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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24521

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Virginia Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Virginia Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

Schools

2,279

Students

Top rankedTemperance Elementary308^th of 1,110 Virginia elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Temperance Elementary up 10 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Central Elementary 10.7 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

0★

See the top-ranked Virginia schools →

Summary:

The 24521 zip code area of Amherst County, Virginia is home to 5 schools serving grades K-12, all part of the Amherst County Public Schools district. The district as a whole is ranked 96 out of 129 in Virginia and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Within this district, a few schools stand out. Temperance Elementary is a small but high-performing school, ranking in the top 30% of Virginia elementary schools and earning a 4-star rating. It has strong test scores, with 85-100% proficiency in math, reading, and science. Meanwhile, Amherst Middle ranks in the top 45% of Virginia middle schools and has a 3-star rating, with particularly strong performance in math. However, the other schools in the district struggle, with test scores well below state averages in many subjects, suggesting significant performance gaps within the district.

Across the district, there are some concerning trends, including high rates of free/reduced lunch (76.99% to 81.11%) and chronic absenteeism (15.7% to 15.7%). The district also has a slightly below-average four-year graduation rate (92.8%) and a higher-than-average dropout rate (4.5%) at Amherst County High. These equity issues and systemic challenges suggest the need for targeted interventions and a focus on addressing barriers to student success within the Amherst County Public Schools district.

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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)				SOL Writing (2025)	SOL Geometry (2025)	SOL Algebra I (2025)					SOL Mathematics (2025)						SOL Biology (2025)			SOL Science (2025)	SOL English Reading (2025)							SOL Geography (2025)		SOL VA and US History (2025)	SOL Civics and Economics (2025)	SOL VA Studies (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	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Amherst County High	Public	9-12	139 Lancer Lane	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 946-2898	1,240	86	14.3	80.2%	824 (66.5%)	229 (18.5%)	60 (4.8%)	3 (0.2%)	12 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	110 (8.9%)	15.9	317^th of 328 public high schools	3.4%		29.9	289^th of 329 public high schools	12.2%	28	67.8	68.5			60.9	61.8	78.6							63.8	35.3	65.2								81.9		26.7	14.1			$10,243	$436	$9,807
Amherst Middle	Public	6-8	165 Gordons Fairground Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 946-0691	371	29	12.9	82.7%	258 (69.5%)	54 (14.6%)	19 (5.1%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.2%)	58	188^th of 419 public middle schools	55.1%		58.3	187^th of 417 public middle schools	55.2%	1			100.0	100.0							57.5	64.9	59.1								67.5	79.2	79.1		70.3			80.7		$11,028	$176	$10,852
Amherst Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	156 Davis St	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-9704	307	22	13.9	83.4%	193 (62.9%)	46 (15.0%)	29 (9.4%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (11.4%)	53.7	557^th of 1110 public elementary schools	49.8%		55.8	540^th of 1114 public elementary schools	51.5%	17								77.8	71.4	65.2							58.7	75.6	85.7	65.2									80.5	$11,022	$1,610	$9,413
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	575 Union Hill Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-9700	268	25	10.7	82.8%	151 (56.3%)	51 (19.0%)	16 (6.0%)	5 (1.9%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (14.2%)	11.4	1014^th of 1110 public elementary schools	8.6%		26.7	880^th of 1114 public elementary schools	21.0%	134								52.3	65.8	42.9							45.7	44.2	60.5	42.9									31.6	$11,986	$1,316	$10,670
Temperance Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1981 Lowesville Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-2811	93	7	13.2	82.8%	81 (87.1%)	5 (5.4%)	4 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.2%)	73.1	308^th of 1110 public elementary schools	72.3%		72.5	318^th of 1114 public elementary schools	71.5%	10								66.7	86.7	85.7							85.7	72.2	100.0	78.6									86.7	$12,287	$595	$11,692

Cities Near Zip Code 24521

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Amherst	0.22 mi	5	259^th
Madison Heights	7.85 mi	5	316^th
Lynchburg	11.74 mi	29	304^th
Arrington	12.35 mi	1	192^nd
Lovingston	14.11 mi	2	103^rd

See the top VA Virginia cities

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