Milton Public Schools landed at No. 18 on Niche's 2027 Best School Districts in Massachusetts list, earning an overall A grade in the ranking released Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The district scored an A+ for teachers, its highest mark. It also received an A in academics and college prep, an A- in clubs and activities, and an A- in administration, according to Patch, which first reported the local ranking. The district got a B in diversity.

Niche's profile for the district adds an A- in sports, a B+ in food and a B in resources and facilities. Milton High School earned a separate A grade on the platform, based on 194 reviews.

Dover-Sherborn topped the statewide list. Needham, Brookline, Lexington and Hopkinton rounded out the top five. Milton placed ahead of Bedford, Arlington and Andover, among others, in the top 25.

Niche analyzed 93,000 public schools, 30,000 private schools and 11,000 districts nationwide. The rankings combine federal and state data, school statistics and more than 3 million reviews from students, parents and teachers.

Luke Skurman, Niche's founder and CEO, said in a news release that the 2027 edition updated its methodology, creating separate public and private rankings for categories including arts, diversity, college prep and teachers.

"Families deserve a complete view of their options, whether they're evaluating schools in their area or exploring what's available elsewhere," Skurman said.

The ranking arrives as Milton Public Schools navigates a superintendent search. The district held a community forum Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. in the MHS Auditorium and a second Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.

A third session is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, at 9 a.m. at the Katherine Haynes Dunphy Conference Room, 515 Canton Ave. Interim Superintendent John Phelan has been leading the district since at least March, when the School Committee approved a $75.6 million budget for fiscal year 2027.