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5.2 avg / 10

Best Schools in Gainesville, Texas

11 schools · 6 Elementary · 2 Middle · 3 High

Public: 10
Private: 1
Districts: 5
Avg Rating: 5.2/10
Estimated Scores: 10%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Gainesville?

Use this page to compare every school in Gainesville 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.

Sivells Bend EL

8.6/10

Elementary · Sivells Bend ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

St Mary School

7.4/10

Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Gainesville J H

5.6/10

Middle · Gainesville ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Gainesville for 2026 are Sivells Bend EL (8.6/10), St Mary School (7.4/10), and Gainesville J H (5.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 9 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

11

10 public · 1 private

Avg Score

5.2

out of 10

Median Home

$207,600

home value · ACS

Districts

5

serving the city

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Sivells Bend EL

STAAR proficiency rose +16.3 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Gainesville schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Gainesville

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (9 of 11). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Sivells Bend EL 8.6 / 10
2 St Mary School 7.4 / 10
3 Gainesville J H 5.6 / 10
4 Callisburg EL 5.0 / 10
5 Walnut Bend EL 4.8 / 10
6 Lone Star H S North 4.4 / 10
7 Gainesville Int 4.2 / 10
8 Gainesville H S 4.0 / 10
9 W E Chalmers EL 3.4 / 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
5.2/10

20% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$67,056

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$207,600

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
24%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
24 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
68%

Of occupied housing units

How Gainesville compares

Texas rank

#578 of 654

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-1.1

below Texas avg (6.3)

Median household income

$67k

90% of Texas median

Schools in this city

10

About Schools in Gainesville, Texas

Gainesville is a small North Texas city with a compact public school landscape — 9 ranked schools serving students from kindergarten through high school. The city averages 6.4 out of 10 across those schools, a middle-of-the-road baseline that masks meaningful variation within the district. Parents willing to look closely will find real standouts alongside schools that lag the city mean.

The strongest performer in Gainesville is Sivells Bend Elementary, which scores a 9.7 out of 10 — an exceptional result that places it well above the city average and signals consistently strong academic outcomes at the elementary level. Callisburg Elementary follows at 7.6, and together these two schools push Gainesville's elementary tier above the city's overall average. Only 3 of the city's 9 ranked schools — 33% — clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold, so these elementary options represent the top of the local range.

The middle school picture is more compressed. Gainesville Junior High scores 7.0 and Gainesville Intermediate sits at 6.8, both right around the city average. Neither is a weak performer, but neither matches the elementary ceiling. The high school tier tells a different story: Lone Star High School North comes in at 5.5, the lowest-ranked school in this data set and a notable step down from where many of these students started. Parents tracking their child's trajectory from elementary through graduation should factor that transition into their planning.

For families relocating to the area, the practical read is this: Gainesville's elementary options — particularly Sivells Bend — offer a strong start. If elementary assignment puts your child at one of the higher-scoring schools, that's a genuine asset. Middle school performance holds reasonably steady. The bigger question mark arrives at high school, where the scores soften. Parents prioritizing secondary-level academics should look closely at Lone Star High School North's specific program data and explore whether any alternative options are available before committing to a neighborhood.

Filter by ZIP: 76240 (11)

Elementary Schools

6 schools
# School Rating
1 74 students · Pre-K–8th 8.6
2 556 students · Pre-K–5th 5.0
3 64 students · Pre-K–8th 4.8
4 618 students · Pre-K–1st 4.2
5 714 students · 2nd–4th 3.4
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 99 students · Pre-K–8th 7.4

Middle Schools

2 schools
# School Rating
1 421 students · 7th–8th 5.6
2 463 students · 5th–6th 4.2

High Schools

3 schools
# School Rating
1 140 students · 8th–12th 4.4
2 872 students · 9th–12th 4.0
3 5 students · 6th–12th

Schools in Gainesville

Gainesville, Texas · 11 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$67,056

Median Home Value

$207,600

Median Rent

$1,105/mo

Population

29,271

College Educated

24%

Homeownership

68%

Avg Commute

24 min

Poverty Rate

16.9%

Community Profile

Gainesville has a median household income of $67,056. It is a community where 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $207,600, with a median rent of $1,105/month. The area has a poverty rate of 16.9%. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Gainesville, Texas

How many schools are in Gainesville, Texas?

Gainesville has 11 schools, including 10 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Gainesville, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Gainesville is 5.2 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 Gainesville, Texas?

The top-ranked school in Gainesville on MySchoolScout is Sivells Bend EL with a composite score of 8.6/10.

What is the best elementary school in Gainesville, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Gainesville on MySchoolScout is Sivells Bend EL with a composite score of 8.6/10.

What is the best middle school in Gainesville, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in Gainesville on MySchoolScout is Gainesville J H with a composite score of 5.6/10.

What is the best high school in Gainesville, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in Gainesville on MySchoolScout is Lone Star H S North with a composite score of 4.4/10.

How many school districts serve Gainesville, Texas?

Gainesville is served by 5 school districts: Lone Star School District, Callisburg ISD, Gainesville ISD, Sivells Bend ISD, Walnut Bend ISD.

What is the education level in Gainesville, Texas?

According to Census data, 24% of adults in Gainesville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Gainesville, Texas?

The median household income in Gainesville is approximately $67,056 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Gainesville, Texas?

Yes, Gainesville has 1 private school alongside 10 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Mary School with a score of 7.4/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Gainesville, Texas?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Gainesville 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 Gainesville, 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.

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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.