Best Schools in Snohomish, Washington
22 schools · 12 Elementary · 3 Middle · 4 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Snohomish?
Use this page to compare every school in Snohomish 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.
Cathcart Elementary
Elementary · Snohomish School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Little Cedars Elementary School
Elementary · Snohomish School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Machias Elementary
Elementary · Snohomish 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 Snohomish for 2026 are Cathcart Elementary (8.6/10), Little Cedars Elementary School (8.4/10), and Machias Elementary (7.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 19 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
22
20 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$792,650
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
22
20 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$792,650
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 8.6/10 despite 28% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 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 Snohomish schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +7.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Snohomish schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Snohomish
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (19 of 22). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cathcart Elementary | 8.6 / 10 |
| 2 | Little Cedars Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Machias Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 4 | Totem Falls | 7.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Maltby Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Central Emerson Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Dutch Hill Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Glacier Peak High School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Chain Lake Elementary School | 6.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Valley View Middle School | 6.9 / 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
- 6.4/10
- Median household income
- $151,062
- Median home value
- $792,650
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 43%
- Avg commute
- 33 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 86%
42% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Snohomish compares
Washington rank
#80 of 193
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above Washington avg (6.4)
Median household income
$151k
169% of Washington median
Schools in this city
19
About Schools in Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish, Washington has 17 ranked public schools with a city average of 6.5 out of 10 — a solid midfield that masks meaningful variation within the city. Ten of those 17 schools, or 59%, score 7 or above, placing the majority of Snohomish's options above the midpoint of the rating scale. That above-average clustering signals a school system where most families will find at least one competitive option, though the spread still rewards careful comparison.
The elementary tier leads the city. Cathcart Elementary tops the local rankings at 8.1 out of 10 — the highest score in Snohomish. Three more elementary schools, Maltby, Chain Lake, and Cascade View, each score 8.0, and Little Cedars Elementary follows at 7.8. Five of the city's strongest performers are all at the elementary level, which gives families with young children a genuinely strong selection to evaluate. Parents planning ahead for middle and high school should pull individual school scores rather than leaning on the city average, since the data shows more variation at the upper grade levels.
The 59% above-7 rate carries weight. Clearing that threshold with more than half the school stock is not a given in cities of comparable size, and Snohomish achieves it consistently at the elementary level. That said, the gap between the top school (8.1) and the city average (6.5) is wide enough that school selection still matters. A family zoned for a 7.2 school is in a meaningfully different situation than one zoned for a 5.8.
Practically speaking, parents entering the Snohomish market should anchor their home search to elementary attendance zones first. The Cathcart, Maltby, Chain Lake, and Cascade View zones represent the city's performance ceiling and are worth cross-referencing against neighborhood home values and commute patterns before committing to a specific address. The concentration of high-performing elementary schools gives younger families real leverage — but only if they map zone boundaries early in the search process.
Elementary Schools
12 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 437 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.6 |
| 2 | 652 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.4 |
| 3 | 622 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.7 |
| 4 | 441 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.7 |
| 5 | 316 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.3 |
| 6 | 472 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.3 |
| 7 | 685 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.3 |
| 8 | 428 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.9 |
| 9 | 468 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.1 |
| 10 | 375 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.7 |
Show all 12 elementary schools in Snohomish
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 625 students · 7th–8th | 6.9 |
| 2 | 298 students · 6th–8th | 6.1 |
| 3 | 735 students · 7th–8th | 5.7 |
High Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,630 students · 9th–12th | 7.0 |
| 2 | 161 students · 9th–12th | 5.1 |
| 3 | 1,525 students · 9th–12th | 4.4 |
| 4 | 24 students · 9th–12th | — |
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 103 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.7 |
| 2 | 16 students · Pre-K–12th | — |
| 3 | 91 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | — |
Schools in Snohomish
Snohomish, Washington · 22 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$151,062
Median Home Value
$792,650
Median Rent
$1,958/mo
Population
66,933
College Educated
43%
Homeownership
86%
Avg Commute
33 min
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Community Profile
Snohomish has a median household income of $151,062. It is a well-educated community where 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $792,650, with a median rent of $1,958/month. The local poverty rate of 5.2% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 33 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Washington
- Elementary
- 12
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 4
- Other
- 3
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 Snohomish, Washington
How many schools are in Snohomish, Washington?
Snohomish has 22 schools, including 20 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Snohomish, Washington?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Snohomish is 6.4 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 Snohomish, Washington?
The top-ranked school in Snohomish on MySchoolScout is Cathcart Elementary with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best elementary school in Snohomish, Washington?
The top-ranked elementary school in Snohomish on MySchoolScout is Cathcart Elementary with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best middle school in Snohomish, Washington?
The top-ranked middle school in Snohomish on MySchoolScout is Valley View Middle School with a composite score of 6.9/10.
What is the best high school in Snohomish, Washington?
The top-ranked high school in Snohomish on MySchoolScout is Glacier Peak High School with a composite score of 7.0/10.
How many school districts serve Snohomish, Washington?
Snohomish is served by 2 school districts: Monroe School District, Snohomish School District.
What is the education level in Snohomish, Washington?
According to Census data, 43% of adults in Snohomish have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Snohomish, Washington?
The median household income in Snohomish is approximately $151,062 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Snohomish, Washington?
Yes, Snohomish has 2 private schools alongside 20 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Michael Catholic School with a score of 6.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Snohomish, Washington?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Snohomish is 21.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Snohomish, 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.