Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 27107

Zip code 27107 in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina contains two public middle schools serving grades 6–8: Hanes Magnet School and Oak Grove Middle. Though they share a zip code, they belong to different districts — Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools for Hanes and Davidson County Schools for Oak Grove — and serve very different student populations. Oak Grove is the clear standout, ranking 246th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools (68th percentile, 3 stars), compared with Hanes at 419th (46th percentile, 2 stars), and it outperforms Hanes in nearly every grade and subject.

The demographic contrast is stark. At Hanes, 99.69% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, compared with 41.4% at Oak Grove. Chronic absenteeism at Hanes is 33.5% — more than four times Oak Grove's 8.3% and well above the state average of 24.2%. On 2025–2026 EOG tests, Oak Grove exceeds the state average in most subjects, including 66.8% proficiency in 6th grade math and 71.7% in 8th grade science. Hanes often trails the state, especially in 8th grade math (41.1% vs. 53.0%) and 8th grade science (58.6% vs. 68.6%). Oak Grove achieves these results despite a higher student-teacher ratio (18.3 vs. 16.2), suggesting poverty and attendance may matter more than class size.

Yet Hanes is a bright spot within its own district, beating the district average on nearly every test, including 7th grade reading at 60.9% — above both the district (48.2%) and the state (56.3%). Oak Grove shows steady strength across grades, though its 8th grade math (52.6%) dips below its district average (54.5%). Both schools have slipped from their 2023–2024 rankings: Oak Grove from the 82nd percentile to the 68th, and Hanes from the 58th to the 46th. This zip code captures two very different educational experiences — Oak Grove pairs strong scores with solid attendance and moderate poverty, while Hanes contends with extreme economic and attendance challenges yet still delivers grade-level bright spots, especially in reading. Oak Grove is the higher-performing choice, but Hanes' district-relative strengths suggest targeted support around absenteeism and 8th grade readiness could narrow the gap.