Want to live in 10 of the most popular school districts? Be ready to pay double &mdash; or quadruple &mdash; the price.

Kids in line for the school bus. — TK

Inside Creative House/Getty Images

Most parents are willing to go the extra mile for their kids, no matter the extra cost.

This is especially true when it comes to education. For many parents, the quality of local schools is a top priority and a big factor in homebuying decisions. Often, getting into the best schools also means paying a premium to live in the district.

To determine the most popular school districts for families in the 50 largest US metros, Realtor.com analyzed the number of views listings on its website received from out-of-market shoppers between May and July 2025. The study focused on districts with at least 100 homes for sale during this period, and at least one nearby public school rated 8 or higher by the nonprofit website GreatSchools.

Realtor.com found that while the nation’s top-rated school districts are spread across the country, many share one thing in common: homeowners in these districts pay much more for a typical home than those in the surrounding metro. In 27 of the 50 most sought-after districts, median listing prices averaged $1.21 million — 135% higher than in surrounding areas.

Carroll Independent School District (CISD), serving the Dallas suburbs of Southlake and Grapevine, ranks among the top school districts and has the steepest premium. Homeowners there pay an eye-popping $2,159,833 for a typical home, a 390.9% premium, or $1,718,866 more than other homes in the metro.

“Our data shows families are making trade-offs — sometimes paying a significant premium for top-rated districts, and other times prioritizing value in areas that still offer strong academics,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com.

Below are 10 of the most popular school districts with the highest premiums, according to Realtor.com.

10. Eureka Union School District

Metro: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, California
Median listing price in district: $1,235,083
Median listing price surrounding metro: $632,154
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 95.4%
Locale: Large suburb

9. Narragansett School District

Providence rhode island shutterstock sean pavone — Prospect Terrace Park in Providence, Rhode Island.

Shutterstock/Sean Pavone

Metro: Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts
Median listing price in district: $1,173,083
Median listing price surrounding metro: $599,950
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 95.5%
Locale: Large suburb

8. Del Mar Union Elementary School District

San Diego, California cityscape at the Gaslamp Quarter.

Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
Median listing price in district: $2,194,583
Median listing price surrounding metro: $992,500
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 121.1%
Locale: Large city

7. Cave Creek Unified District

Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
Median listing price in district: $1,656,908
Median listing price surrounding metro: $516,667
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 220.7%
Locale: Midsize city

6. Ladue School District

An aerial view of downtown St. Louis, Missouri. — St. Louis, Missouri.

Art Wager/Getty Images

Metro: St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois
Median listing price in district: $968,247
Median listing price surrounding metro: $299,950
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 222.8%
Locale: Large suburb

5. New Hope-Solebury School District 8

Philadelphia skyline at sunset — Abbamonte is not a fan of the food or sports culture in Philadelphia.

Joe Daniel Price / Getty Images

Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
Median listing price in district: $1,249,567
Median listing price surrounding metro: $385,800
Premium vs. surrounding metros: 223.9%
Locale: Town

4. Mountain Brook City School District