Summary:
Zip code 39429 in Columbia, MS is served by two public high schools—Columbia High School (enrollment 484) and East Marion High School (enrollment 216)—both covering grades 9–12 but operating under different districts: Columbia High School belongs to the Columbia School District, while East Marion High School falls under the Marion County School District. These two schools offer families distinct educational options within the same area, and their differing district affiliations provide an interesting contrast in performance and resources.
Columbia High School is the clear academic leader in the zip code. It ranks 53rd out of 224 Mississippi high schools (76th percentile) with a 4-star rating, while East Marion High School ranks 93rd (58th percentile). Columbia also posts a higher graduation rate (92.7% vs. 87.8%) and outpaces East Marion in Algebra I (77.1% vs. 66.7%) and Biology (73.9% vs. 66.6%), while English II proficiency is close (53.2% vs. 51.2%). Columbia has improved dramatically, jumping from the 39th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 76th percentile in 2025–2026. East Marion is noteworthy too: with 98.61% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, it still beats state averages in Algebra I and Biology, and its lower student-teacher ratio (10.4 vs. 13.7) may support more individualized instruction.
Both schools share a major concern: chronic absenteeism. Columbia's rate is 35.0% and East Marion's is 31.5%, well above the state average of 23.9%. Even though Columbia is academically strong, its absenteeism rate is nearly 11 points above the state. Additionally, both schools struggle in U.S. History, scoring around 55–57% versus the state's 69.7%. Families comparing these schools should weigh Columbia's stronger academics and higher graduation rate against East Marion's smaller class sizes and strong performance despite significant economic challenges, while keeping in mind that both schools need to address attendance and U.S. History proficiency.
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