Best Public Schools in Zip Code 43302

ZIP code 43302 covers Marion, Ohio and the surrounding area, and includes 19 schools — 10 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, and 1 alternative — serving 10,533 students in total. The largest traditional district is Marion City with 4,040 students across eight listed schools, followed by Pleasant Local (1,265 across three schools), Elgin Local (1,022 across three), and River Valley Local, represented by a single school, Heritage Elementary School. The list also includes specialized settings: TRECA Digital Academy, Buckeye Community School - Marion, Tri-Rivers, and Academy of Arts and Technology. Test scores are reported as percentage proficient and can be compared with state averages; spending figures come from 2018–2019 and are historical.

The clear standouts are Heritage Elementary School, at the 71st percentile with 4 stars, the ZIP's lowest chronic absenteeism at 7.2%, and every reported test above state in both years; Pleasant High School, with the top graduation rate at 97.8% and 14.3% absenteeism; and Elgin High School, close behind at 97.3%. Pleasant Middle School reports Algebra I proficiency of 100% in both years, and Elgin Middle School is strong in 8th grade. Algebra I is a repeated bright spot, while Geometry is below state at nearly every school reporting it.

At the other end, Marion City ranks at the 16th percentile with 1 star, and its schools mostly score below state, although Benjamin Harrison Elementary School is the relative standout and Ulysses S. Grant Middle School posts Algebra I at 91.1%. Buckeye Community School - Marion is the lowest-ranked school (1st percentile, 0 stars), with a 40.5% graduation rate and 59.9% absenteeism, and Academy of Arts and Technology also struggles. Across the ZIP, lower absenteeism tracks with stronger outcomes, and higher spending does not guarantee better results.