From Everett to Edmonds, the county’s five highest-ranked districts differ considerably in size, academics, diversity and the communities they serve.
For families shopping for a home, school district boundaries can be nearly as important as the number of bedrooms, commute time or mortgage payment.
But comparing districts isn’t always simple. A district that stands out academically may serve a very different student population than one just a few miles away, and rankings can’t capture every factor that matters to an individual student.
For its latest rankings, Niche analyzed public school districts using federal education data along with millions of reviews from students and parents.
Factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality and district ratings, among other measures. Niche says SAT and ACT scores were removed from its 2027 ranking methodology amid a broader move away from standardized admissions tests.
According to Niche’s 2027 Best School Districts in Snohomish County ranking, these are the five districts that came out on top.
5. Edmonds School District
The fifth-highest-ranked district on Niche’s current Snohomish County list is also the largest of the five by enrollment.
Niche lists Edmonds School District with 20,955 students across 38 schools and an overall grade of B. Its strongest category grade is an A for diversity, while administration receives the lowest grade among its listed categories, at C+.
Niche reports 46% of students are proficient in math and 57% in reading.The district itself says it serves roughly 20,000 K-12 students across Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Woodway and portions of unincorporated Snohomish County.
Niche grades
| Category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall | B |
| Academics | B |
| Diversity | A |
| Teachers | B- |
| College Prep | B+ |
| Clubs & Activities | B |
| Administration | C+ |
| Sports | A- |
| Food | C+ |
| Resources & Facilities | B- |
Niche’s profile data can change as the site updates its rankings and report cards; its current profile places Edmonds No. 67 among 234 Washington school districts and No. 21 statewide for diversity.
By the numbers
- Students: 20,955
- Schools: 38
- Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
- Math proficiency: 46%
- Reading proficiency: 57%
- Graduation rate: 78%
- Average SAT: 1,270
- Average ACT: 28
Niche says the math and reading figures come from Washington’s 2024-25 statewide testing program. The SAT and ACT averages, meanwhile, are based on scores reported by Niche users rather than all district students.
About the community
Edmonds School District is much broader than its name suggests, stretching across several communities in southwest Snohomish County. Its administrative headquarters are in Lynnwood, which provides one useful — though not district-wide — snapshot of the area.
The Census Bureau estimated Lynnwood’s population at 42,132 in 2025. During the 2020-24 period, the city had a median household income of $77,704, a poverty rate of 14.2% and a median owner-occupied home value of $686,900. About 34.9% of adults 25 and older held at least a bachelor’s degree.
Those figures describe Lynnwood, not the entire Edmonds School District, which encompasses communities with different housing markets and demographics.
4. Mukilteo School District
Despite its name, Mukilteo School District extends well beyond the waterfront city of Mukilteo.
The district says it serves nearly 15,000 students in Everett, Mukilteo and portions of Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mill Creek and unincorporated Snohomish County. About 68,000 people live within its boundaries.
Niche ranks it fourth in Snohomish County with an overall B+ grade. Diversity is a standout category: the district receives an A+ for diversity and is ranked No. 6 among Washington districts in that category. Its college-prep grade is A.
Niche grades
| Category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall | B+ |
| Academics | B |
| Diversity | A+ |
| Teachers | B |
| College Prep | A |
| Clubs & Activities | B+ |
| Administration | B- |
| Sports | B- |
| Food | B- |
| Resources & Facilities | B |
Niche’s current statewide profile places Mukilteo No. 43 among 234 Washington school districts.
By the numbers
- Students: 15,175
- Schools: 24 on Niche’s county ranking
- Student-teacher ratio: 17:1
- Math proficiency: 41%
- Reading proficiency: 49%
- Graduation rate: 82%
- Average SAT: 1,300
- Average ACT: 28
The 17:1 student-teacher ratio is the lowest among the five districts on this list. Niche says the proficiency figures are drawn from Washington’s 2024-25 standardized testing program. Its SAT figure is based on more than 500 user responses.
About the community
The district’s geography makes community-level comparisons particularly tricky. Its schools serve portions of south Everett and unincorporated Snohomish County in addition to Mukilteo itself.
For context, the Census Bureau estimated the city of Mukilteo had 21,239 residents in 2025. Census estimates for 2020-24 put the city’s median household income at $132,861 and poverty rate at 5.7%. The median value of owner-occupied homes was $884,900, while 56.3% of adults 25 and older had bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Those relatively affluent city statistics should not be interpreted as demographics for the entire school district. The district includes a much larger and more geographically varied population than Mukilteo city limits alone.
3. Lake Stevens School District
Lake Stevens School District lands at No. 3 in Niche’s current Snohomish County ranking, with an overall A- grade and 10,117 students across 12 schools.
Niche gives the district A grades for both clubs and activities and sports, along with a B+ for academics. Its reported proficiency rates are 54% in math and 64% in reading.
Growth is a major part of the story here.
Lake Stevens School District says its enrollment grew about 20.8% over the previous decade, contributing to overcrowding. The district says it serves students not only in Lake Stevens but also portions of Marysville, Granite Falls, Snohomish and unincorporated Snohomish County because district boundaries do not follow municipal borders.
Niche grades
| Category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall | A- |
| Academics | B+ |
| Diversity | A- |
| Teachers | B+ |
| College Prep | B+ |
| Clubs & Activities | A |
| Administration | B |
| Sports | A |
| Food | B+ |
| Resources & Facilities | B+ |
By the numbers
- Students: 10,117
- Schools: 12
- Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
- Math proficiency: 54%
- Reading proficiency: 64%
- Graduation rate: 88%
- Average SAT: 1,230
- Average ACT: 27
- Free or reduced-price lunch: 32.5%
- Average teacher salary listed by Niche: $113,481
- Teachers in their first or second year: 4.4%
Niche notes that student-teacher ratio is based on students and full-time-equivalent teachers and should not be interpreted as average classroom size.
About the community
Lake Stevens is one of Snohomish County’s fast-growing communities. The Census Bureau estimated the city had 42,091 residents in 2025, up 8.2% from its 2020 population estimate base. Nearly three in 10 residents — 29.1% — were under 18.
For 2020-24, the Census Bureau estimated a median household income of $122,336, median owner-occupied home value of $635,600 and poverty rate of 5.2%. About 35% of adults 25 and older held bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Population growth is having tangible consequences for the schools. The district says more than 800 elementary students and as many as 360 middle-school students have been learning in temporary classrooms. Voters approved a 2025 construction bond that includes a new elementary school in the district’s northwest area, where officials say much of its current and projected residential growth is occurring.
2. Snohomish School District
Snohomish School District takes the No. 2 spot in Niche’s 2027 county ranking.
Niche gives the district an overall A- grade. Among its individual categories, clubs and activities, sports and food each receive an A, while teachers, administration and resources and facilities receive A- grades.
The district has 9,732 students across 18 schools according to Niche’s current county ranking, making it the smallest of Snohomish County’s top five by enrollment.
Niche currently ranks Snohomish No. 20 among 234 Washington school districts and No. 8 statewide among districts for athletes.
Niche grades
| Category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall | A- |
| Academics | B+ |
| Diversity | B |
| Teachers | A- |
| College Prep | B |
| Clubs & Activities | A |
| Administration | A- |
| Sports | A |
| Food | A |
| Resources & Facilities | A- |
By the numbers
- Students: 9,732
- Schools: 18
- Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
- Math proficiency: 54%
- Reading proficiency: 63%
- Graduation rate: 91%
- Average SAT: 1,260
- Average ACT: 26
Niche says its math and reading proficiency figures are based on Washington’s 2024-25 statewide testing program. The SAT and ACT averages are based on scores submitted by Niche users.
About the community
The district is centered on Snohomish, east of Everett along the Snohomish River valley, with its attendance boundaries extending beyond the city itself.
The Census Bureau estimated Snohomish city had 10,719 residents in 2025. For 2020-24, its median household income was $87,250, the poverty rate was 6.7% and the median value of an owner-occupied home was $683,900. About 34.4% of adults 25 and older held at least a bachelor’s degree.
Again, those figures describe the city rather than the entire school district.
1. Everett School District
At the top of Niche’s 2027 Best School Districts in Snohomish County ranking is Everett School District.
Niche’s live county ranking lists Everett at No. 1, with an overall A- grade, 30 schools and 20,489 students.
There is one wrinkle worth noting: at the time of publication, some individual Niche district pages were still displaying older 2026 ranking information even as Niche’s county ranking page had switched to the 2027 edition. For this list, Puget Press used Niche’s current 2027 Snohomish County ranking to determine the order.
Everett receives an A for diversity and college prep. Academics, teachers and sports each receive B+ grades, while administration, food and resources and facilities receive B- grades.
Niche grades
| Category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall | A- |
| Academics | B+ |
| Diversity | A |
| Teachers | B+ |
| College Prep | A |
| Clubs & Activities | B |
| Administration | B- |
| Sports | B+ |
| Food | B- |
| Resources & Facilities | B- |
By the numbers
- Students: 20,489
- Schools: 30
- Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
- Math proficiency: 56%
- Reading proficiency: 66%
- Graduation rate: 90%
- Average SAT: 1,200
- Average ACT: 28
- Free or reduced-price lunch: 46.3%
- Average teacher salary listed by Niche: $128,018
- Teachers in their first or second year: 8%
Among these five districts, Everett has the highest math and reading proficiency percentages reported by Niche: 56% and 66%, respectively. Niche says those proficiency figures come from Washington’s 2024-25 statewide standardized testing program.
About the community
Everett is Snohomish County’s largest city and its county seat. The Census Bureau estimated its population at 113,567 in 2025.
Census estimates for 2020-24 put Everett’s median household income at $83,512 and its poverty rate at 12.9%. The median value of an owner-occupied home was $565,300.
Everett’s economy and geography also make it distinct from some of the more residential districts on this list. The city is a major employment center in its own right, with substantial aerospace, manufacturing, health care, government and service-sector activity.
As with the other districts, however, Everett School District boundaries and Everett city limits are not interchangeable, so city demographics should be viewed as community context rather than district-wide statistics.
How Snohomish County’s top five compare
The five districts differ significantly even though they occupy the top five positions in the same Niche county ranking.
Enrollment: Snohomish is the smallest, at 9,732 students, while Edmonds is the largest at 20,955. Everett is close behind with 20,489.
Student-teacher ratio: Mukilteo has the lowest ratio reported by Niche at 17:1. The other four districts are listed at 19:1.
Test scores: Everett posts the highest Niche-reported proficiency figures of the five, at 56% in math and 66% in reading. Mukilteo has the lowest, at 41% and 49%, respectively. The scores come from Washington’s 2024-25 standardized testing program.
Graduation: Niche reports graduation rates ranging from 78% for Edmonds to 91% for Snohomish. Lake Stevens is listed at 88%, Everett at 90% and Mukilteo at 82%.
Diversity: Mukilteo receives an A+ diversity grade, while Everett and Edmonds receive A grades, Lake Stevens an A- and Snohomish a B.
Community economics: The principal cities associated with these districts also vary considerably. Census estimates put 2020-24 median household income at about $77,700 in Lynnwood, $83,500 in Everett, $87,300 in Snohomish, $122,300 in Lake Stevens and $132,900 in Mukilteo. Those are city-level figures, not school-district household-income estimates.
The differences are a reminder of the limits of any single ranking. District-level grades can provide a starting point for families, but individual schools, special programs, attendance boundaries, transportation, student needs and even specific teachers can shape a child’s experience.
Families considering a move should also verify an address directly with a school district rather than assuming city limits determine which schools a student will attend. As Lake Stevens School District notes, municipal and school district boundaries do not necessarily match.
