Families looking to move within Jefferson County — or deciding where to put down roots on the Olympic Peninsula — often weigh school quality heavily when comparing communities.
Newly released rankings offer a closer look at how local districts stack up in academics, teacher quality, college prep, extracurriculars, and overall student experience.
According to Niche’s 2026 rankings, Port Townsend School District earned the county’s highest overall grade this year.
Quick Takeaways
- No. 1 district: Port Townsend School District
- Highest overall grade: B
- Strongest category: Teachers and food both earned A- grades
- Small class sizes: Student-teacher ratio sits at 15:1
- Biggest weakness: Sports and extracurricular categories scored lower than academics and teacher quality
- Notable trend: Jefferson County’s top-ranked district scored strongest in student support and teaching quality rather than test proficiency
Top School District In Jefferson County
Port Townsend School District – Overall Grade: B
Category Grades:
- Academics: B
- Diversity: B
- Teachers: A-
- College Prep: B
- Clubs & Activities: B-
- Administration: B
- Sports: C+
- Food: A-
- Resources & Facilities: B
Key Stats:
- 1,170 students
- Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
- Reading proficiency: 1%
- Math proficiency: 0%
- Graduation rate: 82%
- Average SAT: 1280
- Average ACT: 29
- Average teacher salary: $77,691
According to Niche’s 2026 rankings, Port Townsend School District stood out most for teacher quality, college readiness, and overall student support categories.
The district earned especially strong marks for teachers and food, both of which received A- grades. Academics, diversity, administration, and college prep all landed in the B range, helping push the district to the county’s top overall score.
Port Townsend also posted strong SAT and ACT averages compared to many public districts across Washington.
At the same time, sports and extracurricular categories scored somewhat lower, while the state proficiency figures included in the data were unusually low compared to the district’s other academic indicators.
Countywide Analysis
The rankings suggest Jefferson County’s top district performs best in areas tied to teaching quality, student support, and college preparation rather than athletics or large-scale extracurricular offerings.
The data also reflects the realities of smaller Olympic Peninsula school systems, where districts often serve fewer students and operate with more limited resources than larger suburban districts around Seattle or Tacoma.
Still, smaller student populations can also mean lower student-teacher ratios and more individualized classroom attention.
What It Means For Families
For families comparing school districts, rankings like these can offer a useful starting point when evaluating academics, graduation rates, class sizes, and overall student experience.
Some families may prioritize strong academics and college prep, while others focus more on teacher quality, extracurricular opportunities, or smaller classroom settings.
Niche’s rankings combine multiple factors into one overall score, but they represent only one piece of the bigger picture when deciding where to live or enroll children in school.
The Bottom Line
According to Niche’s 2026 rankings, Port Townsend School District remains Jefferson County’s top-rated district, earning strong marks for teachers, academics, and college preparation.
The rankings also reinforce how smaller Olympic Peninsula districts can offer a different educational experience than larger urban systems — with tighter class sizes and strong student support standing out as major strengths.
Click here to view the complete Jefferson County rankings from Niche.
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