Best Schools in Knoxville, Tennessee
116 schools · 70 Elementary · 16 Middle · 16 High · 14 Other
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.2/10
- Median household income
- $69,902
- Median home value
- $306,322
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 40%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
28% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Knoxville compares
Tennessee rank
#102 of 182
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.0
below Tennessee avg (6.3)
Median household income
$70k
108% of Tennessee median
Schools in this city
102
About Schools in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee gives families access to a broad public school system with 82 ranked schools spanning elementary through high school. Performance across the city varies considerably, making school selection a meaningful decision. The average school score sits at 6.2 out of 10, but 24 schools — nearly 29% of the ranked total — score 7 or higher, signaling a solid tier of strong options for families who do the research.
The elementary level shows the clearest concentration of high performers. Gap Creek Elementary leads the city with a 9.4 out of 10, placing it among the strongest schools in the region. Pleasant Ridge Elementary and South Knox Elementary both score 9.0, while Bonny Kate Elementary (8.6) and New Hopewell Elementary (8.5) round out a competitive top five. Parents targeting elementary-age children will find genuine standout choices, though these schools are not uniformly distributed across the city — location and zoning matter.
Knox County Schools serves the bulk of Knoxville families and operates the largest share of ranked schools in the area. The district includes both urban and suburban campuses, so school quality can shift noticeably from one zip code to the next. The gap between the city average of 6.2 and the top scorers in the 9s illustrates how much neighborhood context shapes a child's assigned school. Families with flexibility in where they live should treat school scores as a serious factor alongside housing decisions.
Practically speaking, parents comparing Knoxville schools should start by identifying which schools their address zones them into, then check whether higher-scoring alternatives are accessible through open enrollment or magnet options. The 29% of schools scoring 7 or above means competitive options exist, but they are not automatic — they require active searching. Use scores as a starting point, then dig into test proficiency data, grade-level enrollment, and any specialized programs a school offers. Knoxville rewards parents who look closely; the spread between the average and the top performers is wide enough that school choice here carries real weight.
Elementary Schools
70 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 76 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.4 |
| 2 | 297 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 3 | 189 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 4 | 375 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 |
| 5 | 257 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.5 |
| 6 | 227 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.2 |
| 7 | 721 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 8 | 1,047 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 9 | 1,101 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 10 | 1,211 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 11 | 589 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.4 |
| 12 | 1,042 students · 3rd–5th | 7.4 |
| 13 | 387 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.4 |
| 14 | 476 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 15 | 567 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.2 |
| 16 | 692 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.2 |
| 17 | 727 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.1 |
| 18 | 998 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.0 |
| 19 | 381 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
| 20 | 539 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.9 |
| 21 | 562 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 |
| 22 | 859 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.5 |
| 23 | 725 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.5 |
| 24 | 365 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.5 |
| 25 | 234 students · 3rd–5th | 6.4 |
Show 45 more elementary schools
| 26 | 42 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.3 | ||
| 27 | 1,053 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.1 | ||
| 28 | 124 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.1 | ||
| 29 | 458 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.1 | ||
| 30 | 202 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.9 | ||
| 31 | 517 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 32 | 402 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 33 | 353 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 34 | 562 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.5 | ||
| 35 | 507 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.5 | ||
| 36 | 284 students · Pre-K–2nd | 5.4 | ||
| 37 | 364 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.3 | ||
| 38 | 517 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.2 | ||
| 39 | 1,003 students · Pre-K–2nd | 5.1 | ||
| 40 | 433 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.1 | ||
| 41 | 383 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.0 | ||
| 42 | 481 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.0 | ||
| 43 | 467 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.9 | ||
| 44 | 375 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.8 | ||
| 45 | 564 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.7 | ||
| 46 | 390 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.7 | ||
| 47 | 489 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.5 | ||
| 48 | 1,947 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.8 | ||
| 49 | 481 students · Pre-K–1st | 3.6 | ||
| Private Schools 21 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 309 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | GARDEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
85 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | MEAD MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
38 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | TATES SCHOOL
Private
213 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | KNOXVILLE ADVENTIST SCHOOL
Private
32 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | ST JOSEPH SCHOOL
Private
230 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 7 | SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
Private
513 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 8 | NATURES WAY MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
94 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 9 | 53 students · Kindergarten–5th | Not Rated | ||
| 10 | ST JOHN NEUMANN SCHOOL
Private
400 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 11 | KNOXVILLE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
38 students · Pre-K–6th | Not Rated | ||
| 12 | FIRST LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Private
78 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 13 | CEDAR SPRINGS WEEKDAY SCHOOL
Private
10 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 14 | PRIDE & JOY CHILDREN'S ACADEMY
Private
15 students · Kindergarten–2nd | Not Rated | ||
| 15 | GRACE COVENANT BAPTIST ACADEMY
Private
19 students · Kindergarten–4th | Not Rated | ||
| 16 | 6 students · Kindergarten–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 17 | PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF FARRAGUT
Private
20 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 18 | 18 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 19 | MONTESSORI INTERNATIONALE SCHOOL
Private
7 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 20 | GIVING TREE MONTESSORI
Private
5 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 21 | 24 students · Pre-K–TK | Not Rated | ||
Middle Schools
16 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,107 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 | ||
| 2 | 1,400 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 | ||
| 3 | 476 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 | ||
| 4 | 1,017 students · 6th–8th | 6.1 | ||
| 5 | 1,243 students · 6th–8th | 5.9 | ||
| 6 | 799 students · 6th–8th | 5.6 | ||
| 7 | 808 students · 6th–8th | 5.5 | ||
| 8 | 614 students · 6th–8th | 5.2 | ||
| 9 | 996 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 | ||
| 10 | 467 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 | ||
| 11 | 393 students · 6th–8th | 4.9 | ||
| 12 | 547 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 | ||
| 13 | 957 students · 6th–8th | 4.6 | ||
| 14 | 801 students · 6th–8th | 4.4 | ||
| 15 | 914 students · 7th–9th | 2.3 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 5 students · 2nd–5th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
16 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 581 students · 9th–12th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 2,091 students · 9th–12th | 8.2 |
| 3 | 1,509 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 |
| 4 | 2,008 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 5 | 2,043 students · 9th–12th | 7.3 |
| 6 | 666 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 7 | 347 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 8 | 1,341 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 9 | 105 students · 6th–12th | 6.5 |
| 10 | 1,296 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 |
| 11 | 1,252 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 |
| 12 | 72 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 |
| 13 | 63 students · 7th–12th | 5.9 |
| 14 | 955 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 |
| 15 | 75 students · 6th–12th | 5.6 |
| 16 | 927 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 |
Other Schools
14 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 2 | 135 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.7 | ||
| Private Schools 12 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | BEREAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
410 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | CUMBERLAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Private
492 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | KNOXVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
169 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | CONCORD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
647 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
210 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
Private
1,060 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 7 | GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Private
796 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 8 | RIVERS EDGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Private
522 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 9 | KNOXVILLE BAPTIST CHRISTIAN
Private
12 students · 1st–10th | Not Rated | ||
| 10 | SMART KIDS ELC
Private
10 students · Pre-K–11th | Not Rated | ||
| 11 | WEST END ACADEMY
Private
12 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 12 | 23 students · 3rd–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee · 116 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 18 ZIP codes
Median Income
$69,902
Median Home Value
$306,322
Median Rent
$1,207/mo
Population
442,846
College Educated
40%
Homeownership
58%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Community Profile
Knoxville has a median household income of $69,902. It is a well-educated community where 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $306,322, with a median rent of $1,207/month. The area has a poverty rate of 16.9%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Quick Facts
- State
- Tennessee
- Total Schools
- 116
- Elementary
- 70
- Middle
- 16
- High
- 16
- Districts
- 3
- Avg Rating
- 6.2/10
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Tennessee
Top metros statewide by school count.
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 methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Knoxville, Tennessee
How many schools are in Knoxville, Tennessee?
Knoxville has 116 schools, including 82 public and 34 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Knoxville is 6.2 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.
What is the top-ranked school in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The top-ranked school in Knoxville on MySchoolScout is Gap Creek Elementary with a composite score of 9.4/10.
What is the best elementary school in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The top-ranked elementary school in Knoxville on MySchoolScout is Gap Creek Elementary with a composite score of 9.4/10.
What is the best middle school in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The top-ranked middle school in Knoxville on MySchoolScout is West Valley Middle School with a composite score of 6.7/10.
What is the best high school in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The top-ranked high school in Knoxville on MySchoolScout is L N Stem Academy with a composite score of 8.5/10.
How many school districts serve Knoxville, Tennessee?
Knoxville is served by 3 school districts: Tennessee Schools for the Deaf, Knox County, Union County.
What is the education level in Knoxville, Tennessee?
According to Census data, 40% of adults in Knoxville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The median household income in Knoxville is approximately $69,902 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Knoxville, Tennessee?
Yes, Knoxville has 34 private schools alongside 82 public schools. The top-rated private school is The Episcopal School of Knoxville with a score of 8.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Knoxville, Tennessee?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Knoxville is 13.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Knoxville, Tennessee?
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, Tennessee Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.