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Best for Public Schools in California

8 cities ranked · Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Top Cities in California

  1. #1
    B

    San Jose

    Best for Public Schools score 71 · MoveScore 78

  2. #2
    C

    San Diego

    Best for Public Schools score 70 · MoveScore 61

  3. #3
    C

    Fresno

    Best for Public Schools score 69 · MoveScore 61

  4. #4
    D

    Los Angeles

    Best for Public Schools score 69 · MoveScore 57

  5. #5
    C

    Monterey

    Best for Public Schools score 69 · MoveScore 65

  6. #6
    B

    Woodland

    Best for Public Schools score 69 · MoveScore 73

  7. #7
    D

    Glendale

    Best for Public Schools score 68 · MoveScore 59

  8. #8
    D

    San Ramon

    Best for Public Schools score 68 · MoveScore 59

Other California Rankings

Best Overall Cities in California

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Best for Safety in California

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in California

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in California

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best Fiscal Health in California

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in California

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in California ranks highest for best for public schools?

San Jose, CA ranks #1 in California for best for public schools with a sub-score of 71/100 (MoveScore 78, grade B).

How many cities in California are compared?

8 California cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

California-specific ranking using the schools sub-score, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.