Best Schools in Des Plaines, Illinois
22 schools · 15 Elementary · 3 Middle · 3 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in Des Plaines?
Use this page to compare every school in Des Plaines 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.
Forest Elem School
Elementary · Ccsd 62. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Iroquois Community School
Elementary · Ccsd 62. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Cumberland Elem School
Elementary · Ccsd 62. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Des Plaines for 2026 are Forest Elem School (9.6/10), Iroquois Community School (8.9/10), and Cumberland Elem School (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 16 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
22
17 public · 5 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$301,550
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Schools
22
17 public · 5 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$301,550
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Rates 9.6/10 despite 44% 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 Des Plaines schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +20.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Des Plaines schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Des Plaines
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 16 rated schools; 22 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Elem School | 9.6 / 10 |
| 2 | Iroquois Community School | 8.9 / 10 |
| 3 | Cumberland Elem School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Algonquin Middle School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 5 | Friendship JR High School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 6 | Devonshire School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Chippewa Middle School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Plainfield Elem School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Terrace Elem School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Maine West High School | 6.7 / 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
- 7.2/10
- Median household income
- $84,730
- Median home value
- $301,550
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 35%
- Avg commute
- 28 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 70%
59% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Des Plaines compares
Illinois rank
#82 of 450
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.9
above Illinois avg (6.4)
Median household income
$85k
103% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
22
Ccsd 62 runs 65% of Des Plaines's public schools
Des Plaines touches 4 districts, but Ccsd 62 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Ccsd 62 accounts for 11 of 17 public schools (65%). The other 3 districts hold the remaining 6.
Among 16 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 5.0 to 9.6 — the spread is inside Des Plaines, not a citywide average.
- Ccsd 6211 public · 65%
- Comm Cons SD 593 public · 18%
- East Maine SD 632 public · 12%
- Maine Township Hsd 2071 public · 6%
About Schools in Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines, Illinois runs 17 ranked public schools with an average score of 6.5 out of 10 — a solid mid-range performance for a suburban Cook County city. Nearly half the system clears the 7-point mark: 8 schools, or 47% of ranked schools, score 7 or above, giving families more high-performing options than many comparable communities. The gap between the city average and its top performers is wide, so school choice within Des Plaines matters more than in systems where scores cluster tightly.
Elementary options lead the pack. Brentwood Elementary School tops the city at 8.6 out of 10 — the highest score in Des Plaines and a clear outlier above the 6.5 city average. Iroquois Community School (7.6) and Terrace Elementary (7.1) also clear the 7-point threshold, giving families in those attendance zones strong starting points. Parents whose address falls outside these boundaries should weigh open-enrollment or transfer options, since elementary performance here varies meaningfully by school.
The middle school picture is equally encouraging. Friendship Junior High School scores 8.4 out of 10, trailing only Brentwood in the city rankings and making it one of the stronger middle schools in suburban Cook County. Algonquin Middle School follows at 7.2 — above both the city average and the 7-point benchmark. Two above-average middle schools in one city reduces the concern parents often face when strong elementary outcomes don't carry through to the intermediate grades.
For parents comparing Des Plaines to neighboring communities, the 47% rate of schools scoring 7 or above and an 8.6 top score give the city a competitive profile without requiring a move to a higher-cost district. The practical move: identify which elementary and middle school serves your specific address, check whether it falls in the top half of Des Plaines scorers, and use open-enrollment policies as a lever if it doesn't. Families entering the system at kindergarten have the most flexibility — and in Des Plaines, that flexibility can make a meaningful difference.
Elementary Schools
15 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 657 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.6 |
| 2 | 423 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.9 |
| 3 | 301 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.6 |
| 4 | 299 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.4 |
| 5 | 285 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.7 |
| 6 | 220 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.6 |
| 7 | 253 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.0 |
| 8 | 435 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.0 |
| 9 | 233 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.5 |
| 10 | 326 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.4 |
Show all 15 elementary schools in Des Plaines
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 559 students · 6th–8th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 616 students · 6th–8th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 665 students · 6th–8th | 7.8 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,886 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Maryville Jen SchoolPrivate 47 students · 8th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Willows AcademyPrivate 241 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 245 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 7.0 |
Schools in Des Plaines
Des Plaines, Illinois · 22 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$84,730
Median Home Value
$301,550
Median Rent
$1,290/mo
Population
89,822
College Educated
35%
Homeownership
70%
Avg Commute
28 min
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Community Profile
Des Plaines has a median household income of $84,730. It is an area where 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $301,550, with a median rent of $1,290/month. The local poverty rate of 8.6% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 28 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 15
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 3
- Other
- 1
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 Des Plaines, Illinois
How many schools are in Des Plaines, Illinois?
Des Plaines has 22 schools, including 17 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Des Plaines is 7.2 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 Des Plaines, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Des Plaines on MySchoolScout is Forest Elem School with a composite score of 9.6/10.
What is the best elementary school in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Des Plaines on MySchoolScout is Forest Elem School with a composite score of 9.6/10.
What is the best middle school in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Des Plaines on MySchoolScout is Algonquin Middle School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best high school in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Des Plaines on MySchoolScout is Maine West High School with a composite score of 6.7/10.
How many school districts serve Des Plaines, Illinois?
Des Plaines is served by 4 school districts: Ccsd 62, East Maine Sd 63, Comm Cons Sd 59, Maine Township Hsd 207.
What is the education level in Des Plaines, Illinois?
According to Census data, 35% of adults in Des Plaines have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The median household income in Des Plaines is approximately $84,730 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Des Plaines, Illinois?
Yes, Des Plaines has 5 private schools alongside 17 public schools. The top-rated private school is Maryville Jen School with a score of 8.5/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Des Plaines, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Des Plaines is 10.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Des Plaines, 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.