Considering a Move to a Top-Rated School District? Prepare for Steep Housing Costs

Many parents are prepared to dig deeper into their pockets to ensure superior education for their children. The caliber of educational institutions in an area often greatly influences their decisions when choosing a home. More often than not, residing in the most sought-after school districts comes with a hefty price tag.

In a bid to identify the most desirable school districts for families across the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, Realtor.com evaluated the number of page views that property listings attracted from buyers outside the local market between May and July 2025. Their analysis was constrained to districts where at least 100 homes were available for purchase during that time and that housed at least one public school with an 8 or better rating from the nonprofit site GreatSchools.

The research by Realtor.com indicated that although top-tier school districts are geographically diverse, many share a high cost of housing. In well over half of the top districts, the median home listing hovered around $1.21 million—an astonishing 135% more than adjacent metro areas.

The Carroll Independent School District, covering areas such as Southlake and Grapevine in the Dallas suburbs, stands out for having the most significant price difference. Typical homes in this district are listed at approximately $2.16 million, a staggering 390.9% more compared to surrounding neighborhoods—accounting for an additional $1,718,866 on a standard house in the metro.

"Our findings reveal that families are frequently weighing their options—sometimes opting to pay considerable premiums for top-tier education, while at other times, they seek neighborhoods that offer a good balance of academics and affordability," explained Danielle Hale, Realtor.com's chief economist.

Below is a summarized list of ten of the most coveted school districts and the premium residents pay to live there, based on Realtor.com's findings.

10. Eureka Union School District

Situated in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom area of California, homes in this large suburb demand a median price of $1,235,083—marking a 95.4% premium over nearby metro areas.

9. Narragansett School District

Located within the Providence-Warwick stretch of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, this large suburban district sees house listings at an average of $1,173,083—95.5% higher than its surroundings.

8. Del Mar Union Elementary School District

Homes in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad are costly, with average listings at $2,194,583, representing a 121.1% premium compared to nearby regions in this major city.

7. Cave Creek Unified District

In the midsize city of Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona, the median home price is $1,656,908, thereby incurring a 220.7% markup over neighboring areas.

6. Ladue School District

St. Louis, Missouri, features prominently with its large suburban district showing a home price average of $968,247—a premium of 222.8% over its immediate metro surroundings.

5. New Hope-Solebury School District

In Philadelphia's encompassing regions, like Camden and Wilmington, properties within this small town command an average price of $1,249,567, contrasting sharply with the $385,800 median in proximate metros, showing a 223.9% premium.

4. Mountain Brook City School District

Birmingham, Alabama's large suburb sees median housing listings of $1,046,408—an elevation of 241.5% above the surrounding metro areas.

3. Reed Union Elementary School District

In the large suburban setting of San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont in California, homes average $4,029,750, indicating a remarkable 304.7% premium against nearby locales.

2. Laguna Beach Unified School District

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim stretch sees its exclusive suburbs like Laguna Beach boasting an average house price of $4,959,833, which translates to a 322.0% premium over the wider metro area.

1. Carroll Independent School District

Dominating the list is Texas’s Carroll Independent School District, within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, revealing a $2,159,833 median home price. This represents an impressive 390.9% rise over surrounding areas.