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Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 06851

At a glance

Schools

1,156

Students

Top rankedNathan Hale Middle School95^th of 258 Connecticut middle schools

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Biggest riser

Nathan Hale Middle School up 17 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

Zip code 06851 in Norwalk, CT, is served by two public middle schools—Nathan Hale Middle School (499 students) and West Rocks Middle School (657 students)—both covering grades 6 through 8 within the Norwalk School District. Nathan Hale is the clear academic standout, ranking 95th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (63rd percentile, 3-star rating) for the 2025–2026 school year. West Rocks ranks 139th (46th percentile). Nathan Hale outperforms district and state averages in every subject and grade level tested, while West Rocks generally sits above the district but below the state.

Despite serving similar student populations—free/reduced lunch eligibility is 55.31% at Nathan Hale and 53.73% at West Rocks—academic outcomes differ markedly. Average ELA proficiency is 56.0% at Nathan Hale versus 46.2% at West Rocks, and average math proficiency is 48.1% versus 39.4%. The largest gap is in 8th grade science (66.3% vs. 44.8%). Interestingly, the attendance picture is reversed: West Rocks has a chronic absenteeism rate of just 6.7%, far below the district (15.4%) and state (16.4%), while Nathan Hale’s rate is 16.4%. Resource differences may contribute to the academic gap, as Nathan Hale has a lower student-teacher ratio (10.3 vs. 11.4) and slightly higher per-student spending ($19,071 vs. $18,600).

The two schools are on contrasting trajectories. Nathan Hale’s state rank has improved steadily from 140th to 112th to its current 95th, with strong year-over-year gains in 8th grade science (+12.3 points) and 8th grade math (+7.4 points). West Rocks’ rank has hovered between 134th and 154th, showing a strong jump in 7th grade ELA (+13.8 points) but significant drops in 8th grade ELA (-9.6 points) and 8th grade science (-5.4 points). Nathan Hale offers the higher-performing academic profile with clear upward momentum. West Rocks, while more modest academically, demonstrates exceptional student engagement and very low absenteeism, making it a school where students are consistently present but where academic supports appear less robust than at its counterpart.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)	SBAC English Language Arts (2026)			SBAC Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Nathan Hale Middle School	Public	6-8	176 Strawberry Hill Avenue	Norwalk	06851	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2910	499	48	10.3	55.3%	116 (23.2%)	68 (13.6%)	279 (55.9%)	21 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.0%)	62.7	95^th of 258 public middle schools	63.2%		54.3	112^th of 252 public middle schools	55.6%	17	66.3	52.0	55.3	60.7	45.4	49.7	49.1	$25,236
West Rocks Middle School	Public	6-8	81 West Rocks Road	Norwalk	06851	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 899-2970	657	58	11.4	53.7%	114 (17.4%)	90 (13.7%)	413 (62.9%)	18 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.0%)	43.9	139^th of 258 public middle schools	46.1%		43.4	134^th of 252 public middle schools	46.8%	5	44.8	43.8	53.4	41.5	36.5	42.9	38.8	$22,917

Cities Near Zip Code 06851

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Norwalk	0.32 mi	23	143^rd
Westport	1.84 mi	8	8^th
Wilton	3.39 mi	4	9^th
New Canaan	4.15 mi	5	1^st
Darien	4.76 mi	7	6^th

See the top CT Connecticut cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.