Best Schools in Kirkland, Washington
34 schools · 21 Elementary · 5 Middle · 7 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in Kirkland?
Use this page to compare every school in Kirkland 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.
Lakeview Elementary
Elementary · Lake Washington School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Henry David Thoreau Elementary
Elementary · Lake Washington School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
International Community School
High · Lake Washington School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Kirkland for 2026 are Lakeview Elementary (9.2/10), Henry David Thoreau Elementary (9.2/10), and International Community School (9.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 29 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
34
26 public · 8 private
Avg Score
7.8
out of 10
Median Home
$1,067,550
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
34
26 public · 8 private
Avg Score
7.8
out of 10
Median Home
$1,067,550
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 9.0/10 despite 29% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.3 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 Kirkland schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +17.4 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Kirkland schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Kirkland
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (29 of 34). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakeview Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Henry David Thoreau Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 3 | International Community School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Northlake Academy | 9.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Mark Twain Elementary | 9.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Rose Hill Elementary | 9.1 / 10 |
| 7 | John Muir Elementary | 9.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Benjamin Franklin Elementary | 8.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Robert Frost Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 10 | Carl Sandburg Elementary | 8.6 / 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
- 7.8/10
- Median household income
- $151,490
- Median home value
- $1,067,550
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 65%
- Avg commute
- 24 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 62%
72% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Kirkland compares
Washington rank
#14 of 193
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+1.4
above Washington avg (6.4)
Median household income
$151k
170% of Washington median
Schools in this city
29
About Schools in Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland, Washington offers a strong public school landscape across 24 ranked schools, with an average score of 7.3 out of 10. That average is notably high — 75% of Kirkland's ranked schools score 7 or above, meaning parents here are choosing between consistently solid options rather than navigating a wide performance gap. Most students fall under the Lake Washington School District, which serves much of the city and accounts for a large share of the top performers.
Elementary schools lead the city's rankings. Benjamin Franklin Elementary tops the list at 8.9 out of 10, making it the highest-rated public school in Kirkland. Lakeview Elementary follows at 8.8, with John Muir and Rose Hill Elementary both scoring 8.5. Peter Kirk Elementary rounds out the top five at 8.3. Five schools clearing 8.0 in a single city signals strong performance across the elementary tier, not just at the top.
The city's profile skews toward elementary-level strength in the rankings data. Parents with school-age children at the K–5 level have the most high-scoring options to compare. The density of strong performers in close geographic proximity is a practical advantage — families in many Kirkland neighborhoods are within reach of multiple well-rated schools, which matters when considering boundary assignments or open enrollment options.
For parents starting a school search here, the headline is consistency. With three out of four ranked schools scoring 7 or higher, Kirkland's floor is higher than most comparable cities. The spread between the top school (8.9) and the citywide average (7.3) is relatively narrow, which means even schools outside the top five are competitive. Parents should still compare individual schools by specific metrics — test proficiency, growth scores, and student-to-teacher ratios — since a 7.3 average masks variation that matters at the neighborhood level. Using school rating filters and boundary tools on MySchoolScout can quickly surface which high-scoring schools align with a specific Kirkland address.
Elementary Schools
21 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 527 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 429 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.2 |
| 3 | 594 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.1 |
| 4 | 555 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.1 |
| 5 | 357 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 6 | 464 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.9 |
| 7 | 427 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.8 |
| 8 | 409 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 |
| 9 | 592 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.5 |
| 10 | 520 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.4 |
Show all 21 elementary schools in Kirkland
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 89 students · 6th–8th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 666 students · 6th–8th | 8.0 |
| 3 | 608 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 |
| 4 | 142 students · 6th–8th | 7.6 |
| 5 | 668 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 406 students · 6th–12th | 9.2 | ||
| 2 | 2,037 students · 9th–12th | 8.0 | ||
| 3 | 1,752 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 | ||
| 4 | 64 students · 9th–12th | 5.2 | ||
| 5 | 222 students · 11th–12th | — | ||
| 6 | 372 students · 11th–12th | — | ||
| 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 | Eastside Preparatory School
Private
516 students · 5th–12th | 6.7 | ||
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.7 |
Schools in Kirkland
Kirkland, Washington · 34 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$151,490
Median Home Value
$1,067,550
Median Rent
$2,355/mo
Population
92,498
College Educated
65%
Homeownership
62%
Avg Commute
24 min
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Community Profile
Kirkland has a median household income of $151,490. It is a well-educated community where 65% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,067,550, with a median rent of $2,355/month. The local poverty rate of 6.0% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Washington
- Elementary
- 21
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 7
- Other
- 1
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 Kirkland, Washington
How many schools are in Kirkland, Washington?
Kirkland has 34 schools, including 26 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Kirkland, Washington?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Kirkland is 7.8 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 Kirkland, Washington?
The top-ranked school in Kirkland on MySchoolScout is Lakeview Elementary with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Kirkland, Washington?
The top-ranked elementary school in Kirkland on MySchoolScout is Lakeview Elementary with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Kirkland, Washington?
The top-ranked middle school in Kirkland on MySchoolScout is Northstar Middle School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best high school in Kirkland, Washington?
The top-ranked high school in Kirkland on MySchoolScout is International Community School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
How many school districts serve Kirkland, Washington?
Kirkland is served by 2 school districts: Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Lake Washington School District.
What is the education level in Kirkland, Washington?
According to Census data, 65% of adults in Kirkland have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Kirkland, Washington?
The median household income in Kirkland is approximately $151,490 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Kirkland, Washington?
Yes, Kirkland has 8 private schools alongside 26 public schools. The top-rated private school is Northlake Academy with a score of 9.2/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Kirkland, Washington?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Kirkland is 15.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Kirkland, 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.