Relocation Regrets: Lessons Learned on School Ratings and Home Buying

27 September 2026

Careful vetting of school districts is key for families relocating, with potentially high financial and logistical costs if neglected.

Relocating is stressful, but the task of choosing and securing a home district with top-rated schools can make or break a family's relocating success. For 30% of parents, getting children settled in the right school is the most stressful part of the move. Yet, one of the most common relocation regrets has to do with how much time was spent learning about local schools. According to a 2015 survey, 49% of parents spent a month or more getting a new childcare setup in place, and 53% broke into tears at least once from the pressure.

Why families put off checking school quality

The cross-referencing school ratings should be one of the first steps as families weigh nearby housing options. Yet, because relocating is such an emotional, time-sensitive endeavor, it's easy for this critical research to get neglected. Couples in 50% of surveyed households argue at least once a week as the move approaches. Unfortunately, it's to the detriment of targeting the right schools. If a quality school is assigned by address or recognized as a key reason for picking a property, families should visit the school before signing that rent or mortgage. This means investigating state data as well as in-person visits to ensure the school is a good fit for the child.

What to look for

When vetting school quality, parents should dig beyond the headlines to get a clearer picture. A 2025 OpenDoor guide suggests looking at three to four rating sources for a complete picture, including:

- Student performance on standardized tests

- Student-teacher ratios

- Graduation, college-readiness, and school engagement statistics

- Behavioral indicators, such as disciplinary actions and absenteeism

GreatSchools, for instance, provides families with ratings and reviews from those who have attended those schools. Websites frequently aggregate data from major outlets, with ratings for local compliance and academic performance. However, a Columbia University article warns that low-ranked schools might be that way due to their socioeconomic profile rather than their performance.

The big price of relocation

The stakes are even higher than relocating to a poor school if the family doesn't weigh options carefully. In 2025, the average listing price of homes in the 27 most popular school districts nationwide was a dizzying $1.21 million - 135% higher than the surrounding areas. Clearly, schools drive not only family decisions but moving choices, which means that coming to any area would justify thoroughly checking the stats, and that renters should too.

In summary, families can limit the stress of relocating and potentially save themselves high relocation costs by properly vetting their local schools as well as the municipality in which they are set. Indeed, family relocation is stressful; and for that reason itself, families should cross-check state data as well as online ratings, if possible, to get a comprehensive picture of the fit for family needs.

If you are about to move and want to take these steps, contact the Department of Education, reach out to a realtor, and browse available ratings before looking at local houses or apartments.