Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 24073

Elementary schools in zip code 24073 (Christiansburg, Virginia) serve 1,282 students across three schools within Montgomery County Public Schools, including two tested elementary schools and one primary school, with the district overall earning a 3-star rating.

For parents comparing schools, the two tested schools are now virtually tied overall, but they have very different strengths. Falling Branch Elementary is a high-poverty school (88.6% free/reduced lunch) that excels in math and science, boasting the best single subject score in the group: 83% proficiency in 3rd-grade math. It improved in 7 of 8 assessments from the prior year, jumping over 150 spots in the state ranking, and now leads Christiansburg Elementary in every math and science test. Meanwhile, Christiansburg Elementary (42.6% free/reduced lunch) has a clear identity in reading and social studies, leading by 3.8 to 5.3 points in 4th-grade reading, 5th-grade reading, and 4th-grade Virginia Studies. However, its state ranking has slipped from the 66th percentile to the 49th percentile over three years, while Falling Branch has risen to the 49th percentile, setting up a likely overtake soon.

All three schools — including Christiansburg Primary (PK–2, no test data) — post strong attendance, with chronic absenteeism between 6.5% and 9.5%, far below the district (13.6%) and state (14.8%) averages. Student-teacher ratios are very consistent (12.2–12.9), and per-student spending is similar, ranging from $9,830 to $10,611. Christiansburg Primary’s low absenteeism and moderate poverty rate suggest a healthy foundation, and since it feeds directly into Christiansburg Elementary, its early learning environment matters for later outcomes. Overall, this zip code offers solid, stable schools with small classes, strong attendance, and a notable example of a high-poverty school competing successfully with a lower-poverty peer.