The top reported proficiency rate is 84% in Science. The lowest is 83% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Wilson Elementary
Wilson Elementary sits in a community that began as a ranching and logging settlement at the base of Teton Pass and has evolved into one of the most affluent residential corners of the American West. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade on a campus along HHR Ranch Road, and it functions as a true local anchor. Wilson itself has no traditional downtown; its limited commerce clusters around the Fish Creek plaza, and civic life centers on Owen Bircher Park with its ice rink and horse corrals. Once children finish fifth grade here, they head roughly eight miles east to Jackson for middle and high school, so families should expect a campus transition at that point rather than a continuous K through twelve pathway in Wilson.
The academic results at Wilson Elementary are genuinely strong across the board. On Wyoming's state assessment, proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science run well above what most schools post, with most grades seeing the large majority of students meeting or exceeding proficiency. Science results for the tested grade were similarly high. Participation was full or nearly full across grades. These are the kind of results that suggest consistent classroom instruction and a student body that arrives prepared and supported at home. There is no multi-year trend data available, so we cannot say whether performance has been rising or holding steady, only that the current snapshot is strong.
The student body is small for a public elementary school and quite homogeneous. The vast majority of students are white, with small Hispanic and multiracial populations. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals is very low, reflecting the community's wealth. This is an affluent school serving an affluent area, and that economic profile shapes both the peer environment and the resources families bring to schooling. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so we cannot characterize the school's special-education or language-support picture from what was provided.
The housing market here is extraordinary. Wilson's typical home value sits far above both the Wyoming and national benchmarks, making it one of the priciest ZIP codes in the country. The price-to-income ratio is extreme, and estimated monthly mortgage costs dwarf what most households anywhere could sustain. Rent data was not available for this area. Publicly reported sources describe a recent modest population decline in Wilson, likely tied to affordability pressures and tight housing supply rather than economic contraction. For families considering a move here, purchasing a home is a serious financial proposition, and rental options are not well documented in the data we received.
The parent district, Teton County School District #1, has been contending with the same housing crisis that defines the broader Jackson Hole area. Publicly reported coverage notes that the district has lost a substantial portion of its workforce in recent years because teachers and staff cannot find affordable places to live. In response, voters approved a housing bond in November 2024 to build workforce housing on district-owned land, funded through a property-tax increase over a multi-year repayment period. The stated goal is stabilizing teacher retention, which directly affects classroom continuity. How quickly that initiative translates into staffing stability at Wilson Elementary remains to be seen.
Some data gaps are worth naming. No information was provided on staffing ratios, course or program offerings, discipline, attendance, Title I status, or civil-rights indicators. The neighbor comparison set was too small to position Wilson Elementary against other schools in a meaningful way, and because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report. IEP and English-learner figures were missing as well, so families whose children need those supports should ask the school directly.
What Wilson Elementary offers is a small, high-performing elementary school in a tight, well-resourced community with exceptional natural surroundings and very limited housing access. It fits families who can manage the cost of living here and who want strong academic outcomes in a quiet rural setting, with the understanding that older children will commute to Jackson for secondary school.
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