Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28651

ZIP code 28651—Millers Creek, North Carolina—is home to just two schools: Millers Creek Elementary School (PK–5) and West Wilkes High School (9–12), both part of Wilkes County Schools, with no middle school in the immediate ZIP area. The district ranks #89 of 246 in North Carolina (64th percentile) with a 3-star rating, and the two schools sit at opposite ends of the K–12 spectrum. Millers Creek Elementary is the clear standout, earning 4 stars and ranking in the 76th percentile statewide, while West Wilkes High holds 3 stars and ranks near the state median at the 50th percentile. Both schools serve an almost universally disadvantaged population—more than 99% of students at each school are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch—making the academic results especially notable.

Millers Creek Elementary performs above the district and state in most tested areas. In the most recent EOG results, 82.8% of 4th graders were proficient in math versus 61.4% statewide, and 79.0% were proficient in 5th grade science versus 67.7% statewide. The school also beat the state in 4th and 5th grade reading; only 3rd grade reading trailed slightly. Chronic absenteeism is just 9.0%, about one-third of the state rate of 24.2%, and the school improved dramatically year-over-year—5th grade reading jumped 23 points alone—bringing overall proficiency from 63.2% to 70.7%.

West Wilkes High School is more mixed but has clear strengths. It graduates students at 92.5%, above the state rate of 88.8%, and exceeds state proficiency averages in Math I, Math III, and English II—with Math III at 77.9% versus 68.9% statewide. However, Biology lags at 45.7% versus 58.5% statewide, and the school trails its own district in all four EOC subjects. Chronic absenteeism is 18.0%, exactly double the rate at Millers Creek Elementary. That said, the high school improved notably in the latest year, led by a 13.4-point gain in English II, though Math I declined. Overall, this small two-school ZIP code offers an interesting contrast: a high-poverty elementary school excelling in the upper quartile, and a solid, mid-pack high school that still outperforms the state in several key subjects.