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Northwestern Media

Metro Summary & City Breakdown

This page provides supplemental metro data for our main analysis, comparing public and private school performance across major U.S. metropolitan areas.

By Our Editorial Board | Published October 29, 2025 | Updated October 6, 2026

Metro Summary Comparison

Metropolitan areas Private Median Public Median Median Gap Private vs Public Top Public Type Top Public Median Private vs. Top Public Key Message(s) Top Public Type vs. All Public School
Bay Area 15.00% 6.00% 9.00% 2.50X Traditional 9.00% 1.67X 1.25X
New York City 8.50% 10.00% -1.50% 0.85X Magnet 11.00% 0.77X 1.1X
Los Angeles 12.00% 7.50% 4.50% 1.6X Magnet 11.00% 1.09X 1.47X
Boston 8.00% 5.00% 3.00% 1.60X Traditional 10.00% 0.8X 2.00X
Washington, DC 25.00% 3.00% 22.00% 8.33X Magnet 5.00% 5.00X 1.67X
Phoenix 4.00% 4.00% 0.00% 1.00X Charter 12.00% 0.33X 3.00X
Nashville 2.50% 1.00% 1.50% 2.50X Magnet 8.00% 0.31X 8.00X
Kansas City 2.00% 1.00% 1.00% 2.00X Magnet 2.50% 0.80X 2.50X
Indianapolis 2.00% 2.00% 0.00% 1.00X Charter 2.00% 1.00X 1.00X
Houston 6.00% 2.00% 4.00% 3.00X Magnet 2.50% 2.40X 1.25X
Orlando 3.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00X Magnet 1.50% 2.00X 1.50X
Milwaukee 1.00% 5.00% -4.00% 0.20X Charter 7.50% 0.13X 1.50X
Other Metros
Seattle 10.00% 3.00% 7.00% 3.33X Magnet 14.00% 0.71X 4.67X
Austin 5.00% 2.00% 3.00% 2.50X Magnet 10.00% 0.50X 5.00X
Atlanta 4.00% 4.00% 0.00% 1.00X Magnet 8.00% 0.50X 2.00X
Charleston 5.00% 1.00% 4.00% 5.00X Magnet 5.00% 1.00X 5.00X
Chicago 12.00% 3.00% 9.00% 4.00X Traditional 4.00% 3.00X 1.33X
Cincinnati 0.00% 1.00% -1.00% 0.00X Magnet 2.00% 0.00X 2.00X
Cleveland 3.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00X Traditional 1.00% 3.00X 1.00X
Dallas 3.00% 2.00% 1.00% 1.50X Magnet 7.00% 0.43X 3.50X
Denver 6.00% 1.00% 5.00% 6.00X Magnet 2.50% 2.40X 2.50X
Detroit 2.00% 1.00% 1.00% 2.00X Magnet 3.50% 0.57X 3.50X
Hawaii 1.00% 2.00% -1.00% 0.50X Charter 3.50% 0.29X 1.75X
Las Vegas 1.00% 1.00% 0.00% 1.00X Magnet 2.00% 0.50X 2.00X
Miami 4.00% 2.00% 2.00% 2.00X Magnet 5.50% 0.73X 2.75X
New Orleans 3.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00X Magnet 5.00% 0.60X 5.00X
Philadelphia 6.00% 3.00% 3.00% 2.00X Magnet 5.00% 1.20X 1.67X
Portland 2.00% 1.00% 1.00% 2.00X Magnet 3.00% 0.67X 3.00X
San Antonio 1.00% 1.00% 0.00% 1.00X Magnet 1.00% 1.00X 1.00X
San Diego 3.00% 3.00% 0.00% 1.00X Charter 4.00% 0.75X 1.33X
Key:
1. Largest Gaps
2. Closing Gaps
3. Squeezed Middle

Detailed City Breakdown

In-depth context and analysis for individual metropolitan markets.

Bay Area

Key Message: Wealthiest Metros, Largest Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. The Bay Area illustrates the nation's most extreme performance gap. Elite private schools operate at a level ~2.5x higher than the public median, a divide so vast that even an "underperforming" private school (25th percentile) surpasses a "high-performing" public school (75th percentile). Public school success is almost exclusively found in affluent traditional schools, tying elite placement directly to residential wealth.

  • The Gap: Private Median (15.00%) is 2.5 times higher than the Public Median (6.00%).
  • Private Dominance: Top private "super schools" post 45% T25 placement rates. The 25th percentile private school outperforms the 75th percentile public school.
  • Public Success via Wealth: Public school success is concentrated in affluent traditional schools (Median 9.00%).
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.5X (Traditional vs. All Public School).

New York City

Key Message: Closing Gaps. Top Magnet public schools (Median 11.00%) actively outpace the Private Median (8.50%). It is also a clear example of the "Squeezed Middle": elite public magnet schools (Median 11.00%) rival the private sector, leaving traditional neighborhood schools as the clear bottom tier.

  • The Gap: Private Median (8.50%) is 0.85 times the Public Median (10.0%).
  • Private Floor: The worst-performing elite private school in the dataset still outperforms the median of the public system.
  • The Squeezed Middle (Public Tiers):
    • Top Tier (Public): Magnet Median (11.00%) competes better but still trails elite private schools (15.00%).
    • Bottom Tier (Public): Traditional and Charter School Median is squeezed by not much.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.1X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Los Angeles

Key Message: Wealthiest Metros, Largest Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. LA's 1.6x gap is defined by a private sector so dominant that its lowest-performing schools are on par with the median of the top public magnet schools. This, combined with affluent traditional schools, suppresses the rest of the neighborhood schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (12.00%) is 1.6 times higher than the Public Median (7.500%).
  • Private Floor: The median of private schools outperform the median of the best-performing public category (Magnets at 11.00%).
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.47X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Boston

Key Message: Closing Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. Top affluent Traditional public schools (Median 10.00%) actively outpace the Private Median (8.00%), effectively closing the gap against private education while creating a 2.00X internal divide over standard traditional schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (8.00%) is 1.60 times higher than the Public Median (5.00%).
  • Public Success via Wealth: The top-performing public category is Traditional schools (Median 10.00%) in wealthy suburbs, outperforming the Private Median (8.00%).
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.00X (Traditional vs. All Public School).

Washington D.C.

Key Message: Wealthiest Metros, Largest Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. The D.C. area's 8.33x (22.00%) gap is a story of heavy private investment. The public system's leaders are top Magnet schools (Median 5.00%), which fall well behind the dominant private median (25.00%) while generating a 1.67X internal spread over traditional schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (25.00%) is 8.33 times higher than the Public Median (3.00%).
  • Private Floor: The 25th percentile private school outperforms the median public school.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.67X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Phoenix

Key Message: Specialized Public Schools Closing Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. The Private Median (4.00%) equals the overall Public Median (4.00%). Phoenix is a national leader in specialized performance driven by elite charter networks: top charter schools (Median 12.00%) triple the private median, generating a stark 3.00X Squeezed Middle dynamic against traditional schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (4.00%) is equal to the Public Median (4.00%).
  • Charter Dominance: Driven by the Charter School Median (12.00%), which easily outperforms the private median.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 3.00X (Charter vs. All Public School).

Nashville

Key Message: Specialized Public Schools Closing Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. Nashville's Private Median (2.50%) slightly leads the Public Median (1.00%). However, the public system is buoyed by elite magnet schools (Median 8.00%), which vastly outperform the private sector (0.31X) while creating a massive 8.00x internal divide.

  • The Gap: Private Median (2.50%) is 2.50 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Tier (Public): Magnet Median (8.00%) significantly outweighs private competitors.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 8.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Orlando

Key Message: Largest Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. Private schools maintain an advantage over both the general public median (3.00X) and top magnet programs (2.00X). Top public magnet schools (Median 1.50%) create a moderate 1.50X Squeezed Middle dynamic over traditional neighborhood schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (3.00%) is 3.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Private Edge over Magnets: Private Median (3.00%) is 2.00 times higher than Top Magnet Median (1.50%).
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.50X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Kansas City

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private Median (2.00%) leads the Public Median (1.00%). However, top public Magnet schools (Median 2.50%) outperform the private median (0.80X) and create a 2.50X internally squeezed environment against Traditional Public Schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (2.00%) is 2.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 2.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.50X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Indianapolis

Key Message: Closing Gaps. Complete parity exists between the Private Median (2.00%) and the overall Public Median (2.00%). Top public Charter schools (Median 2.00%) perform equally to both sectors across the board.

  • The Gap: Private Median (2.00%) is equal to the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Charter Median is 2.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.00X (Charter vs. All Public School).

Houston

Key Message: Largest Gaps. A notable private advantage exists (3.00x). Top public Magnet schools (Median 2.50%) perform slightly above the overall Public Median (2.00%) but fall well behind the Private Median (6.00%).

  • The Gap: Private Median (6.00%) is 3.00 times higher than the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 2.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.25X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Milwaukee

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. The Public Median (5.00%) strongly leads the Private Median (1.00%). Top public Charter schools (Median 7.50%) significantly outperform private schools while creating a 1.50X internal spread over traditional schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (1.00%) is 0.20 times that of the Public Median (5.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Charter Median is 7.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.50X (Charter vs. All Public School).

Seattle

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. A private advantage exists overall (3.33x). However, top public Magnet schools (Median 14.00%) outpace the Private Median (10.00%) and create a 4.67X internally squeezed environment against the Traditional Public School Median.

  • The Gap: Private Median (10.00%) is 3.33 times higher than the Public Median (3.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 14.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 4.67X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Austin

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. A private advantage exists (2.50x). Yet top public Magnet schools (Median 10.00%) double the Private Median (5.00%) and generate a massive 5.00X performance gap over the Traditional Public School Median.

  • The Gap: Private Median (5.00%) is 2.50 times higher than the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 10.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 5.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Atlanta

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Public and private overall medians are equal (4.00%). Top Magnet schools (Median 8.00%) double both the Private Median and Traditional Public Schools (2.00X).

  • The Gap: Private Median (4.00%) is equal to the Public Median (4.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 8.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Charleston

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Top Magnet schools (Median 5.00%) match the Private Median (5.00%) and create a massive 5.00x performance gap over Traditional Public Schools, indicating a strong specialized tier.

  • The Gap: Private Median (5.00%) is 5.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 5.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 5.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Chicago

Key Message: Largest Gaps. The overall private median (12.00%) heavily outperforms the public median (3.00%). Top traditional public schools (Median 4.00%) remain well behind the private median (3.00X gap).

  • The Gap: Private Median (12.00%) is 4.00 times higher than the Public Median (3.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Traditional Median is 4.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.33X (Traditional vs. All Public School).

Cincinnati

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. No overall private advantage exists. Top public Magnet schools (Median 2.00%) outperform the Private Median (0.00%) and double the Traditional Public Median (2.00X).

  • The Gap: Private Median (0.00%) is 0.00 times that of the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 2.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Cleveland

Key Message: Largest Gaps. Private schools hold a notable 3.00X advantage over public schools (3.00% vs. 1.00%), with top traditional public performers matching the overall public median.

  • The Gap: Private Median (3.00%) is 3.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Traditional Median is 1.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.00X (Traditional vs. All Public School).

Dallas

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private schools hold a slight overall lead (1.50X), but top Magnet schools (Median 7.00%) more than double the Private Median (3.00%) and create a 3.50X internal spread over Traditional Public Schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (3.00%) is 1.50 times higher than the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 7.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 3.50X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Denver

Key Message: Largest Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private schools hold an overall edge (6.00X). Top public Magnet schools (Median 2.50%) trail the Private Median (6.00%) while generating a 2.50X divide over Traditional schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (6.00%) is 6.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 2.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.50X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Detroit

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private schools lead overall (2.00X), but top public Magnet schools (Median 3.50%) outperform the Private Median (2.00%) and create a 3.50X Squeezed Middle dynamic over Traditional Public Schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (2.00%) is 2.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 3.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 3.50X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Hawaii

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Public schools hold an overall edge (2.00% vs. 1.00%). Top public Charter schools (Median 3.50%) easily outpace the Private Median (0.29X) and lead the Traditional Public Median by 1.75X.

  • The Gap: Private Median (1.00%) is 0.50 times that of the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Charter Median is 3.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.75X (Charter vs. All Public School).

Las Vegas

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Public and private medians are tied at 1.00%. Top public Magnet schools (Median 2.00%) double the Private Median and Traditional Public Schools (2.00X).

  • The Gap: Private Median (1.00%) is equal to the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 2.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Miami

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. While the private median (4.00%) leads the overall public median (2.00%), top public Magnet schools (Median 5.50%) outpace the Private Median (0.73X) and heavily lead Traditional Public Schools (2.75X).

  • The Gap: Private Median (4.00%) is 2.00 times higher than the Public Median (2.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 5.50%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 2.75X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

New Orleans

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private schools lead overall (3.00X), but top public Magnet schools (Median 5.00%) significantly outperform the Private Median (0.60X) and vastly outperform Traditional schools (5.00X).

  • The Gap: Private Median (3.00%) is 3.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 5.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 5.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Philadelphia

Key Message: Largest Gaps & The Squeezed Middle. A private advantage exists (2.00x). Top Magnet public schools (Median 5.00%) come close to the Private Median (6.00%) while generating a 1.67X internal spread over Traditional Public Schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (6.00%) is 2.00 times higher than the Public Median (3.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 5.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.67X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

Portland

Key Message: Closing Gaps & Squeezing the Middle. Private schools hold an overall lead (2.00X), but top public Magnet schools (Median 3.00%) surpass the Private Median (0.67X) and create a 3.00X internal gap over Traditional Public Schools.

  • The Gap: Private Median (2.00%) is 2.00 times higher than the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 3.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 3.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

San Antonio

Key Message: Closing Gaps. Public and private medians are equal (1.00%), with top magnet schools matching both sectors uniformly at 1.00%.

  • The Gap: Private Median (1.00%) is equal to the Public Median (1.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Magnet Median is 1.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.00X (Magnet vs. All Public School).

San Diego

Key Message: Closing Gaps. Parity exists between overall Public and Private medians (3.00%). Top Charter schools (Median 4.00%) outpace the Private Median (0.75X), closing the gap for public education.

  • The Gap: Private Median (3.00%) is equal to the Public Median (3.00%).
  • Top Public Performer: Charter Median is 4.00%.
  • Squeezed Middle Factor: 1.33X (Charter vs. All Public School).