When discussing the best states in the U.S. to raise kids, there’s a strong argument to be had for Illinois, as Chicago area suburbs boast some of the best public school districts in the country, by any measure. Academic achievement, generous funding, superb athletic programs, and great extracurricular activities are all attributes shared by most districts in the region.

Illinois’ best school district is Naperville Community Unit School District 203, which serves central Naperville and parts of Bolingbrook and Lisle in Dupage County. Naperville Central High School, one of District 203’s two high schools, has been listed in U.S. News and World Report’s list of the top high schools in America, while 203’s Meadow Glens Elementary was named a Blue Ribbon School in 2015.

Morton Community Unit School District 709, located in Morton, IL, is Illinois’ second highest ranked school district. Comprising four elementary schools, one junior high and one high school, Morton District 709 schools have repeatedly received medals for their achievements from US News & World Reports, and its students average an ACT composite score 2.5 points higher than the statewide average.

Third in the ranking is Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 serving Wauconda (not to be confused with Wakanda, the fictional African nation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), and other communities in Lake County.

Dunlap Community Unit School District 323 (#4) serving Peoria County, and Barrington Community Unit School District 220 (#5), which earned the highest financial rating in the state, round out the top five.

Methodology

The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.

Did your district make the list?