6.8 avg / 10

Best Schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland

37 schools · 26 Elementary · 5 Middle · 5 High · 1 Other

Last updated: May 2026

Public: 29

Private: 8

Districts: 1

Avg Rating: 6.8/10

Estimated Scores: 15%

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 6.8/10
Median household income: $108,831
Median home value: $569,250
Bachelor's degree or higher: 48%
Avg commute: 32 min
Owner-occupied homes: 56%

How Gaithersburg compares

Maryland rank

#38 of 141

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.4

above Maryland avg (6.4)

Median household income

$109k

98% of Maryland median

Schools in this city

About Schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland

Gaithersburg, Maryland offers parents a substantial public school market to evaluate, with 29 ranked schools and an average score of 6.9 out of 10. That average sits meaningfully above the midpoint, and the distribution skews positive: 14 schools, or 48 percent of the total, score 7 or higher. For a city this size, that share of high-performing options gives families real choices rather than a single standout.

The top of the rankings is anchored by elementary schools. DuFief Elementary leads the city with a score of 8.8 out of 10, the highest mark among all 29 ranked schools. Fields Road Elementary follows at 8.7, with Goshen Elementary and Rachel Carson Elementary both scoring 8.5. Woodfield Elementary rounds out the top five at 8.4. The tight clustering of these top schools signals a competitive tier worth targeting during the search process. All five are elementary campuses, so parents with younger children have the strongest concentration of high-rated options to work with.

The spread between the city's top performer and its average, roughly two full points, tells parents something important: school quality in Gaithersburg is uneven, and neighborhood assignment matters. A family zoned to a school below the 6.9 average will have a noticeably different experience than one assigned to the top tier. Parents without flexibility in their address should verify their zoned school's rating directly before committing to a neighborhood.

Practically speaking, Gaithersburg rewards research. With nearly half the city's schools scoring 7 or above, parents who cross-reference home addresses with school boundaries can position themselves for strong outcomes at the elementary level in particular. Families entering middle or high school years should weight specific campus scores heavily, since the performance range means the city label alone tells you little. Use the individual school pages on MySchoolScout to compare ratings, check grade-level data, and map boundaries before finalizing any enrollment or housing decision.

Filter by Level: All Levels (37) Elementary (26) Middle (5) High (5)

Filter by Type: All Types (37) Public (29) Private (8)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (37) Academics (37) Growth (28) Diversity (29) Resources (29)

Filter by ZIP: 20877 (14) 20878 (13) 20879 (6) 20882 (3)

Elementary Schools

26 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	DuFief Elementary 247 students · Kindergarten–5th	247	Kindergarten–5th	8.8
2	Fields Road Elementary 449 students · Pre-K–5th	449	Pre-K–5th	8.7
3	Goshen Elementary 501 students · Pre-K–5th	501	Pre-K–5th	8.5
4	Rachel Carson Elementary 674 students · Pre-K–5th	674	Pre-K–5th	8.5
5	Woodfield Elementary 318 students · Pre-K–5th	318	Pre-K–5th	8.4
6	Darnestown Elementary 354 students · Kindergarten–5th	354	Kindergarten–5th	8.2
7	Laytonsville Elementary 365 students · Pre-K–5th	365	Pre-K–5th	7.9
8	Strawberry Knoll Elementary 470 students · Pre-K–5th	470	Pre-K–5th	7.9
9	Judith A. Resnik Elementary 542 students · Pre-K–5th	542	Pre-K–5th	7.9
10	Brown Station Elementary 631 students · Pre-K–5th	631	Pre-K–5th	7.7
11	Rosemont Elementary 595 students · Pre-K–5th	595	Pre-K–5th	7.3
12	Washington Grove Elementary 459 students · Pre-K–5th	459	Pre-K–5th	7.2
13	Jones Lane Elementary 453 students · Pre-K–5th	453	Pre-K–5th	7.0
14	Whetstone Elementary 718 students · Pre-K–5th	718	Pre-K–5th	6.8
15	Diamond Elementary 653 students · Kindergarten–5th	653	Kindergarten–5th	6.6
16	Flower Hill Elementary 461 students · Pre-K–5th	461	Pre-K–5th	6.5
17	Harriet R. Tubman Elementary 575 students · Pre-K–5th	575	Pre-K–5th	6.3
18	Thurgood Marshall Elementary 594 students · Pre-K–5th	594	Pre-K–5th	6.1
19	Summit Hall Elementary 422 students · Pre-K–5th	422	Pre-K–5th	6.1
20	Gaithersburg Elementary 665 students · Pre-K–5th	665	Pre-K–5th	4.7
21	South Lake Elementary 780 students · Pre-K–5th	780	Pre-K–5th	4.7
Private Schools 5 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	MOTHER OF GOD SCHOOL Private 180 students · Pre-K–8th	180	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
2	EPWORTH PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN Private 36 students · Pre-K–TK	36	Pre-K–TK	Not Rated
3	GODDARD SCHOOL IN GAITHERSBURG Private 49 students · Pre-K–3rd	49	Pre-K–3rd	Not Rated
4	GEORGETOWN HILL EARLY SCHOOL Private 13 students · Pre-K–TK	13	Pre-K–TK	Not Rated

Show 1 more elementary schools

NIST CHILD CARE CENTER Private

16 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten

Not Rated

Middle Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Lakelands Park Middle 1,014 students · 6th–8th	1,014	6th–8th	6.7
2	Forest Oak Middle 847 students · 6th–8th	847	6th–8th	6.3
3	Ridgeview Middle 749 students · 6th–8th	749	6th–8th	6.1
4	Shady Grove Middle 513 students · 6th–8th	513	6th–8th	5.9
5	Gaithersburg Middle 899 students · 6th–8th	899	6th–8th	4.4

High Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Quince Orchard High 2,150 students · 9th–12th	2,150	9th–12th	7.0
2	Watkins Mill High 1,661 students · 9th–12th	1,661	9th–12th	6.6
3	Gaithersburg High 2,454 students · 9th–12th	2,454	9th–12th	4.5
Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	FORBUSH SCHOOL AT OAKMONT UPPER SCHOOL Private 32 students · 9th–12th	32	9th–12th	Not Rated
2	MARCIA D SMITH SCHOOL Private 16 students · 9th–12th	16	9th–12th	Not Rated

Other Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	COVENANT LIFE SCHOOL Private 327 students · Pre-K–12th	327	Pre-K–12th	Not Rated

Schools in Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg, Maryland · 37 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes

Median Income

$108,831

Median Home Value

$569,250

Median Rent

$1,693/mo

Population

144,191

College Educated

48%

Homeownership

56%

Avg Commute

32 min

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Community Profile

Gaithersburg has a median household income of $108,831. It is a well-educated community where 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $569,250, with a median rent of $1,693/month. The local poverty rate of 8.6% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 32 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

State: Maryland
Total Schools: 37
Elementary: 26
Middle: 5
High: 5
Districts: 1
Avg Rating: 6.8/10

Resources

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

School District

Montgomery County Public Schools

211 schools · 160,223 students

Nearby Cities

Montgomery Village (5 schools)

2 mi

North Potomac (2 schools)

4 mi

Germantown (22 schools)

4 mi

Derwood (1 school)

5 mi

Rockville (57 schools)

6 mi

Darnestown (3 schools)

5 mi

Potomac (18 schools)

8 mi

Clarksburg (8 schools)

7 mi

Damascus (5 schools)

9 mi

North Bethesda (2 schools)

9 mi

Brookeville (2 schools)

8 mi

Olney (10 schools)

8 mi

Bethesda (36 schools)

11 mi

Kensington (13 schools)

11 mi

Sandy Spring (3 schools)

10 mi

Other Major Cities in Maryland

Top metros statewide by school count.

Baltimore 350 schools Silver Spring 81 schools Frederick 42 schools Hagerstown 34 schools Columbia 32 schools

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland

How many schools are in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

Gaithersburg has 37 schools, including 29 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Gaithersburg is 6.8 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The top-ranked school in Gaithersburg on MySchoolScout is Dufief Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.

What is the best elementary school in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The top-ranked elementary school in Gaithersburg on MySchoolScout is Dufief Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.

What is the best middle school in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The top-ranked middle school in Gaithersburg on MySchoolScout is Lakelands Park Middle with a composite score of 6.7/10.

What is the best high school in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The top-ranked high school in Gaithersburg on MySchoolScout is Quince Orchard High with a composite score of 7.0/10.

How many school districts serve Gaithersburg, Maryland?

Gaithersburg is served by 1 school district: Montgomery County Public Schools.

What is the education level in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

According to Census data, 48% of adults in Gaithersburg have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The median household income in Gaithersburg is approximately $108,831 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

Yes, Gaithersburg has 8 private schools alongside 29 public schools. The top-rated private school is Mother of God School with a score of 8.0/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Gaithersburg is 11.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland?

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 based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.

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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Maryland Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.