Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38310

Zip code 38310 covers Adamsville, Tennessee, and contains three public schools serving grades PK through 12 across two different districts: Adamsville Elementary School (PK–8, 710 students) and Adamsville High School (9–12, 460 students) belong to McNairy County Schools, while West Hardin Elementary School (PK–5, 205 students) is part of Hardin County Schools. The McNairy County schools serve the bulk of students, with combined enrollment of 1,170 compared to just 205 at West Hardin.

Adamsville Elementary stands out as the strongest school in the zip code, ranking #534 out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools and scoring at or above state averages in Science (49.6% vs. 46.9%) and Social Studies (56.8% vs. 51.4%). Its 8th grade cohort far exceeds state benchmarks in Math, Science, and Social Studies, and its chronic absenteeism rate (11.2%) is the lowest among the three schools. By contrast, West Hardin Elementary spends the most per student ($16,055 — nearly 40% more than Adamsville Elementary's $11,501) yet posts the lowest test scores, with its ranking declining to the 30th percentile. Adamsville High School excels at graduating students (95.5% vs. 90.5% statewide), but its end-of-course proficiency lags the state in nearly every subject, particularly Algebra I (18% vs. 32.3%) and Geometry (19.7% vs. 42.3%).

The data reveals important patterns for parents. Higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as the highest-spending school produces the weakest results. Adamsville Elementary shows strong upper-grade performance but struggles in 5th grade math (23.2% vs. 47.4% statewide), suggesting uneven experiences across grade levels. Adamsville High School's graduation success does not translate into academic mastery, and Geometry proficiency dropped sharply from 33.6% to 19.7% in one year. All three schools keep chronic absenteeism below the state average, though the high school's rate (17.5%) is a warning sign. The zip code also bridges two districts with different performance levels: McNairy County Schools ranks 92nd among Tennessee districts while Hardin County Schools ranks 118th, and that gap is reflected in local school outcomes.