School District Five named top school district in the Midlands
October 12, 2026
Niche.com has released its 2027 Best Schools in America rankings, with Lexington-Richland School District Five earning top honors in the Columbia area. School District Five was ranked the No. 1 school district in the Columbia area, No. 1 Best Place to Teach, and No. 1 Best Teachers, recognizing the district’s commitment to providing an exceptional educational environment. In the statewide rankings, School District Five was also named the No. 2 Best School District in South Carolina.
The website ranks over 10,000 public school districts based on reviews, school-reported statistics and federal data sets to put together rankings that reflect academics, teachers, resources, facilities, extracurriculars and more, according to the methodology. School District Five’s overall “A” rating is based on categories consisting of academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep and administration.
To explore School District Five’s profile and view the complete list of 2027 rankings, methodologies and data sources, visit niche.com.
