Best Schools in Denison, Texas
13 schools · 5 Elementary · 2 Middle · 4 High · 2 Other
Choosing a school in Denison?
Use this page to compare every school in Denison 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.
Denison H S
High · Denison ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
B Mcdaniel Int
Middle · Denison ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Hyde Park EL
Elementary · Denison ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Denison for 2026 are Denison H S (7.4/10), B Mcdaniel Int (7.4/10), and Hyde Park EL (7.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 11 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
13
in this city
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$187,200
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
13
in this city
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$187,200
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 7.4/10 despite 61% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.5 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 Denison schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +6.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Denison schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Denison
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (11 of 13). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denison H S | 7.4 / 10 |
| 2 | B Mcdaniel Int | 7.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Hyde Park EL | 7.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Lamar EL | 6.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Houston EL | 5.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Terrell EL | 5.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Henry Scott Middle | 5.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Mayes EL | 5.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Pathways H S | 5.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Jefferson Learning Ctr | 4.8 / 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
- 5.9/10
- Median household income
- $66,308
- Median home value
- $187,200
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 20%
- Avg commute
- 20 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 59%
25% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Denison compares
Texas rank
#455 of 654
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.3
below Texas avg (6.3)
Median household income
$66k
89% of Texas median
Schools in this city
12
About Schools in Denison, Texas
Denison, Texas has 12 ranked public schools and a city average of 7.5 out of 10. That average carries real weight: 8 of those 12 schools, or 67%, score 7.0 or above, meaning most Denison families can expect a school performing in the upper range of the scale. The data tilts positive across most of the board.
The elementary schools drive the city's strongest results. Houston Elementary and Mayes Elementary both score 9.0 out of 10 — the top marks in Denison. Terrell Elementary follows at 8.8, and Hyde Park Elementary rounds out the cluster at 8.1. Four elementary schools bunched between 8.1 and 9.0 signals consistent quality at the K-5 level, not a single standout pulling up the average. Families with children in early grades have real choices within that high-performing range.
Denison High School scores 8.4 out of 10, sitting well above the city's 7.5 average. Parents of older students have a clear secondary destination — and at 8.4, the high school holds up near the top of the city's own range.
For parents deciding where in Denison to buy or rent, elementary attendance zones are the highest-leverage variable. The three top-scoring schools — Houston El, Mayes El, and Terrell El — fall within 0.2 points of each other, so any family in those zones lands in Denison's strongest performance band. Even outside those zones, the city's 67% rate of 7-plus schools means few families will find themselves in underperforming territory. Denison is a compact school market with 12 schools and a tight ceiling at the top. Parents who prioritize elementary quality have specific high-value targets; parents who simply need confidence in the floor will find the city's 7.5 average provides it.
Elementary Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 491 students · Pre-K–4th | 7.0 |
| 2 | 468 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.0 |
| 3 | 289 students · Pre-K–4th | 5.9 |
| 4 | 356 students · Pre-K–4th | 5.8 |
| 5 | 517 students · Pre-K–4th | 5.6 |
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 695 students · 5th–6th | 7.4 |
| 2 | 750 students · 7th–8th | 5.7 |
High Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,320 students · 9th–12th | 7.4 |
| 2 | 53 students · 9th–12th | 5.6 |
| 3 | 93 students · 10th–12th | 4.8 |
| 4 | 68 students · 6th–12th | 4.5 |
Other Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 159 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.2 |
| 2 | 18 students · 7th–11th | — |
Schools in Denison
Denison, Texas · 13 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$66,308
Median Home Value
$187,200
Median Rent
$1,136/mo
Population
24,185
College Educated
20%
Homeownership
59%
Avg Commute
20 min
Poverty Rate
16.3%
Community Profile
Denison has a median household income of $66,308. It is a community where 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $187,200, with a median rent of $1,136/month. The area has a poverty rate of 16.3%. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Texas
- Elementary
- 5
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 4
- Other
- 2
Resources
School Districts (2)
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Texas
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 Denison, Texas
How many schools are in Denison, Texas?
Denison has 13 schools, including 13 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Denison, Texas?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Denison is 5.9 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 Denison, Texas?
The top-ranked school in Denison on MySchoolScout is Denison H S with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What is the best elementary school in Denison, Texas?
The top-ranked elementary school in Denison on MySchoolScout is Hyde Park EL with a composite score of 7.0/10.
What is the best middle school in Denison, Texas?
The top-ranked middle school in Denison on MySchoolScout is B Mcdaniel Int with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What is the best high school in Denison, Texas?
The top-ranked high school in Denison on MySchoolScout is Denison H S with a composite score of 7.4/10.
How many school districts serve Denison, Texas?
Denison is served by 2 school districts: Denison ISD, Sherman ISD.
What is the education level in Denison, Texas?
According to Census data, 20% of adults in Denison have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Denison, Texas?
The median household income in Denison is approximately $66,308 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Denison, Texas?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Denison is 13.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Denison, Texas?
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.
Related reading
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Texas Education Agency, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.