Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27545

ZIP code 27545 is served by five traditional public schools in Wake County Schools—four elementary schools and one high school, with no middle school located within the ZIP code itself. The area’s roughly 3,800 students attend schools that, while part of a strong 4-star district, generally trail Wake County averages and show wide variation in performance.

The biggest concern is Knightdale High, the only high school in 27545. It ranks in the 20th percentile of North Carolina high schools and holds a 1-star rating, with proficiency below district and state levels in every End-of-Course subject. Its 44.7% chronic absenteeism rate is more than double Wake County's 20.5%, and its 85.4% graduation rate lags both the district and state. By contrast, Knightdale Elementary is the clearest positive story, jumping from the 11th percentile two years ago to the 45th percentile now, with average EOG proficiency rising to 55.4%—the highest among the ZIP code's four elementary schools. Lockhart Elementary is trending the opposite direction, falling from the 36th to the 22nd percentile over the same period, despite posting the strongest 5th-grade science score in the group. Forestville Road Elementary and Hodge Road Elementary sit in between, ranking around the 38th and 33rd percentiles respectively, with Hodge Road showing the lowest elementary chronic absenteeism at 22.5%.

Notably, all four elementary schools report free/reduced lunch rates above 99%, making poverty nearly constant across the group—yet test results differ substantially, suggesting school-level factors matter. The lack of a local middle school means families face a structural gap between elementary and high school. On a positive note, most schools improved in 2025-26: Knightdale High's EOC average rose nearly 11 points, Knightdale Elementary gained 14.4 points, and Forestville Road and Hodge Road each improved by 5-6 points. Lockhart Elementary stayed flat. Knightdale High's Math I proficiency sits at just 27.9%, a persistent weak spot, but its year-over-year gains across all subjects offer a glimmer of progress in an otherwise challenging landscape.