Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49117

Summary:

The 49117 zip code area is home to three exceptional public schools - New Buffalo Elementary School, New Buffalo Senior High School, and New Buffalo Middle School - all part of the highly-ranked New Buffalo Area Schools district. These schools consistently demonstrate academic excellence, with test scores well above state averages and impressive rankings.

New Buffalo Elementary School stands out as a top performer, ranked 29th out of 1,488 Michigan elementary schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. With 73-77% of students proficient or better in ELA and Math, the school boasts exceptional academic achievement. New Buffalo Middle School is also a standout, ranked 2nd out of 897 Michigan middle schools and earning a 5-star rating. The school's impressive test scores, with 55-75% proficiency in ELA and Math, and high 8th grade PSAT Math proficiency of 79.2% further solidify its reputation for excellence.

Across the district, the schools demonstrate a strong commitment to providing robust resources and support for their students. With per-student spending ranging from $34,784 to $39,721 and student-teacher ratios as low as 9.2, the schools are well-equipped to deliver personalized attention and high-quality instruction. While the district faces some challenges, such as higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rates, the overall picture is one of a school system that is consistently delivering exceptional educational outcomes for the students of the New Buffalo community.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT Mathematics (2025)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2025)	SAT Mathematics (2025)	M-Step English Language Arts (2025)				M-Step Math (2025)				M-Step Science (2025)			M-Step Social Studies (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
New Buffalo Middle School	Public	6-8	1112 E Clay St	New Buffalo	49117	Berrien County	New Buffalo Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 469-6003	133	14	9.4	30.8%	108 (81.2%)	2 (1.5%)	16 (12.0%)	2 (1.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.0%)	94.8	40^th of 890 public middle schools	95.5%		98.7	2^nd of 897 public middle schools	99.8%	38	79.2					75.0	55.8			59.1	51.2		66.7			89.6		$35,884	$4,325	$31,559
New Buffalo Senior High School	Public	9-12	1112 E Clay St	New Buffalo	49117	Berrien County	New Buffalo Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 469-6001	172	16	10.6	43.6%	125 (72.7%)	6 (3.5%)	32 (18.6%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	5 (2.9%)	85	76^th of 739 public high schools	89.7%		92.4	49^th of 743 public high schools	93.4%	27		65.7	54.3											48.6			54.3	$39,721	$4,443	$35,278
New Buffalo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12291 Lubke Rd	New Buffalo	49117	Berrien County	New Buffalo Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 469-6060	211	19	11.1	34.1%	173 (82.0%)	7 (3.3%)	23 (10.9%)	4 (1.9%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	96.7	29^th of 1488 public elementary schools	98.1%		95.2	48^th of 1486 public elementary schools	96.8%	19				73.0	77.1			78.4	77.1			75.0			58.3			$34,784	$4,844	$29,940

Cities Near Zip Code 49117

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
New Buffalo	0.34 mi	3	13^th
Three Oaks	8.04 mi	3	301^st
Bridgman	14.47 mi	3	17^th
Buchanan	19.82 mi	6	123^rd
Stevensville	20.6 mi	5	48^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.