Best Schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois
21 schools · 14 Elementary · 4 Middle · 3 High
Choosing a school in Crystal Lake?
Use this page to compare every school in Crystal Lake 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.
Prairie Grove Elem School
Elementary · Prairie Grove CSD 46. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
South Elem School
Elementary · Crystal Lake Ccsd 47. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Glacier Ridge Elementary School
Elementary · Crystal Lake Ccsd 47. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Crystal Lake for 2026 are Prairie Grove Elem School (8.5/10), South Elem School (8.4/10), and Glacier Ridge Elementary School (7.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 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
21
17 public · 4 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$346,600
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
21
17 public · 4 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$346,600
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 8.4/10 despite 29% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 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 Crystal Lake schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +12.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Crystal Lake schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Crystal Lake
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 17 rated schools; 21 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Grove Elem School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 2 | South Elem School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Glacier Ridge Elementary School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Hannah Beardsley Middle School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 5 | North Elem School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 6 | Prairie Ridge High School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 7 | Richard F Bernotas Middle Sch | 7.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Prairie Grove Junior High School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Lundahl Middle School | 6.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Crystal Lake Central High School | 6.3 / 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
- 6.3/10
- Median household income
- $126,005
- Median home value
- $346,600
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 49%
- Avg commute
- 29 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 88%
42% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Crystal Lake compares
Illinois rank
#236 of 450
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.1
below Illinois avg (6.4)
Median household income
$126k
154% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
19
Crystal Lake Ccsd 47 runs 71% of Crystal Lake's public schools
Crystal Lake touches 3 districts, but Crystal Lake Ccsd 47 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Crystal Lake Ccsd 47 accounts for 12 of 17 public schools (71%). The other 2 districts hold the remaining 5.
Among 17 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.4 to 8.5 — the spread is inside Crystal Lake, not a citywide average.
- Crystal Lake Ccsd 4712 public · 71%
- Chsd 1553 public · 18%
- Prairie Grove CSD 462 public · 12%
About Schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake, Illinois offers parents a compact but competitive public school landscape, with 17 ranked public schools and an average score of 6.4 out of 10 — a solid baseline for a mid-size suburban city. The district performs consistently, and families searching for stronger options have real choices: 5 schools, or 29% of all ranked schools, score 7 or higher, giving Crystal Lake a notably top-heavy distribution for a city its size.
The secondary schools anchor that strength. Crystal Lake South High School and Prairie Ridge High School both score 7.7 out of 10 — the highest in the city — making Crystal Lake's high school tier one of the most dependable stretches of the pipeline. Neither school stands alone at the top; the tie means families on either side of the attendance boundary are drawing from equivalent academic quality, which is an unusual advantage in suburban school systems where one high school often outpaces the other significantly.
The elementary tier is competitive too. Husmann Elementary and Coventry Elementary each score 7.3, and Glacier Ridge Elementary checks in at 7.0, giving younger students multiple above-average options before they reach high school. Three elementary schools at 7.0 or better signals that strong academic preparation is not concentrated in one pocket of the city — it's distributed across neighborhoods.
For parents doing side-by-side comparisons, Crystal Lake's average of 6.4 means the floor across the district is respectable, but the gap between the top-scoring schools and the city average is about 1.3 points. That spread is worth tracking by address when choosing where to live. Families who prioritize high school performance in particular will find both Crystal Lake South and Prairie Ridge as reliable targets. Parents with elementary-age children should cross-reference their attendance zone against Husmann, Coventry, and Glacier Ridge before assuming their nearest school is their best option. Across the full system, Crystal Lake rewards families who research at the school level rather than relying on the city's overall average.
Elementary Schools
14 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 533 students · Pre-K–4th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 415 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.4 |
| 3 | 391 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 4 | 657 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.4 |
| 5 | 533 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.9 |
| 6 | 482 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.4 |
| 7 | 641 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.1 |
| 8 | 536 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.0 |
| 9 | 489 students · Kindergarten–5th | 3.9 |
| 10 | 505 students · Kindergarten–5th | 3.4 |
Show all 14 elementary schools in Crystal Lake
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 | 831 students · 6th–8th | 7.5 |
| 2 | 759 students · 6th–8th | 7.0 |
| 3 | 345 students · 5th–8th | 7.0 |
| 4 | 794 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,138 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 2 | 1,498 students · 9th–12th | 6.3 |
| 3 | 1,291 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 |
Schools in Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake, Illinois · 21 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$126,005
Median Home Value
$346,600
Median Rent
$1,796/mo
Population
60,312
College Educated
49%
Homeownership
88%
Avg Commute
29 min
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Community Profile
Crystal Lake has a median household income of $126,005. It is a well-educated community where 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $346,600, with a median rent of $1,796/month. The local poverty rate of 6.9% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 29 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 14
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 3
Resources
Other Major Cities in Illinois
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 Crystal Lake, Illinois
How many schools are in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
Crystal Lake has 21 schools, including 17 public and 4 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Crystal Lake is 6.3 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 Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Crystal Lake on MySchoolScout is Prairie Grove Elem School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best elementary school in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Crystal Lake on MySchoolScout is Prairie Grove Elem School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best middle school in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Crystal Lake on MySchoolScout is Hannah Beardsley Middle School with a composite score of 7.5/10.
What is the best high school in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Crystal Lake on MySchoolScout is Prairie Ridge High School with a composite score of 7.1/10.
How many school districts serve Crystal Lake, Illinois?
Crystal Lake is served by 3 school districts: Crystal Lake Ccsd 47, Chsd 155, Prairie Grove CSD 46.
What is the education level in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
According to Census data, 49% of adults in Crystal Lake have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The median household income in Crystal Lake is approximately $126,005 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
Yes, Crystal Lake has 4 private schools alongside 17 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Thomas the Apostle School with a score of 6.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Crystal Lake is 12.8:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois?
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, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.