Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28791

Zip code 28791 in Hendersonville, North Carolina is served by five public schools within the highly rated Henderson County Schools district, covering elementary through high school grades and enrolling approximately 3,559 students.

For parents, the standout in this area is Hendersonville Elementary, the only 5-star school in the group, ranking in the 91st percentile statewide with exceptional 4th grade math and reading scores (90% and 89% proficient, respectively). Among the two middle schools, Rugby Middle ranks highest overall (87th percentile) and shows consistent strength in math and science, while Hendersonville Middle is the most improved school in the set, jumping from the 70th to the 84th percentile over two years and even slightly edging out Rugby in 8th grade science (82.6% vs. 81.9%). At the high school level, West Henderson High is the stronger overall performer, ranking in the 73rd percentile and scoring above district and state averages in all four end-of-course subjects, while also posting the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (8.3%) in the entire group. Hendersonville High boasts a higher graduation rate (94.7%) and the best English II scores, but its Math I proficiency (43.8%) lags far behind West Henderson (63.6%) and the district average (60%), making it the clearest area of concern in the zip code.

Overall, this is a strong school cluster. Every elementary and middle school outperformed both district and state averages in every tested subject in 2025-2026, and chronic absenteeism for all schools remains well below the North Carolina state rate of 24.2%. However, significant variation exists: Hendersonville Middle has the highest poverty rate (49.6% free/reduced lunch) but also the highest per-student spending ($10,377) and a lower student-teacher ratio, showing that additional resources may be supporting its strong gains. Meanwhile, Hendersonville High's math struggles and higher chronic absenteeism (15.2%) contrast with its excellent literacy and graduation outcomes, suggesting that the main opportunity for improvement in this zip code lies in strengthening middle-to-high school math instruction, particularly at Hendersonville High.