Best Schools in Decatur, Georgia
59 schools · 38 Elementary · 9 Middle · 8 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in Decatur?
Use this page to compare every school in Decatur by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Oakhurst Elementary School
Elementary · City Schools of Decatur. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Westchester Elementary School
Elementary · City Schools of Decatur. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Talley Street Upper Elementary School
Elementary · City Schools of Decatur. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Decatur for 2026 are Oakhurst Elementary School (9.7/10), Westchester Elementary School (9.6/10), and Talley Street Upper Elementary School (9.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
59
41 public · 18 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$343,920
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Schools
59
41 public · 18 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$343,920
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Rates 7.5/10 despite 97% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.7 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Decatur schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +20.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Decatur schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Decatur
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 59). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakhurst Elementary School | 9.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Westchester Elementary School | 9.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Talley Street Upper Elementary School | 9.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School | 9.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Beacon Hill Middle School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 6 | St Peter Claver Regional Catholic School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 7 | Glennwood Elementary School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Winnona Park Elementary School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Briarlake Elementary School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Decatur High School | 8.5 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.3/10
- Median household income
- $84,508
- Median home value
- $343,920
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 47%
- Avg commute
- 31 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 62%
37% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Decatur compares
Georgia rank
#126 of 240
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above Georgia avg (6.3)
Median household income
$85k
121% of Georgia median
Schools in this city
51
Education Snapshot
Decatur, GeorgiaDecatur spreads 23,640 students across 59 schools served by 4 districts, with a level mix weighted toward early grades: 38 elementary campuses compared to 9 middle and 8 high schools. The city's average MySchoolScout composite rating is 6.3/10 across 51 scored schools — precisely matching Georgia's statewide 6.3/10, which means Decatur's economic edge hasn't driven above-average school performance citywide. Median household income stands at $88,205, 11% above Georgia's $79,605 median, and 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, signaling a well-educated parent base. Three charter schools operate alongside traditional district campuses, expanding the options families can consider. With 8 high schools spread across 4 districts, upper-grade families have multiple institutions to evaluate — drilling into individual school pages rather than relying on the citywide average will surface the most accurate picture for any specific address.
About Schools in Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Georgia offers parents 40 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school, giving families a wide range of options within a compact, well-defined city. The overall quality bar sits high: the city averages 7.2 out of 10 across all ranked schools, and 24 of those 40 schools — 60% — score 7 or above. That ratio signals consistent performance rather than a landscape dominated by a few outliers pulling up the average.
Elementary education is where Decatur genuinely stands out. Oakhurst Elementary leads the city with a 9.7 out of 10, the highest score among all 40 ranked schools. Three other elementary schools — Clairemont, Glennwood, and Westchester — each earn a 9.2, making strong elementary options both plentiful and geographically distributed. Parents entering the district at the kindergarten level have multiple top-tier choices without defaulting to a single sought-after school. Beacon Hill Middle School scores a 9.3, which means families who start strong at the elementary level can expect a credible academic continuation into middle grades.
The City Schools of Decatur operates as its own independent district separate from DeKalb County Schools, which also serves portions of the Decatur area. Parents should confirm which district covers their specific address before assuming enrollment access. City Schools of Decatur schools account for several of the top performers and carry a distinct governance structure, smaller scale, and consistent test performance. DeKalb County Schools operate the larger share of the 40 ranked schools citywide and show more variation in scores across buildings.
For parents comparing Decatur against other Atlanta-area cities, the 7.2 average and 60% above-7 rate are practical benchmarks. Families prioritizing elementary performance will find the highest concentration of strong scores in that grade band. Parents with middle schoolers should look closely at Beacon Hill as the clear standout at that level. The practical move: identify your address's assigned district first, then use school-level scores to evaluate transfer or magnet options if your zoned school falls below your threshold.
Elementary Schools
38 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 256 students · Pre-K–2nd | 9.7 |
| 2 | 184 students · Pre-K–2nd | 9.6 |
| 3 | 638 students · 3rd–5th | 9.5 |
| 4 | 593 students · 3rd–5th | 9.3 |
| 5 | 199 students · Pre-K–2nd | 9.0 |
| 6 | 292 students · Pre-K–2nd | 8.6 |
| 7 | 376 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 |
| 8 | 440 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 |
| 9 | 191 students · Pre-K–2nd | 7.7 |
| 10 | 317 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
Show all 38 elementary schools in Decatur
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,322 students · 6th–8th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 265 students · 4th–8th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 929 students · 6th–8th | 6.9 |
| 4 | 619 students · 6th–8th | 4.8 |
| 5 | 788 students · 6th–8th | 4.2 |
| 6 | 672 students · 6th–8th | 4.2 |
| 7 | 564 students · 6th–8th | 3.9 |
| 8 | 712 students · 6th–8th | 3.5 |
| 9 | 668 students · 6th–8th | 2.5 |
High Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,834 students · 9th–12th | 8.5 | ||
| 2 | 174 students · 6th–12th | 8.1 | ||
| 3 | 1,207 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 4 | 909 students · 9th–12th | 4.0 | ||
| 5 | 769 students · 9th–12th | 3.7 | ||
| 6 | 7 students · 5th–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Academe of the Oaks
Private
85 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 | ||
| 2 | Threshold Community Program
Private
20 students · 7th–12th | — | ||
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 113 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.9 |
| 2 | Basix Knowledge Academy
Private
100 students · UG–UG | 6.7 |
| 3 | Howard Scholars Academy
Private
65 students · Pre-K–12th | 3.9 |
| 4 | Global Village Project
Private
28 students · UG–UG | — |
Schools in Decatur
Decatur, Georgia · 59 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$84,508
Median Home Value
$343,920
Median Rent
$1,550/mo
Population
169,950
College Educated
47%
Homeownership
62%
Avg Commute
31 min
Poverty Rate
13.8%
Community Profile
Decatur has a median household income of $84,508. It is a well-educated community where 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $343,920, with a median rent of $1,550/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.8%. The average commute for residents is 31 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Georgia
- Elementary
- 38
- Middle
- 9
- High
- 8
- Other
- 4
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Georgia
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Decatur, Georgia
How many schools are in Decatur, Georgia?
Decatur has 59 schools, including 41 public and 18 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Decatur, Georgia?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Decatur is 6.3 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Decatur, Georgia?
The top-ranked school in Decatur on MySchoolScout is Oakhurst Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Decatur, Georgia?
The top-ranked elementary school in Decatur on MySchoolScout is Oakhurst Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Decatur, Georgia?
The top-ranked middle school in Decatur on MySchoolScout is Beacon Hill Middle School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best high school in Decatur, Georgia?
The top-ranked high school in Decatur on MySchoolScout is Decatur High School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
How many school districts serve Decatur, Georgia?
Decatur is served by 4 school districts: Department of Juvenile Justice, State Specialty Schools Ii- Georgia Fugees Academy Charter, City Schools of Decatur, Dekalb County.
What is the education level in Decatur, Georgia?
According to Census data, 47% of adults in Decatur have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Decatur, Georgia?
The median household income in Decatur is approximately $84,508 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Decatur, Georgia?
Yes, Decatur has 18 private schools alongside 41 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Peter Claver Regional Catholic School with a score of 9.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Decatur, Georgia?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Decatur is 11.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Decatur, Georgia?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Georgia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.