Best High Schools in Zip Code 06820

Zip code 06820 is home to one high school, Darien High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Darien School District in Darien, Connecticut. Because it is the only high school in the zip code, this analysis focuses entirely on this school, which carries a 5-star rating and has ranked among the top high schools in Connecticut for three consecutive years: 5th in the state in 2025-2026, 3rd in 2024-2025, and 6th in 2023-2024, placing it in the 96th percentile or higher each year. The district itself ranks 6th out of 153 districts statewide.

Academically, Darien High School far exceeds Connecticut state averages across all subjects. In 11th grade testing for 2025-2026, 91.4% of students were proficient in English Language Arts compared to 55.3% statewide, 77.2% were proficient in math compared to 31.3% statewide, and 75.8% were proficient in science compared to 50.5% statewide. The school also posts a 98.3% graduation rate, exceeding the state average by 7.1 percentage points, and a chronic absenteeism rate of just 4.4% versus the state's 16.4%. Only 3.91% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and per-student spending is $20,689.

While Darien's proficiency rates dipped slightly from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with ELA falling 2.9 points, math 1.4 points, and science 2.5 points, the school remains firmly in the 96th percentile statewide. The very low chronic absenteeism rate suggests strong student engagement, and the consistent top-10 district ranking indicates that resources are effectively converted into strong outcomes. For families considering zip code 06820, Darien High School represents one of the best public high school options in Connecticut, with elite academic performance, excellent graduation rates, and a highly engaged student body.