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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 48642

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At a glance

Schools

1,301

Students

Top rankedAdams Elementary School333^rd of 1,492 Michigan elementary schools

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Summary:

Zip code 48642 in Midland, Michigan, is home to three public elementary schools—Adams Elementary School, Chestnut Hill Elementary School, and Plymouth Elementary School—all serving grades K-5 within the highly regarded Midland Public Schools district, which ranks in the 86th percentile statewide.

Adams Elementary is the clear academic leader in this area, posting the highest proficiency rates in most subjects and grades. For example, in 3rd grade math, 59.2% of Adams students were proficient versus just 36.8% at Chestnut Hill and 35.8% at Plymouth. Adams also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.7%) and the lowest share of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (27.97%). Chestnut Hill, by contrast, struggles the most: its state ranking has slipped to the 54th percentile, its chronic absenteeism rate is a high 24.7%, and its 5th grade social studies proficiency (27.8%) is far below Adams' 44.8%. Plymouth sits in the middle overall but shines in 4th grade, where it beats both peers and district averages in ELA (53.1%) and math (54.7%)—despite serving the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (51.23%).

For parents, the key takeaway is that school choice within this zip code matters significantly. While all three schools generally outperform Michigan state averages, the gap between Adams and Chestnut Hill is substantial—over 20 percentage points in some subjects. Interestingly, Plymouth's success with a higher-needs population suggests that factors beyond income, such as instruction quality and attendance, drive outcomes. Also note that all three schools have seen their state rankings decline over the past three years, and per-student spending varies notably, with Plymouth receiving the most ($15,735) and Chestnut Hill the least ($13,958). If you're weighing options, Adams offers the strongest overall academics, Plymouth provides a resilient middle-ground choice with excellent 4th grade results, and Chestnut Hill may warrant a closer look at its support services and attendance challenges.

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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)				M-Step English Language Arts (2026)			M-Step Math (2026)			M-Step Science (2026)	M-Step Social Studies (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	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Adams Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	1005 Adams Dr	Midland	48642	Midland County	Midland Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(989) 923-6037	479	30	16.0	28.0%	381 (79.5%)	10 (2.1%)	26 (5.4%)	25 (5.2%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.9%)	75.5	333^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	77.7%		82.5	238^th of 1488 public elementary schools	84.0%	95	54.3	43.2	53.1	59.2	47.5	49.0	56.3	44.8	$15,465	$370	$15,095
Chestnut Hill Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	3900 Chestnut Hill Dr	Midland	48642	Midland County	Midland Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(989) 923-6634	416	22	18.5	42.3%	335 (80.5%)	6 (1.4%)	25 (6.0%)	13 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	34 (8.2%)	50.9	682^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	54.3%		54.1	658^th of 1488 public elementary schools	55.8%	24	34.9	41.1	44.4	36.8	39.2	35.2	53.7	27.8	$13,958	$354	$13,604
Plymouth Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	1105 E Sugnet Rd	Midland	48642	Midland County	Midland Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(989) 923-7616	406	25	16.3	51.2%	333 (82.0%)	11 (2.7%)	21 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (9.4%)	62.5	523^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	64.9%		65.9	478^th of 1488 public elementary schools	67.9%	45	34.3	53.1	49.2	35.8	54.7	38.5	49.2	38.5	$15,735	$925	$14,810

Cities Near Zip Code 48642

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Midland	0.36 mi	23	67^th
Auburn	4.05 mi	4	167^th
Freeland	8.72 mi	4	33^rd
Sanford	9.74 mi	4	220^th
University Center	12.07 mi	1	27^th

See the top MI Michigan cities

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