Lake Forest High School landed at No. 24 among the best public high schools in Illinois in Niche's 2027 rankings, released Monday, Sept. 28.

The placement puts LFHS in the top 25 out of hundreds of ranked public high schools statewide. It also completes a strong showing for Lake Forest schools in the annual report. Lake Forest Academy ranked No. 1 among Illinois private high schools, and Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart placed No. 6 on the private list.

For families in District 115, the ranking reflects grades the school already carries on its Niche profile: A-plus marks in academics, teachers and administration, with an A in college prep, clubs and activities, sports, food, and resources and facilities, and a B in diversity.

Niche analyzed 93,000 public schools, 30,000 private schools and 11,000 districts nationwide for the report, according to Patch. The rankings weigh state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality and high school ratings. One notable change this cycle: Niche dropped SAT and ACT scores as a factor, citing a broader de-emphasis on standardized testing in college admissions.

The top five public high schools in Illinois are all in Chicago or Aurora: Payton College Preparatory, Northside Preparatory, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Whitney M. Young Magnet and Lane Tech College Prep. Among North Shore suburban schools, Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire placed highest at No. 6. Highland Park High School placed No. 17.

LFHS served about 1,359 students in grades 9 through 12 during the 2024-25 school year across Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Knollwood and parts of Mettawa and North Chicago. The school posts a 99 percent graduation rate, according to U.S. News & World Report, which separately ranks LFHS No. 11 in Illinois under its own methodology.

Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, said in a news release that the 2027 edition adds new tools for families to compare schools, including separated public and private lists for categories such as arts, diversity and college prep.

The Illinois State Board of Education's 2025 report card awarded all Lake Forest schools an "exemplary" rating, a designation for schools in the top 10 percent statewide with no underperforming student groups, according to the LFHS website.