Best High Schools in Zip Code 37128

Zip code 37128 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is served by two public high schools — Blackman High School and Riverdale High School — both covering grades 9–12 within Rutherford County Schools, a district ranked 44th out of 141 Tennessee districts.

Blackman High School is the clear academic standout in this area. It ranks 34th out of 400 Tennessee high schools (92nd percentile, 5 stars), while Riverdale ranks 71st (82nd percentile, 4 stars). Blackman posts a 97.3% graduation rate versus Riverdale’s 94.2%, and its dropout rate is just 1.7% compared to Riverdale’s 5.1%. Blackman also has lower chronic absenteeism (11.9% vs. 14.8%). On 2025–26 TNReady tests, Blackman leads Riverdale in six of seven subjects — including large gaps in Algebra I (38.7% vs. 29.1%), English I (56.4% vs. 43.8%), and US History (60.5% vs. 51.2%). Biology I is essentially tied at about 65% proficiency. Blackman achieves all this while spending less per student ($10,860 vs. $11,535). However, Riverdale deserves credit for its rapid improvement: it jumped from 141st in 2023–24 to 71st in 2025–26, a 70-position climb that exceeds Blackman’s 33-position gain. Riverdale improved in every subject year-over-year, with strong gains in Biology I (+12.9) and Geometry (+11.4).

Both schools improved across all subjects from 2024–25 to 2025–26, suggesting broad academic growth across the zip code. Yet Riverdale’s Algebra I proficiency (29.1%) falls below the state average (32.3%), and its dropout and chronic absenteeism rates remain relative weak points. Grade-level data shows wide swings — for example, Riverdale’s 11th-grade Biology proficiency is 70.0% versus Blackman’s 18.2%, and Riverdale’s 12th-grade US History proficiency is 66.7% versus Blackman’s 25.0% — which likely reflect different course-taking patterns rather than permanent strengths or weaknesses. For families, Blackman currently offers the stronger overall academic profile, while Riverdale shows a promising upward trajectory. Notable data limitations include missing free/reduced-price lunch percentages, student-teacher ratios, and teacher experience information.