	6th–6th	8.0
2	Lake City Middle School 941 students · 7th–8th	941	7th–8th	5.0

High Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Pathways Academy 58 students · 6th–12th	58	6th–12th	5.2
2	Columbia High School 1,727 students · 9th–12th	1,727	9th–12th	4.8
3	Columbia Virtual Instruction Program (district Provided) 18 students · 5th–12th	18	5th–12th	—

Other Schools

10 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Belmont Academy 823 students · Pre-K–12th	823	Pre-K–12th	7.4
2	Prek Ese 15 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	15	Pre-K–Pre-K	—
Private Schools 8 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Cambridge Prep Academy Private 141 students · Pre-K–12th	141	Pre-K–12th	8.1
2	Covenant Community School Private 134 students · Pre-K–12th	134	Pre-K–12th	6.6
3	North Florida Arts & Sciences Academy Private 44 students · Kindergarten–12th	44	Kindergarten–12th	6.3
4	Lake City Christian Academy Private 206 students · Pre-K–12th	206	Pre-K–12th	5.7
5	New Generation School Private 268 students · Kindergarten–12th	268	Kindergarten–12th	5.6
6	Joy Explosion Christian Academy Private 7 students · 1st–10th	7	1st–10th	—
7	Faith Academy Private 26 students · 1st–12th	26	1st–12th	—
8	Behavioral Learning Academy Private 8 students · 3rd–12th	8	3rd–12th	—

Schools in Lake City

Lake City, Florida · 24 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes

Median Income

$55,489

Median Home Value

$182,600

Median Rent

$932/mo

Population

60,704

College Educated

17%

Homeownership

68%

Avg Commute

24 min

Poverty Rate

17.5%

Community Profile

Lake City has a median household income of $55,489. It is a community where 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $182,600, with a median rent of $932/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.5%. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Florida
Elementary: 9
Middle: 2
High: 3
Other: 10

Resources

🔍 Google "Lake City schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Lake City 📊 Niche Lake City Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School District

COLUMBIA

19 schools · 9,785 students

Nearby Cities

Lulu (1 school)

11 mi

Fort White (2 schools)

17 mi

Branford (2 schools)

21 mi

High Springs (2 schools)

23 mi

Live Oak (13 schools)

21 mi

Lake Butler (3 schools)

Gainesville (21 schools)

38 mi

Jennings (2 schools)

40 mi

Other Major Cities in Florida

Top metros statewide by school count.

Miami 497 schools Orlando 299 schools Jacksonville 296 schools Tampa 239 schools Hialeah 118 schools

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Lake City, Florida

How many schools are in Lake City, Florida?

Lake City has 24 schools, including 15 public and 9 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Lake City, Florida?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Lake City is 6.8 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 Lake City, Florida?

The top-ranked school in Lake City on MySchoolScout is Pinemount Elementary School with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What is the best elementary school in Lake City, Florida?

The top-ranked elementary school in Lake City on MySchoolScout is Pinemount Elementary School with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What is the best middle school in Lake City, Florida?

The top-ranked middle school in Lake City on MySchoolScout is Richardson Sixth Grade Academy with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What is the best high school in Lake City, Florida?

The top-ranked high school in Lake City on MySchoolScout is Pathways Academy with a composite score of 5.2/10.

How many school districts serve Lake City, Florida?

Lake City is served by 1 school district: Columbia.

What is the education level in Lake City, Florida?

According to Census data, 17% of adults in Lake City have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Lake City, Florida?

The median household income in Lake City is approximately $55,489 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Lake City, Florida?

Yes, Lake City has 9 private schools alongside 15 public schools. The top-rated private school is Epiphany Catholic School with a score of 8.2/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Lake City, Florida?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Lake City is 13.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Lake City, Florida?

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.