Best Public Schools in Zip Code 48642

Zip code 48642 in Midland, MI, is served by six schools within the highly-rated Midland Public Schools district, covering grades K-12 with a total enrollment of roughly 3,230 students across three elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one alternative facility.

For families, the standout is Midland High School, which posts a 92.3% graduation rate and a 3.2% dropout rate—both far better than state averages—along with strong SAT reading scores. Among elementary options, Adams Elementary School leads with a 4-star rating, the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.7%), and the lowest poverty rate (27.97% free/reduced lunch) in the zip code. In contrast, Chestnut Hill Elementary School trails with a 3-star rating, the highest absenteeism (24.7%) among traditional schools, and notably weaker test scores—for example, just 25% proficiency in 5th grade math versus Adams' 56.3%. Plymouth Elementary School sits in the middle, and despite having the highest poverty rate (51.23%), it still beats district averages in some subjects, like 4th grade math. Northeast Middle School performs solidly in ELA and science but shows a concerning slide in math from 6th to 8th grade.

A district-wide challenge is math: proficiency drops sharply at every level, with Midland High's SAT math score (45.5%) nearly 27 points below its reading score. Chronic absenteeism also tracks with performance—schools with lower rates, like Adams, consistently outperform those with higher rates, like Chestnut Hill. Spending doesn't clearly drive results, as Chestnut Hill spends the least ($13,958 per student) and Plymouth the most ($15,735), yet Adams outperforms both while spending less. The Juvenile Justice Center is a unique outlier with just 11 students, a 3.4:1 student-teacher ratio, and $31,999 per-student spending; its 0% graduation rate reflects its temporary placement mission, not typical school performance. Overall, this area offers strong high school outcomes and a well-regarded district, but families should weigh elementary options carefully given notable intra-district gaps.