Schools in Zip Code 30720

Zip code 30720 in Dalton, Georgia, is served by 7 schools across the Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County districts, offering education from elementary through high school for roughly 5,240 students.

For parents, the standout elementary school is Brookwood Elementary School, which earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 77th percentile statewide. It outperforms the state average in every math subject tested, with 3rd grade math proficiency at 64.3% compared to the state's 48.3%. New Hope Middle School is equally impressive, ranking in the 71st percentile and posting an 8th grade science proficiency of 47.5%—nearly 18 points above the state average—despite serving a student body where over 86% qualify for free or reduced lunch. Dug Gap Elementary School showed the most dramatic improvement, jumping nearly 200 spots in state rankings to reach the 75th percentile, even though it has the highest poverty rate in the zip code at 97.75%. Meanwhile, Westwood Elementary School saw a ranking drop, and City Park Elementary School spends the most per student ($17,025) but ranks lowest among the elementary schools.

At the high school level, Dalton High School posts a strong 91.4% graduation rate, exceeding both the district and state averages, and its ranking has improved from 260th to 196th. However, its chronic absenteeism rate of 19.5% is the highest in the area and above the state average. Across the zip code, chronic absenteeism is notably low at most schools—Dug Gap, City Park, and New Hope Elementary School all sit below 8%—and science proficiency is a clear strength, particularly at the New Hope schools. Overall, this area demonstrates that high-poverty schools can achieve strong academic results, with several institutions outperforming state averages despite economic challenges.