Seven District 181 elementary schools placed in the Top 10 in Illinois on Niche's 2027 Best Public Elementary Schools list. Two D181 schools claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 spots statewide.

Niche, the school-ranking site, released its 2027 rankings on Tuesday, Sept. 29, evaluating more than 93,000 public schools, 30,000 private schools and 11,000 districts nationwide. District 181 operates seven elementary schools serving Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills and parts of surrounding communities, and every one earned a Top 10 spot.

Hinsdale Village President Greg Hart highlighted the results on X on Thursday, Oct. 1. "Seven D181 elementary schools rank among the Top 10 in Illinois in Niche's 2027 rankings, including the #1 and #2 schools in the state," Hart wrote.

Niche ranked schools using state assessment data, racial and economic diversity, clubs and activities, teacher salaries, sports offerings and facility conditions. The company also drew on more than 3 million reviews from students, parents and teachers, according to Patch. For 2027, Niche dropped SAT and ACT scores from its methodology, citing the broader de-emphasis on standardized testing in college admissions.

District 181 serves about 3,574 students across its seven elementary schools, two middle schools and a preschool, according to The Hinsdalean. Jim Wipke took over as superintendent for the 2026-27 school year.

The Niche results cap a string of recognitions for the district. Walker School and Clarendon Hills Middle School earned National Blue Ribbon School awards in October 2025. The D181 Board of Education received the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Governance Recognition in March 2025, an honor given to only 5% of boards statewide. In June, the district earned a Model Professional Learning Community designation from Solution Tree for sustained gains in student achievement.

Hinsdale Central High School, part of neighboring District 86, ranked No. 12 among the best public high schools in Illinois on the same Niche list. District 86 also appeared on Niche's list of the best suburban school districts nationally.