Best Public Schools in Zip Code 37128

ZIP code 37128 in Murfreesboro, TN is home to 9 public schools serving approximately 11,890 students, including 2 high schools, 1 middle school, and 6 elementary schools spanning two districts: Rutherford County Schools (5 schools) and Murfreesboro City Schools (4 schools). Despite sharing the same ZIP code, the districts have notably different overall ratings — Rutherford County ranks 44th of 141 districts (3 stars) while Murfreesboro City ranks 99th (2 stars) — yet school-level outcomes tell a more nuanced story.

At the top of the rankings, Blackman High School is the clear academic leader, ranking 34th of 400 Tennessee high schools (5 stars) with a 97.3% graduation rate and above-state proficiency in every subject. Its ZIP code counterpart, Riverdale High School, ranks 71st (4 stars) and trails Blackman on every academic and non-academic metric, including a 94.2% graduation rate and a 5.1% dropout rate. Among elementary schools, Overall Creek Elementary leads at the 82nd percentile, followed closely by Barfield Elementary at the 80th percentile. At the other end, Cason Lane Academy is the lowest-performing school in the ZIP, ranking at the 23rd percentile (1 star) with recent declines, and its 6th grade scores are especially alarming — just 12.8% proficiency in math and 10.3% in science versus state averages of 40.1% and 48.0%.

The elementary landscape splits into two clear groups: high performers like Overall Creek, Barfield, Salem Elementary, and Blackman Elementary all exceed state proficiency in math and ELA, while Scales Elementary and Cason Lane fall below state averages with the highest chronic absenteeism rates. District affiliation does not predict success, as Overall Creek and Salem — both in the lower-ranked Murfreesboro City district — outperform several Rutherford County schools. Spending also does not correlate with outcomes: Cason Lane spends the most per student ($14,292) yet performs worst, while Blackman Middle School spends the least ($10,532) and remains a strong 4-star school. Families in 37128 have excellent options like Blackman High and Overall Creek, but the wide variation in outcomes makes school selection critically important.