Best School Districts to Buy A Home in Tennessee

If you’re looking for a new home in Tennessee, it’s important to consider the quality of schools in the area. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Realtors®, 24% of home buyers said that school quality was a priority when looking for their new home.

Tennessee doesn’t necessarily have the best reputation for public education, but don’t let that deter you. Every state has areas with exceptional educational systems. When finding the best schools in Tennessee, consider metrics like graduation rates, test scores, and access to resources. The high-quality school districts in the state provide a robust and wide-ranging curriculum for their children.

Our list of the best school districts was compiled by looking at a range of state-released data and independent factors. These include the Tennessee Department of Education’s 2022 list of exemplary school districts and evaluators like Niche.com and Educator Week.

These are some excellent places to start looking if you’re interested in living in a top-tier Tennessee school district.

Maryville City School District

Situated about 20 miles south of Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Maryville City Schools serves students in grades K-12. The district has three elementary schools, two intermediate schools, one junior high school, and one senior high school. Seven are rated high-performing schools, and five have National Blue Ribbon awards.

Maryville City Schools has a long history of academic excellence and was named the best school district in Tennessee by Niche.com in 2022. On standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, students regularly score well above the national average–1950 on the former and a 27 on the latter. The student graduation rate typically sits at 95%. For every 16 students, there is only one teacher. The school system’s budget amounts to $48 million in total, reaching an average of $9,736 per student.

Maryville is a Knoxville suburb with 31,000 residents. Not only does it have great schools, but it’s close to major mountain destinations like Dollywood and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s often rated one of the best places to live in Tennessee.

Johnson City Schools

This large district in the northeastern part of Tennessee serves over 8,000 students in grades K-12 across 12 schools. Eight of those are elementary schools, one is an intermediate school for 5-6, and one is a middle school for 7-8. Its Science Hill High School comprises the 9-12 grade campus, 9th-grade academy, Career Technical Center, and Topper Academy. It opened an all-online option in 2021, staffed by Johnson City teachers.

Johnson City Schools strongly focuses on STEM education and offers 29 AP classes at the high school. Its students in grades 3-8 score above the Tennessee average for being at or above grade level in language, math, social studies, and science.

Johnson City is a small city with a population of around 65,000 people. Residents live in the Appalachian Mountains foothills, which is known for its outdoor activities and music scene. The city has a robust history, especially during the Prohibition era. Higher education is available at East Tennessee State University.

Williamson County Schools

With a student population of around 41,500, Williamson County Schools is one of the largest districts on our list and the only county-based district. One of two public school districts in Williamson County, the district serves grades PK-12. It has 50 schools: 27 elementary, 11 middle, 11 high, and one K-8 school.

Williamson County Schools is consistently ranked as one of the best districts in Tennessee and the nation. The TDOE gave it an “exemplary” rating in 2022. In 2021, its graduating class averaged 24.9 on the ACT. Ravenwood High School ranked no. 2 in the state on Niche.com in 2022 and in the top 300 in the nation. Brentwood High also made the list at no. 6. followed by Franklin High at no. 8.

The average graduation rate in the district is 94%. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1. The district’s annual budget is around $300 million per year, which averages out to about $9,000 spent per student.

Williamson County is part of the Nashville Metro and covers the southern area. Communities include Franklin, which ranked no. 16 on Livability’s Best Places to Live, plus the economic centers of Thompson’s Station and Nolensville. Further away from Nashville, the landscape transforms into rolling farming communities.

Williamson County is known for its affluence. It was the wealthiest county in Tennessee based on per capita income and home values. Locals have many historical sites, like Carnton Plantation and the Lotz House Museum. Over 15 community centers provide classes and recreational clubs, and there is an extensive trail system for walking and biking.

Oak Ridge Schools

Oak Ridge is a small city with about 30,000 people in eastern Tennessee. It’s home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12 National Security Complex, and K-25 Site–all United States Department of Energy facilities.

The city has its own school district with eight schools: one preschool, five elementary, one middle, one high, and one alternative school. Four have been recognized as “Reward” schools by the TDOE.

Oak Ridge Schools offers several unique programs, like the Advanced Placement program and STEM classes at all grade levels. Students can graduate with college credit thanks to dual enrollment programming.

Since the school system’s student-to-teacher ratio is only 13:1, and the expenses per student are higher at $12,635. However, Oak Ridge prides itself on providing a more intimate learning environment.

Oak Ridge’s ties to the Manhattan Project give it a colorful history. The city was founded in 1942 to house the workers building the country’s first nuclear bombs. Today, it’s known for being a great place to live outside Tennessee’s third-largest city, Knoxville, and as a hub for scientific research.

Greeneville City Schools

Greeneville City Schools is a small district ranked as an “exemplary” school district in 2022. It enrolls about 1,700 students in grades PK-12. The district includes four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

Greeneville City Schools offers several unique programs, like the GEAP program, where students can simultaneously earn an Associate degree and high school diploma. Greene Technology Center provides job and vocational training for high school students and adults.

The high school has just 825 students in grades 9-12, and the average graduation rate is 97%.

Greeneville is a small, historic city located in East Tennessee. Known as the second-oldest town in the state, it was the home of US President Andrew Johnson. Downtown has picturesque old houses and brick sidewalks of a bygone era. Be charmed by small-town museums, farms, and cafes. It has a population of about 15,000 people.

Kingsport City Schools

Kingsport City Schools is in Kingsport, spanning two Tennessee counties. It enrolls about 7,000 students in grades PK-12. The district includes 13 schools: one PreK, eight elementary, two middle, and one high school. TDOE recognized three of its elementary schools as “reward” schools in 2021-2022.

Kingsport City Schools programs include the STEM Academy program D-B Excel, which provides rigorous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics coursework. Students can earn college credit through dual enrollment classes or take AP courses.

The student-to-teacher ratio in the district school was 15:1, and it has a 95% graduation rate as of 2021. The district spent an average of $9,684 per student and maintains high SAT scores (1830 on average) and ACT scores (28 on average).

Kingsport spans Sullivan and Hawkins Counties in Tennessee and is near the Virginia border. The South Fork of the Houston River runs through town. It’s sometimes referred to as the “Model City” because of its cleanliness, safety, and overall livability. The city has about 50,000 people. Several outdoor recreation areas are in the area, including the Bays Planetarium and Warriors Path State Park.

Collierville Schools

Collierville Schools is a large school district in Collierville, a suburb of Memphis. About 12,000 students are enrolled in grades PK-12. The TDOE recognized it as an “exemplary” school district in 2022. The district includes ten schools: one PreK, six elementary, two middle, and one high school.

Collierville Schools’ programs include the Career and Technology (CTE) program, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and CLEP. It has 1:1 Apple technology at every grade level.

The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, and the district spends an average of $10,030 per student. The average SAT score for Collierville students is 1868, and the average ACT score is 28.4.

Collierville has about 50,000 people. The feel is small-town, with a historic district downtown and significant sites, like the Collierville United Methodist Church, which was built in 1850. The town is a popular spot for shopping and antiquing. Locals have parks and recreational facilities like WC Johnson Park and Suggs Water Spray Park.

Germantown Municipal School District

Germantown Municipal School District is located in Germantown, Tennessee, another Memphis suburb. One of the state’s newer districts enrolls about 6,000 students in grades PK-12. The district includes eight schools: three elementary, one middle, one K-8, and one high school.

Germantown Municipal School District offers unique programs, like the AP Capstone Course Program, work-based dual enrollment, a Fine Arts academy, and technology-rich environments. It is moving toward a 1:1 student device blended learning initiative. Students can also participate in clubs and activities, like the Robotics Club, Chess Club, and National Honor Society.

Germantown has about 40,000 residents. It was founded by German immigrants and has many historical buildings and architectural characteristics. The parks and recreation facilities complement the charming downtown area shops and dining venues. Shelby Farms Park is one of Memphis’ largest parks and borders the town to the north. In addition, Germantown is home to the University of Tennessee’s Health Science Center.

Newport City Schools

Newport City Schools enrolls about 1,700 students in grades PK-12. TDOE gave it an “exemplary” rating in 2022. The district is one school, Newport Grammar School, for grades K-8, with students attending classes on a single campus. The historic main building dates to the early 1900s.

Newport City Schools students can participate in athletics and extracurricular activities like hiking and robotics clubs.

Newport is a small mountain city in Tennessee with about 7,000 people. It is located in Cocke County near the Cherokee State Forest and Douglass Lake. The Pigeon River flows through the town.

Tennessee’s Best Schools

If you’re looking for a great school district in Tennessee, consider one of these cities. With high graduation rates and strong test scores, these districts provide an excellent education for their students. Tennessee also offers unique programs like CTE and work-based dual enrollment. High school graduates have access to free two-year community college or vocational programs. Learn more about the perks of living in Tennessee.