Best School Districts in the Lehigh Valley
For a lot of families, choosing where to live in the Lehigh Valley starts with the school district. NookLocal ranks every Lehigh Valley district by its Academic Index, built from official Pennsylvania test and graduation results, with the full methodology under the list. Each district names the towns it serves, so you can search homes inside the boundary you pick. Below are the rankings.
Academics: Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2025 PSSA and Keystone files and SY 2024-25 cohort graduation rates. Compiled 2026-06-26. School budgets and the new Common Level Ratio land each July, and we re-rank then.
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Southern Lehigh School District
Academic Index 74.7- PSSA
- 70%
- Keystone
- 68%
- Graduation
- 97%
Towns: Coopersburg, Coopersburg Borough, Upper Saucon Township
Typical total property tax ~1.09% of home value/yr · median sale $509,500 (156 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #2
Parkland School District
Academic Index 73.1- PSSA
- 68%
- Keystone
- 67%
- Graduation
- 96%
Towns: South Whitehall Township, Upper Macungie Township
Typical total property tax ~1.07% of home value/yr · median sale $433,120 (271 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #3
Nazareth Area School District
Academic Index 70.3- PSSA
- 62%
- Keystone
- 66%
- Graduation
- 96%
Towns: Nazareth, Upper Nazareth Township
Typical total property tax ~1.33% of home value/yr · full profile & taxes
- #4
Saucon Valley School District
Academic Index 69.4- PSSA
- 57%
- Keystone
- 68%
- Graduation
- 97%
Towns: Hellertown, Hellertown Borough, Lower Saucon Township
Typical total property tax ~1.29% of home value/yr · median sale $664,000 (13 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #5
East Penn School District
Academic Index 69.1- PSSA
- 62%
- Keystone
- 63%
- Graduation
- 96%
Towns: Emmaus, Emmaus Borough, Lower Macungie Township, Macungie, Upper Milford Township
Typical total property tax ~1.40% of home value/yr · median sale $455,000 (321 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #6
Northwestern Lehigh School District
Academic Index 68.2- PSSA
- 56%
- Keystone
- 66%
- Graduation
- 97%
Typical total property tax ~1.22% of home value/yr · median sale $545,000 (49 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #7
Bangor Area School District
Academic Index 63.8- PSSA
- 53%
- Keystone
- 59%
- Graduation
- 93%
Towns: Bangor
Typical total property tax ~1.32% of home value/yr · full profile & taxes
- #8
Wilson Area School District
Academic Index 58.1- PSSA
- 48%
- Keystone
- 51%
- Graduation
- 93%
Towns: Williams Township
Typical total property tax ~1.36% of home value/yr · full profile & taxes
- #9
Northampton Area School District
Academic Index 57.6- PSSA
- 47%
- Keystone
- 52%
- Graduation
- 91%
Towns: Allen Township, Bath, Lehigh Township, Moore Township, Northampton, Northampton Borough
Typical total property tax ~1.24% of home value/yr · median sale $445,000 (9 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #10
Salisbury Township School District
Academic Index 56.6- PSSA
- 47%
- Keystone
- 51%
- Graduation
- 87%
Towns: Salisbury Township
Typical total property tax ~1.57% of home value/yr · median sale $389,900 (31 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #11
Whitehall-Coplay School District
Academic Index 56.3- PSSA
- 43%
- Keystone
- 51%
- Graduation
- 94%
Towns: Coplay
Typical total property tax ~1.58% of home value/yr · median sale $350,000 (45 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #12
Pen Argyl Area School District
Academic Index 55.8- PSSA
- 42%
- Keystone
- 49%
- Graduation
- 98%
Towns: Pen Argyl
Typical total property tax ~1.31% of home value/yr · full profile & taxes
- #13
Northern Lehigh School District
Academic Index 51.7- PSSA
- 35%
- Keystone
- 46%
- Graduation
- 95%
Towns: Slatington, Walnutport
Typical total property tax ~1.64% of home value/yr · median sale $355,000 (31 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #14
Easton Area School District
Academic Index 48.2- PSSA
- 38%
- Keystone
- 37%
- Graduation
- 92%
Towns: Easton, Easton City, Forks Township, Palmer Township
Typical total property tax ~1.50% of home value/yr · median sale $552,245 (22 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #15
Catasauqua Area School District
Academic Index 46.6- PSSA
- 31%
- Keystone
- 39%
- Graduation
- 92%
Towns: Catasauqua
Typical total property tax ~1.62% of home value/yr · median sale $305,000 (30 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #16
Bethlehem Area School District
Academic Index 45.4- PSSA
- 33%
- Keystone
- 36%
- Graduation
- 89%
Towns: Bethlehem, Bethlehem City, Bethlehem City, Bethlehem Township, Hanover Township
Typical total property tax ~1.51% of home value/yr · median sale $325,000 (61 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
- #17
Allentown School District
Academic Index 28.8- PSSA
- 16%
- Keystone
- 19%
- Graduation
- 75%
Towns: Allentown, Allentown City
Typical total property tax ~1.46% of home value/yr · median sale $282,500 (126 sales, 12 mo through 2026-07-10) · full profile & taxes
Want schools and taxes side by side?
The School District Value Matrix ranks every district's academics next to its property-tax rate, for the Lehigh Valley and beyond.
See the value matrixOr start with the short list: Top 5 School Districts in Lehigh Valley (Based on value).
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How we rank
Academic Index (0-100). 40% PSSA grades 3-8 (mean of ELA and Math proficiency), 40% Keystone grade 11 (mean of Algebra I, Literature, Biology), 20% four-year cohort graduation rate, all from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's official files, "All Students" group, 2025 administration (SY 2024-25). We publish the components so you can re-weight them yourself. The index reflects student outcomes; it isn't a verdict on any individual school or teacher. Two limits: participation varies (some districts have meaningful PSSA opt-out rates, which moves proficiency figures), and small districts' graduation rates ride on cohorts of under 100 students, where a handful of students moves the rate. Charter and cyber-charter schools are separate entities and aren't part of these district figures.
Common questions
What is the best school district in the Lehigh Valley, PA?
By the NookLocal Academic Index, Southern Lehigh ranks first among Lehigh Valley districts, with an index of 74.7 (PSSA 70%, Keystone 68%, graduation 97%). "Best" depends on your family, and the full ranking above shows how every district compares.
How is the NookLocal Academic Index calculated?
It is a 0-100 composite of official Pennsylvania Department of Education results: 40% PSSA grades 3-8 (average of English Language Arts and Math proficiency, 2025 administration), 40% Keystone Exams grade 11 (Algebra I, Literature, and Biology), and 20% four-year cohort graduation rate (SY 2024-25). All figures are the published "All Students" group, with no ratings, surveys, or demographic adjustment. It measures outcomes, not school effectiveness.
What towns are in the Southern Lehigh School District?
Southern Lehigh School District serves Coopersburg, Coopersburg Borough, Upper Saucon Township. Each town links to its homes-for-sale page above, and the district profile lists every municipality and its tax rate.
How do Lehigh Valley school districts compare on property taxes?
This page ranks districts on academics alone. Property taxes vary widely by municipality, even within one district, so we keep them on the full School District Value Matrix, which joins every district's academic score with its effective tax rate (millage multiplied by the county's Common Level Ratio). See the matrix to weigh schools against what you'd pay.
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Academic data: Pennsylvania Department of Education public district-level files (PSSA, Keystone, cohort graduation rates). Scores summarize published outcomes only and are not a measure of any individual school. Verify current figures with the district before making decisions.