The quality of the nearby public school system has always been a big factor when choosing a home. It still is: A recent survey indicated that Millennials value local schools almost as much as they do crime rates and commute times.
A Trulia study ranks the most-improved school districts in the 10 biggest U.S. cities over the last five years, factoring in differences in test scores between 2011 and 2015. Districts had to contain four or more schools, and 1,000 or more students to be included in the results. The site also found the median home price in the area.
New York City’s NYC Geographic District 15 had the biggest jump, rising from 160th (out of 181 New York City districts) to 82nd. The district contains 47 schools from grade ranging from Pre-K to high school. A median house in the neighborhood, Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill, is $1.6 million.
The most affordable housing is available in Blue Island, Ill., a south suburb of Chicago, where the median home price is $176,551. The four high schools in Community High School District 218 jumped from 102nd in 2011 to 61st in 2015 (out of 114 districts).