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6.8avg / 10

Best Schools in Michigan City, Indiana

16 schools · 12 Elementary · 2 Middle · 2 High

Public: 11
Private: 5
Districts: 1
Avg Rating: 6.8/10
Estimated Scores: 31%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Michigan City?

Use this page to compare every school in Michigan City 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.

Joy Elementary School

8.4/10

Elementary · Michigan City Area Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Pine Elementary School

8.3/10

Elementary · Michigan City Area Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Marsh Elementary School

7.3/10

Elementary · Michigan City Area Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Michigan City for 2026 are Joy Elementary School (8.4/10), Pine Elementary School (8.3/10), and Marsh Elementary School (7.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 11 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

16

11 public · 5 private

Avg Score

6.8

out of 10

Median Home

$155,900

home value · ACS

District

1

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Joy Elementary School

Rates 8.4/10 despite 62% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 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 Michigan City schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Pine Elementary School

STAAR proficiency rose +6.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Michigan City schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Michigan City

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 11 rated schools; 16 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Joy Elementary School8.4 / 10
2Pine Elementary School8.3 / 10
3Marsh Elementary School7.3 / 10
4Knapp Elementary School6.9 / 10
5Barker Middle School6.7 / 10
6Lake Hills Elementary School6.7 / 10
7Martin T Krueger Middle School6.2 / 10
8Springfield Elementary School5.9 / 10
9Edgewood Elementary School5.2 / 10
10Michigan City High School4.3 / 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
6.8/10

44% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$59,641

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$155,900

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
23%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
23 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
68%

Of occupied housing units

How Michigan City compares

Indiana rank

#67 of 220

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.4

above Indiana avg (6.4)

Median household income

$60k

83% of Indiana median

Schools in this city

16

Michigan City Area Schools runs Michigan City's public schools

11 public schools. Michigan City Area Schools is the only district on the page.

Every assigned public school in Michigan City is a Michigan City Area Schools school (11 of 11).

Among 11 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.1 to 8.4 — the spread is inside Michigan City, not a citywide average.

About Schools in Michigan City, Indiana

Michigan City, Indiana offers families 11 ranked public schools spanning elementary through middle grades, with performance that clusters in the mid-range but reaches solid ground at the top. The city's schools average 5.7 out of 10 across all ranked buildings — a useful baseline when comparing to neighboring Indiana communities.

Two schools, or 18% of the ranked pool, clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold. Marsh Elementary leads the city at 7.5, making it the strongest performing public school option available. Pine Elementary follows closely at 7.3, giving families of younger children two genuinely competitive choices near the top of the local rankings. Both sit well above the city average and signal that strong elementary options exist for parents who prioritize academics from the start.

The middle tier fills out quickly. Joy Elementary scores 6.0 and Edgewood Elementary 5.6, landing on either side of the city average. Martin T. Krueger Middle School scores 6.1, which is the highest-rated middle school in the ranked set and slightly above the citywide mean — a relevant data point for families thinking ahead to the transition years. The remaining schools pull the overall average down, reflecting real variation in outcomes across the district.

For parents arriving in Michigan City, the practical picture is this: elementary school assignment matters here. The gap between the top-scoring elementaries and the lower end of the ranked set spans nearly two full points, which translates to meaningful differences in test performance and academic environment. Families with flexibility in where they live or enroll should weight elementary placement heavily. The two 7-plus schools — Marsh and Pine — offer the strongest starting point, and Krueger provides a reasonable continuation into middle school. Parents evaluating options should pull individual school score breakdowns on MySchoolScout to compare academic, growth, and equity metrics side by side before committing to a neighborhood.

Filter by ZIP:46360(16)

Elementary Schools

12 schools
#SchoolRating
1426 students · Pre-K–6th8.4
2397 students · Pre-K–6th8.3
3321 students · Kindergarten–6th7.3
4393 students · Pre-K–6th6.9
5361 students · Kindergarten–6th6.7
6310 students · Pre-K–6th5.9
7347 students · Kindergarten–6th5.2
8217 students · Kindergarten–6th4.1
Private Schools4 schools

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.

1170 students · Pre-K–8thNot Rated
298 students · Pre-K–8thNot Rated
Show all 12 elementary schools in Michigan City

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Middle Schools

2 schools
#SchoolRating
1378 students · 7th–8th6.7
2329 students · 7th–8th6.2

High Schools

2 schools
#SchoolRating
11,531 students · 9th–12th4.3
Private Schools1 school

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.

1224 students · 9th–12thNot Rated

Schools in Michigan City

Michigan City, Indiana · 16 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$59,641

Median Home Value

$155,900

Median Rent

$924/mo

Population

43,997

College Educated

23%

Homeownership

68%

Avg Commute

23 min

Poverty Rate

17.3%

Community Profile

Michigan City has a median household income of $59,641. It is a community where 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $155,900, with a median rent of $924/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.3%. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State
Indiana
Elementary
12
Middle
2
High
2

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Michigan City, Indiana

How many schools are in Michigan City, Indiana?

Michigan City has 16 schools, including 11 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Michigan City, Indiana?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Michigan City is 6.8 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 Michigan City, Indiana?

The top-ranked school in Michigan City on MySchoolScout is Joy Elementary School with a composite score of 8.4/10.

What is the best elementary school in Michigan City, Indiana?

The top-ranked elementary school in Michigan City on MySchoolScout is Joy Elementary School with a composite score of 8.4/10.

What is the best middle school in Michigan City, Indiana?

The top-ranked middle school in Michigan City on MySchoolScout is Barker Middle School with a composite score of 6.7/10.

What is the best high school in Michigan City, Indiana?

The top-ranked high school in Michigan City on MySchoolScout is Michigan City High School with a composite score of 4.3/10.

How many school districts serve Michigan City, Indiana?

Michigan City is served by 1 school district: Michigan City Area Schools.

What is the education level in Michigan City, Indiana?

According to Census data, 23% of adults in Michigan City have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Michigan City, Indiana?

The median household income in Michigan City is approximately $59,641 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Michigan City, Indiana?

Yes, Michigan City has 5 private schools alongside 11 public schools. The top-rated private school is Queen of All Saints School/diocese with a score of 8.2/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Michigan City, Indiana?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Michigan City is 13.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Michigan City, Indiana?

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, Indiana Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.