Ranking Nashville Suburbs with the Best School Districts in 2024

Are you moving to Tennessee soon? Make the right choice for your entire family. Help your kids get settled into the right school. We examined which Nashville Suburbs have the best school districts. We focused on traditional suburbs in the Nashville area. This article doesn’t cover private schools or schools in Davidson County. Although, there are some great options there. Each school district has its pros and cons, and we hope you can narrow down your findings with our list.

Our Methodology For Determining The Best School Districts

We went straight to the source when compiling our data. First, we looked at the Tennessee State Report Card provided by the state government. Then, we compared school districts based on standardized test scores, student-teacher ratios, the amount spent per student, graduation rates, and college acceptance rates. We favored test scores and graduation rates over other statistics. Picking a school is no easy choice, but we chose to look at the numbers here.

Key Highlights

• Schools with the smallest students to teacher ratio - Sumner County Schools boast a 14:1 student to teacher ratio. But also check out Franklin Special School District with an 11:1 ratio, but this district is only K-8.

• Schools with the highest test scores - Williamson County wins this category by a landslide with an average ACT score of 25.3.

• Schools that spend the most per student - Williamson County Schools spends an average of $11,165 per student annually, but K-8 district FSSD spends an impressive $15,582!

• Schools with the highest graduation rates - Williamson County has the highest graduation rate, and 85.6% enroll in college the following year.

Nashville Suburbs With The Best School District (Ranked!)

#1. Williamson County

Located south of Nashville. Williamson County includes many desirable communities for families: Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Fairview, Thompson’s Station, Arrington, and Spring Hill. Williamson County boasts excellent schools with rigorous academics, but a downside will be the cost of living. Williamson County is the most expensive school district to live in on this list. However, there are many communities where houses can go for millions, like in The Governor’s Club.

Williamson County is an excellent place for families to live. There is a charming historic downtown area that brings people to Franklin. Families choose to live in Williamson County for the schools and its reputation for having many of the safest communities. Williamson county is full of housing, shopping, restaurants, schools, and parks. So it’s the perfect place to raise kids. We chose it as our number one pick due to test scores, reasonable teacher-to-student ratio, and high graduation rate.

PRO TIP: View homes for sale in Williamson County

Here are some stats on Williamson County Schools:

• Williamson County’s average ACT score is 25.3. In the state of Tennessee, this easily qualifies students for the HOPE Scholarship program for college.

• As a school system that has classes from Pre-K- 12 grades, there is a 17:1 student-teacher ratio.

• Teachers in Williamson County are experienced educators, and only 4% are in their first or second year of teaching.

• The average cost per student is $11,165.

• The graduation rate for Williamson County students is 96.5%, and 85.6% of students go onto college.

#2. Sumner County

Sumner County comes in on our list at number two. Sumner and Wilson were comparable, but we chose to rank Sumner higher due to their student-to-teacher ratio. Many suburban dwellers don’t always consider the suburbs to the north of Nashville. But with great accessibility to Nashville and East Nashville, Sumner County has a lot of value for families looking for a great place to raise a family.

Sumner County has the Hendersonville and Gallatin communities and is a very desirable north of Nashville suburb. Hendersonville is home to The Streets of Indian Lake, Johnny Cash’s house, and many lakefront properties. With a home price of $308,000, Sumner County is a more affordable option compared to others on this list.

PRO TIP: View homes for sale in Sumner County

Here are some stats on Sumner County Schools:

• The average ACT score for Sumner County is 21.

• Sumner County offers public schooling to garages Pre-K- 12th grade.

• In Sumner County, 95.4% of students graduate high school, and 72.2% of students pursue post-secondary degrees.

• $9,178 is spent on students in Sumner County annually.

• The student-to-teacher ratio is low at 14:1.

#3. Wilson County

Wilson County is experiencing a building boom, and it can be an excellent option for a family looking for a new house. Wilson County is increasing in price, just like the rest of Nashville. But places like Mt. Juliet are still experiencing some affordability. Mt. Juliet is situated east of Nashville and has conveniences like Providence Marketplace.

We ranked Wilson County third on our list for its ACT scores and its graduation rate.

PRO TIP: View homes for sale in Wilson County

Here are some stats on Wilson County Schools:

• Wilson County educates students in grades PK-12.

• The average ACT score in Wilson County is 20.9.

• In Wilson County, the graduation rate is 96.1%, and 67.3% of students go on to higher education.

• The average amount of money spent on each child is $8,348.

• There is a ratio of 15:1 students to teachers.

#4. Rutherford County

Rutherford County contains the city of Murfreesboro and is a rapidly growing city. Murfreesboro is home to Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee’s second-biggest school after the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Murfreesboro is a large enough city where it functions entirely separately from Nashville but is still accessible for commuting. There’s a variety of housing options at a variety of price points. There’s also plenty of schools, parks, shopping, restaurants, and activities for your family.

We put Rutherford County 4th for its test scores, but we love how much they spend on each student and their relatively low student-to-teacher ratios.

PRO TIP: View homes for sale in Rutherford County

Here are some stats on Rutherford County Schools:

• The average ACT score for Rutherford County students is 20.8.

• Rutherford County is a large district with grades K-12.

• The graduation rate is 95.6%, and 63.5% of students go on to college.

• The per-pupil expenditure is $9,201.

• The ratio of students to teachers is 15:1.

#5. Cheatham County

Cheatham County is the most affordable school district to live in on this list. Home to Ashland City, which is a small town with a downtown area. This is a good choice for a family that wants a smaller and more rural school system. Unfortunately, you will not find as many amenities in this area, but you will find space. Cheatham County is accessible to Nashville, and you will have to go to Bellevue for many conveniences.

We put them fifth on our list for their graduation rate and average ACT score.

PRO TIP: View homes for sale in Cheatham County

Here are some stats on Cheatham County Schools:

• Cheatham County is the smallest school district on this list serving Pre-K- 12th grade.

• The average ACT score in Cheatham county is 19.6.

• At 91.9% graduation rate, Cheatham County’s high schoolers go on to college at 57.6% of the time.

• $8,384 is spent on each student in Cheatham County annually.

Honorable Mention

Franklin Special School District

FSSD is a hidden gem that we think you should look into, and this is why it gets our honorable mention. By the state’s statistics, this school system should be topping our list. But the only thing holding it back is that it only serves grades K-8.

Franklin Special School District gets many questions from out-of-towners moving to Nashville who are looking for schools. This school district exists inside Franklin city’s limits and is more diverse than other schools in the area. The ratio of students to teachers is staggeringly low, and they put many resources into each student. Once students move onto high school, they are put into Williamson County High Schools.

Here are some stats on Franklin Special School District:

• Only serves grade PK-8

• Located in the city limits of Franklin, TN, and then feeds into Williamson County high schools.

• More diverse compared to Williamson County

• This district spends $15,582 per student

• Student to teacher ratio is a fantastic 11:1!

Felix Homes Can Help You Find The Perfect Nashville Suburb To Send Your Kids To School

We know that where you raise your children can be one of the most significant decisions a parent can make. The place you live will set your kids up for the rest of their lives, so make sure you pick the right place for your family. At Felix Homes, we can help. We help families make a move to the Nashville area, and we are eager to get the process started for you. Felix Homes has you covered whether you are looking to move down the street or across the county. Reach out to Felix Homes today to get the process started.