Best Schools in Kennewick, Washington
35 schools · 19 Elementary · 6 Middle · 8 High · 2 Other
Choosing a school in Kennewick?
Use this page to compare every school in Kennewick 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.
Westgate Elementary School
Elementary · Kennewick School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Vista Elementary School
Elementary · Kennewick School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Ridge View Elementary School
Elementary · Kennewick School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Kennewick for 2026 are Westgate Elementary School (8.8/10), Vista Elementary School (8.5/10), and Ridge View Elementary School (8.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 32 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
35
33 public · 2 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$391,900
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
35
33 public · 2 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$391,900
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 8.8/10 despite 84% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.3 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 Kennewick schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +13.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Kennewick schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Kennewick
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (32 of 35). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westgate Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Vista Elementary School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Ridge View Elementary School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Hawthorne Elementary School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Lincoln Elementary School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Fuerza Elementary | 7.5 / 10 |
| 7 | St Joseph's Catholic School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Sage Crest Elementary | 7.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Cottonwood Elementary | 6.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Kennewick High School | 6.5 / 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
- 5.8/10
- Median household income
- $89,846
- Median home value
- $391,900
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 31%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 74%
24% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Kennewick compares
Washington rank
#123 of 193
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.5
below Washington avg (6.4)
Median household income
$90k
101% of Washington median
Schools in this city
33
About Schools in Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick, Washington gives parents a public school landscape that spans a full performance range, with 31 ranked schools and an average score of 6.1 out of 10. That average tells only part of the story: 9 of those 31 schools — 29% of the city's ranked public options — score 7 or higher, meaning nearly a third of Kennewick's schools clear the threshold most families treat as competitive.
The elementary tier is where Kennewick's strongest performers concentrate. Westgate Elementary School leads the city with an 8.8 out of 10, tied with Ridge View Elementary School at the same mark — an unusual split at the top that gives families strong geographic options depending on where they live. Vista Elementary follows at 8.3, and Lincoln Elementary lands at 8.2. Cottonwood Elementary rounds out the top five at 7.9. Five elementary schools bunched between 7.9 and 8.8 is a meaningful cluster — it signals that high-performing options exist across different parts of the city rather than being concentrated in a single corridor.
The gap between the top performers and the city average — Westgate's 8.8 versus a city mean of 6.1 — is substantial, spanning nearly three rating points. Parents should treat school-level research as essential here rather than assuming neighborhood schools will land near the top. Address boundaries in Kennewick can move a family from a 6-something school to an 8-something school within a short distance, so checking exact attendance zones before committing to a neighborhood is practical, not paranoid.
For parents prioritizing elementary performance, Kennewick's top tier is genuinely competitive. The city's elementary options above 8.0 outperform what many comparable mid-sized Washington cities can offer at their peaks. Families with children at middle or high school age should look closely at individual school scores, since the city average suggests performance variability grows outside the elementary tier. Start with the ranked list, filter by your grade level and attendance zone, and use the school-level ratings to shortlist before visiting.
Elementary Schools
19 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 430 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 |
| 2 | 336 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 317 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.0 |
| 4 | 456 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.8 |
| 5 | 393 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.6 |
| 6 | 588 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 7 | 649 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
| 8 | 449 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.9 |
| 9 | 372 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.3 |
| 10 | 359 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.9 |
Show all 19 elementary schools in Kennewick
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 897 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 |
| 2 | 687 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 |
| 3 | 919 students · 6th–8th | 5.7 |
| 4 | 723 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 5 | 216 students · 6th–8th | 4.4 |
| 6 | 850 students · 6th–8th | 4.4 |
High Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,929 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 |
| 2 | 56 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 |
| 3 | 1,950 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 |
| 4 | 299 students · 9th–12th | 5.1 |
| 5 | 1,643 students · 9th–12th | 4.1 |
| 6 | 238 students · 6th–12th | 3.0 |
| 7 | 26 students · 6th–12th | — |
| 8 | 136 students · 9th–12th | — |
Other Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 167 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.4 |
| 2 | 465 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.5 |
Schools in Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington · 35 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$89,846
Median Home Value
$391,900
Median Rent
$1,325/mo
Population
103,495
College Educated
31%
Homeownership
74%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
11.3%
Community Profile
Kennewick has a median household income of $89,846. It is an area where 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $391,900, with a median rent of $1,325/month. The area has a poverty rate of 11.3%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Washington
- Elementary
- 19
- Middle
- 6
- High
- 8
- Other
- 2
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Washington
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 Kennewick, Washington
How many schools are in Kennewick, Washington?
Kennewick has 35 schools, including 33 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Kennewick, Washington?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Kennewick is 5.8 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 Kennewick, Washington?
The top-ranked school in Kennewick on MySchoolScout is Westgate Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Kennewick, Washington?
The top-ranked elementary school in Kennewick on MySchoolScout is Westgate Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Kennewick, Washington?
The top-ranked middle school in Kennewick on MySchoolScout is Desert Hills Middle School with a composite score of 6.4/10.
What is the best high school in Kennewick, Washington?
The top-ranked high school in Kennewick on MySchoolScout is Kennewick High School with a composite score of 6.5/10.
How many school districts serve Kennewick, Washington?
Kennewick is served by 2 school districts: Finley School District, Kennewick School District.
What is the education level in Kennewick, Washington?
According to Census data, 31% of adults in Kennewick have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Kennewick, Washington?
The median household income in Kennewick is approximately $89,846 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Kennewick, Washington?
Yes, Kennewick has 2 private schools alongside 33 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Joseph's Catholic School with a score of 7.2/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Kennewick, Washington?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Kennewick is 17.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Kennewick, Washington?
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, Washington Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.