Best Schools in Chillicothe, Ohio

Chillicothe's public school landscape spans 18 ranked schools. The city-wide average sits at 6.6 out of 10 — a benchmark that masks meaningful variation across individual campuses. One in three schools scores 7.0 or above, giving families with flexibility real options to pursue. That 33% threshold is where the meaningful separation in this market begins.

Elementary options anchor the strongest end of the rankings. Zane Trace Elementary School leads all 18 ranked campuses with a 9.0 out of 10 — the clearest high-performer in the city. Southeastern Elementary follows at 8.8, making the elementary tier the most consistent bright spot for families with younger children. Mt. Logan Early Childhood Center rounds out the early-education picture at 7.7, offering a strong starting point for the youngest students.

At the high school level, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center earns a 7.9 — the top-rated secondary campus and a standout for students pursuing vocational and technical pathways. Huntington High School posts a 7.0, meeting the above-average threshold for the city. Together, these two schools give families more than one viable high school option above the 6.6 city average, though the secondary tier runs narrower in high-scoring choices than the elementary one.

For parents comparing options in Chillicothe, the practical picture is this: the elementary tier delivers the strongest campuses, while high-scoring secondary choices are limited. Six of 18 schools clear the 7.0 mark, meaning roughly two-thirds of campuses fall at or below the city average. Parents who prioritize academic performance should pay close attention to school boundaries and transfer policies — the gap between the top and the middle of this market is real and significant. Zane Trace Elementary's 9.0 sets a high ceiling; understanding what drives that separation from the rest of the field is the most important research step for any family relocating to Chillicothe.