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Palmerton Area High School

Q: Is Palmerton Area High School a good school?

Palmerton Area High School ranks 172 nd of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

172^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 681 Pennsylvania High Schools

Better than 75% of Pennsylvania high schools

Summary

Palmerton Area High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, with a student population of 504. The school is part of the Palmerton Area School District, which is ranked 188 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palmerton Area High School consistently outperforms the state average in Keystone Exam proficiency rates across Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. For example, in 2024-2025, the school's Algebra I proficiency rate was 52.6% compared to the state average of 44.3%. The school also maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 86.5% to 87.9% over the past few years, and a low dropout rate, ranging from 0.0% to 1.6%. Palmerton Area High School has shown strong performance across different student subgroups, ranking 198 out of 657 Pennsylvania high schools for female students and 178 out of 660 for male students, both with a 4-star rating.

When compared to nearby high schools, Palmerton Area High School generally outperforms schools like Catasauqua Senior High School and Northern Lehigh Senior High School in terms of academic proficiency, graduation rates, and overall school rankings. However, it lags behind higher-performing schools like Parkland High School and Northwestern Lehigh High School. Palmerton Area High School serves a relatively higher proportion of students from low-income backgrounds compared to some of the surrounding schools, which may present unique challenges but also highlights the school's ability to provide educational opportunities to a diverse student population.

478

Students ?

11.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,021

Per pupil spending ?

41.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3525 Fireline Rd
Palmerton, PA 18071-9312

(610) 826-3155

District: Palmerton Area School District

Feeder schools for Palmerton Area High School:

Elementary:	Parkside Education Center
	S S Palmer Elementary School
	Towamensing Elementary School
Middle:	Palmerton Area Junior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.2%

Hispanic:

9.8%

Two or more races:

1.9%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Palmerton Area High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 19th percentile in 2014 → 75th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Pennsylvania average (62% vs 52% meeting standards)

✓95% graduate in 4 years — above the Pennsylvania average (89%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 56 percentile points since 2014

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school62%

District avg61%

Pennsylvania avg52%

172^nd of 681

Pennsylvania public high schools ?

Top 25%▲ up 33 pts since 2015

From bottom 41% (2015) to top 25% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

188^th of 606Palmerton Area School District among Pennsylvania districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	73.7	172 of 681	74.7%	★★★★☆
2024	66.5	234 of 686	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.7	231 of 674	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	77.7	136 of 634	78.5%	★★★★☆
2019	55.3	386 of 693	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	71.3	228 of 673	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	80.0	112 of 663	83.1%	★★★★☆
2016	73.0	196 of 677	71.0%	★★★★☆
2015	53.9	399 of 680	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	29.3	472 of 580	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	43.6	408 of 591	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	58.5	339 of 664	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	68.8	221 of 660	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	46.4	426 of 649	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	56.5	314 of 632	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	62.9	258 of 621	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	75.2	119 of 615	80.7%	★★★★☆
2006	61.0	272 of 604	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2005	43.1	414 of 593	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	31.2	465 of 590	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	51.4	346 of 583	40.7%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2024	48.0	220 of 513	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.6	171 of 502	65.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	70.5	198 of 657	69.9%	★★★★☆
2024	67.1	233 of 665	65.0%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	46.1	152 of 287	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.0	144 of 274	47.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	61.6	243 of 651	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.5	413 of 664	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.9	265 of 652	59.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	72.8	178 of 660	73.0%	★★★★☆
2024	62.9	254 of 662	61.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	70.2	165 of 583	71.7%	★★★★☆
2024	61.6	227 of 595	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.2	272 of 577	52.9%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2025)73rd percentile~ school

White (2025)72nd percentile-3 vs school

Female (2025)70th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)63rd percentile-12 vs school

Disabled (2024)57th percentile-9 vs school

Hispanic (2025)47th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs Pennsylvania (2024-2025) ?

Literature74%+11 vs state

Biology60%+10 vs state

Algebra I53%+8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Palmerton Area High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2025)	Keystone Exams Biology (2025)	Keystone Exams Literature (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palmerton Area High School	Public	9-12	3525 Fireline Rd	Palmerton	18071	Carbon County	Palmerton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 826-3155	478	41	11.5	41.6%	417 (87.2%)	4 (0.8%)	47 (9.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	73.7	172^nd of 681 public high schools	74.7%		66.5	234^th of 686 public high schools	65.9%	62	52.6	59.8	73.5	$17,021	$776	$16,245
Northern Lehigh Senior High School	Public	9-12	1 Bulldog Ln	Slatington	18080	Lehigh County	Northern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 767-9832	502	36	14.0	95.8%	370 (73.7%)	12 (2.4%)	93 (18.5%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	19 (3.8%)	44.4	429^th of 681 public high schools	37.0%		47.6	407^th of 686 public high schools	40.7%	22	38.6	45.8	54.7	$20,587	$1,001	$19,586
Lehighton Area High School	Public	9-12	1 Indian Lane	Lehighton	18235	Carbon County	Lehighton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 377-6180	630	84	7.4	51.7%	530 (84.1%)	11 (1.7%)	59 (9.4%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.6%)	19 (3.0%)	69.6	216^th of 681 public high schools	68.3%		71	198^th of 686 public high schools	71.1%	18	54.9	54.9	69.0	$19,142	$910	$18,232
Jim Thorpe Area High School	Public	9-12	1 Olympian Way	Jim Thorpe	18229	Carbon County	Jim Thorpe Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 325-3663	490	35	13.8	61.4%	363 (74.1%)	35 (7.1%)	67 (13.7%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.9%)	64.9	253^rd of 681 public high schools	62.8%		61.7	275^th of 686 public high schools	59.9%	22	50.5	51.9	68.2	$20,754	$155	$20,599
Carbon Career & Technical Institute	Public	9-12	150 West 13th Street	Jim Thorpe	18229	Carbon County	Carbon Career & Technical Institute	No	No	No	No	(570) 325-3682	375	31	12.1	28.3%	346 (92.3%)	3 (0.8%)	25 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	47.8	394^th of 681 public high schools	42.1%		51.4	378^th of 686 public high schools	44.9%	16	37.7	42.3	63.6
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute	Public	9-12	4500 Education Park Drive	Schnecksville	18078	Lehigh County	Lehigh Career and Technical Institute	No	No	No	No	(610) 799-1323	22	87	.2	10,481.8%	17 (77.3%)	1 (4.5%)	3 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.5%)								(n/a)
Northampton Area High School	Public	9-12	1619 Laubach Ave	Northampton	18067	Northampton County	Northampton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 262-7812	1,866	116	16.0	40.8%	1,456 (78.0%)	65 (3.5%)	296 (15.9%)	8 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (2.2%)	56.8	321^st of 681 public high schools	52.9%		47.6	405^th of 686 public high schools	41.0%	84	42.6	47.5	67.6	$19,688	$770	$18,918
Northwestern Lehigh High School	Public	9-12	6493 Route 309	New Tripoli	18066	Lehigh County	Northwestern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 298-8661	658	51	12.8	25.1%	589 (89.5%)	17 (2.6%)	27 (4.1%)	5 (0.8%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.4%)	78.9	130^th of 681 public high schools	80.9%		75.4	159^th of 686 public high schools	76.8%	29	65.9	66.2	67.3	$24,639	$475	$24,164
Catasauqua Senior High School	Public	9-12	2500 W Bullshead Rd	Northampton	18067	Northampton County	Catasauqua Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 697-0111	467	45	10.4	98.5%	213 (45.6%)	29 (6.2%)	184 (39.4%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.5%)	33	485^th of 681 public high schools	28.8%		26.3	524^th of 686 public high schools	23.6%	39	29.2	32.8	57.5	$24,251	$1,126	$23,125
Parkland High School	Public	9-12	2700 N Cedar Crest Blvd	Allentown	18104	Lehigh County	Parkland School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 351-5600	3,279	202	16.2	34.2%	1,820 (55.5%)	202 (6.2%)	661 (20.2%)	440 (13.4%)	4 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	149 (4.5%)	81.4	105^th of 681 public high schools	84.6%		76.7	146^th of 686 public high schools	78.7%	41	60.3	61.7	79.9	$20,956	$540	$20,416

Frequently Asked Questions about Palmerton Area High School

Is Palmerton Area High School a good school?

Palmerton Area High School ranks 172^nd of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Palmerton Area High School?

Students at Palmerton Area High School are 87% White, 10% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Palmerton Area High School?

Palmerton Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Parkside Education Center
Elementary : S S Palmer Elementary School
Elementary : Towamensing Elementary School
Middle : Palmerton Area Junior High School

What district is Palmerton Area High School in?

Palmerton Area School District

How many students attend Palmerton Area High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 478 students attended Palmerton Area High School.

Rate Palmerton Area High School!

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Schools in Palmerton, PA

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Latest Pennsylvania data All new data »

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 29, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesMar 27, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataJan 29, 2026

2024–25 Keystone Exams & PSSA scoresNov 13, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.