Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27822

Zip code 27822 in North Carolina is served by three public schools—Coopers Elementary, Elm City Middle, and Gardners Elementary—covering pre-kindergarten through 8th grade and spanning two districts, Nash County Public Schools and Wilson County Schools. There are no high schools inside the zip code, so students leave the area after 8th grade. All three schools serve very high-poverty populations, with nearly all students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite that challenge, each school posts academic results broadly above North Carolina averages. Gardners Elementary stands out as the strongest elementary, earning 4 SchoolDigger stars for three straight years and outperforming the state in every subject and grade in the most recent test year. Elm City Middle is the most consistent school overall, also holding 4 stars and ranking in the top quarter of middle schools; its 8th-grade science proficiency reaches 76.8%. Coopers Elementary is more uneven, with 3 stars this year, but excels in 5th-grade science at 81.7% and 3rd-grade math at 79.5%. However, Coopers has the highest chronic absenteeism rate on the list at 29.5%—more than double the state average and far above Gardners' 11.6%.

Comparing the two elementaries, Gardners leads in 4th-grade math and reading, while Coopers is stronger in 5th-grade science. Elm City Middle shows a slight dip in 8th-grade math and reading relative to its own 6th- and 7th-grade results, though all remain above state averages. Because there is no high school in the zip code, Elm City serves as the critical final stop before students transition out of the community. Overall, these high-poverty schools outperform many wealthier peers, with Gardners and Elm City as the top choices and Coopers offering strong academics with an attendance caveat.