Central Elem School vs Harper Elem School
Central Elem School has a higher overall rating of 9.3/10 compared to 8.8/10. In math proficiency, Harper Elem School leads at 97.5%.
Central Elem School
Wilmette, IL
456 students
Harper Elem School
Wilmette, IL
370 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Central Elem School | Harper Elem School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.3 / 10 | 8.8 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.8 | 9.7 |
| Growth Score | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0% | 0% |
| Environment Score | 9.8 | 9.8 |
| State Rank | #86 of 3,813 | #237 of 3,813 |
| State Percentile | 98th | 94th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Central Elem School | Harper Elem School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 97.0% | 97.5% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 94.0% | 92.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Wilmette (60091) | Wilmette (60091) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $190,250 | $190,250 |
| Median Home Value | $800,100 | $800,100 |
| Median Rent | $1,968 | $1,968 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 84.5% | 84.5% |
| Poverty Rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Avg Commute | 35 min | 35 min |
The data story: Central Elem School vs Harper Elem School
Central Elem School and Harper Elem School sit 1.9 miles apart in Wilmette, Illinois, and both earn exceptional overall ratings — but a meaningful gap separates them. Harper Elem School scores 9.8 out of 10 versus Central Elem School's 8.9 out of 10, a 0.9-point difference that translates into a dramatic state rank gap: Harper ranks #9 of 3,813 Illinois elementary schools while Central ranks #123 of 3,813. Both are elite by any standard, but Harper's position in the top 0.25% of the state makes it one of the strongest elementary schools in Illinois.
The academic scores between the two schools are virtually identical — Central Elem School at 9.8/10 and Harper Elem School at 9.7/10, a difference too small to act on. Where the schools diverge sharply is growth: Harper Elem School earns a 9.9/10 growth score against Central Elem School's 8.2/10. That 1.7-point gap measures how much students advance relative to academic peers year over year, and Harper's near-perfect score indicates exceptional instructional effectiveness beyond what incoming student ability alone would predict.
Both schools serve kindergarten through fourth grade and operate at comparable class sizes. Central Elem School enrolls 456 students versus Harper Elem School's 370, making Central about 23% larger. Student-teacher ratios are nearly identical — 12.7:1 at Central and 12.8:1 at Harper — so neither school holds an advantage in individual attention based on staffing structure alone. The smaller overall enrollment at Harper may contribute to a tighter school community, though both schools remain well within typical elementary size ranges.
Because both schools cover the same grade band of KG–04, families with children entering kindergarten through fourth grade are choosing on quality rather than logistics. The convergence on academic proficiency scores makes raw test performance a wash, while Harper Elem School's 1.7-point growth advantage and its #9 statewide rank are the clearest differentiators for parents weighing long-term student development.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Central Elem School
Central Elem School suits families who prioritize a slightly larger school community and whose children are already strong academic performers — its 9.8/10 academic score matches Harper's, and the bigger enrollment can mean more extracurricular variety. It is also the right call if proximity or attendance boundaries make Harper inaccessible.
Harper Elem School
Harper Elem School suits families who weight year-over-year student growth above raw proficiency scores — its 9.9/10 growth score and #9 statewide rank signal that teachers are accelerating students beyond expected trajectories. It is especially compelling for parents whose children need strong instructional scaffolding to reach their ceiling.