Best Schools in Naperville, Illinois

Naperville is one of the stronger public school markets in Illinois. The city has 40 ranked public schools with an average score of 7.0 out of 10 — a meaningful baseline that reflects consistent academic performance across the district. Nearly half the schools clear that bar with confidence: 19 schools, or 48%, score 7 or higher, giving families real options at most grade levels.

At the top end, Ellsworth Elementary School leads the city with an 8.7 out of 10, tied with Naperville North High School for the highest rating in Naperville. Scott Elementary follows at 8.4, and both Oliver Julian Kendall Elementary and Arlene Welch Elementary hold 8.3 ratings. That cluster of high-performing schools — spanning elementary through high school — signals a district that maintains quality across grade bands, not just in isolated pockets. Parents won't need to chase a single standout school; several strong options exist at each stage of a child's education.

Naperville is served primarily by Community Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204, two large suburban districts that together cover most of the city. Both draw from a well-resourced community, and the density of high-scoring schools reflects that. Families moving to Naperville should still check attendance boundaries carefully — school assignment depends on home address, and scores do vary block by block even within the same district.

Practically speaking, parents researching Naperville can expect above-average performance citywide, with a strong ceiling. The 7.0 average puts the city ahead of many Illinois municipalities, and the 48% share of schools scoring 7 or above means competitive options aren't limited to one or two addresses. Start with Ellsworth and Naperville North as benchmarks, then use school boundaries to narrow the list to what's actually accessible from your home. Visiting schools directly and reviewing current test score data will fill in details that ratings alone can't capture.