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Best High Schools in Zip Code 39702

At a glance

Schools

1,652

Students

Districts

Top rankedNew Hope High School77^th of 224 Mississippi high schools

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Biggest riser

Columbus High School up 14 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

Zip code 39702 in Columbus, Mississippi is served by two public high schools – Columbus High School and New Hope High School – both serving grades 9-12 but operating under different districts: the Columbus Municipal School District and the Lowndes County School District respectively.

New Hope High School is the clear standout, ranking in the 66th percentile of Mississippi high schools with a 3-star rating. Its graduation rate of 93.2% exceeds the state average of 89.2%, and its proficiency rates in Algebra I (67.3%), English II (50.5%), and Biology (75.4%) all meet or beat state averages. In contrast, Columbus High School ranks in the 7th percentile with a 0-star rating and an 84.3% graduation rate. Its proficiency rates lag far behind: just 31.1% in Algebra I, 23.0% in English II, and 47.1% in Biology. Economic factors differ sharply as well, with 99.77% of Columbus High students qualifying for free/reduced lunch versus 61.63% at New Hope, and chronic absenteeism is high at both schools (40.7% at Columbus, 30.9% at New Hope) compared to the state average of 23.9%.

New Hope is on an upward trajectory, climbing from the 44th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 66th-69th percentile range in recent years, while Columbus High has remained stuck in the bottom 10% of Mississippi high schools. Notably, U.S. History is a shared weak point – both schools scored below 50% proficiency versus the 69.7% state average. Student-teacher ratios do not explain the gap (Columbus High’s 11.6 ratio is actually better than New Hope’s 12.8), suggesting factors like poverty, attendance, and district support play larger roles. For parents, New Hope offers solid academic performance and strong graduation outcomes, while Columbus High faces significant challenges that families should carefully consider.

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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)				MAAP Algebra I (2026)	MAAP English II (2026)	MAAP Biology (2026)	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 (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	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP English II End of Course	MAAP Biology End of Course	Total
Columbus High School	Public	9-12	215 Hemlock St	Columbus	39702	Lowndes County	Columbus Municipal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 241-7200	865	74	11.6	99.8%	18 (2.1%)	813 (94.0%)	23 (2.7%)	7 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	10.8	208^th of 224 public high schools	7.1%		6.2	222^nd of 232 public high schools	4.3%	14	31.1	23.0	47.1	$13,613
McKellar Vocational Center	Public	8-12	810 N Browder Street	Columbus	39702	Lowndes County	Columbus Municipal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 241-7290	0	0	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
New Hope High School	Public	9-12	2920 New Hope Road	Columbus	39702	Lowndes County	Lowndes County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 244-4701	787	61	12.8	61.6%	394 (50.1%)	357 (45.4%)	10 (1.3%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	19 (2.4%)	64.5	77^th of 224 public high schools	65.6%		70.3	73^rd of 232 public high schools	68.5%	4	67.3	50.5	75.4	$12,236
Lowndes County Vocational Complex	Public	8-12	1085 Lehmberg Road	Columbus	39702	Lowndes County	Lowndes County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 244-5038	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Cities Near Zip Code 39702

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Columbus	1.53 mi	18	168^th
Caledonia	16.47 mi	3	15^th
West Point	19.52 mi	15
Brooksville	19.76 mi	1
Hamilton	21.3 mi	1

See the top MS Mississippi cities

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