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5.8 avg / 10

Best Schools in Howell, Michigan

16 schools · 8 Elementary · 2 Middle · 4 High · 2 Other

Public: 15
Private: 1
Districts: 4
Avg Rating: 5.8/10
Estimated Scores: 7%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Howell?

Use this page to compare every school in Howell 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.

Pathway School

7.5/10

Other · Livingston Esa. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Northwest Elementary School

6.8/10

Elementary · Howell Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Howell High School

6.7/10

High · Howell Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Howell for 2026 are Pathway School (7.5/10), Northwest Elementary School (6.8/10), and Howell High School (6.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 14 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

15 public · 1 private

Avg Score

5.8

out of 10

Median Home

$320,150

home value · ACS

Districts

4

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Pathway School

Rates 7.5/10 despite 40% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.5 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 Howell schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Howell

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (14 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Pathway School 7.5 / 10
2 Northwest Elementary School 6.8 / 10
3 Howell High School 6.7 / 10
4 Legacy High School 6.5 / 10
5 Southwest Elementary School 6.5 / 10
6 Voyager Elementary School 5.9 / 10
7 Ruahmah J Hutchings Elementary 5.8 / 10
8 Challenger Elementary School 5.7 / 10
9 Parker Middle School 5.7 / 10
10 Three Fires Elementary 5.7 / 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
5.8/10

7% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$98,086

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$320,150

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
36%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
32 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
83%

Of occupied housing units

How Howell compares

Michigan rank

#260 of 372

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below Michigan avg (6.2)

Median household income

$98k

134% of Michigan median

Schools in this city

15

About Schools in Howell, Michigan

Howell, Michigan's public school landscape spans 14 ranked schools with an average score of 6.3 out of 10 — a solid mid-range performance for a city of its size. Three schools, or 21% of the ranked total, clear the 7-point threshold, signaling a meaningful upper tier while leaving real spread across the city's options.

The clear standout is Pathway School, which earns an 8.9 out of 10 and ranks as Howell's top public school by a wide margin. That score sits well above the city average and makes it the strongest option for families who can access it. The elementary tier also performs well overall: Southwest Elementary School scores 7.8, Charyl Stockwell Academy follows at 7.1, and Voyager Elementary lands at 6.7. All three give families credible choices before middle school, and two of them clear the 7-point mark that only 21% of Howell schools reach.

At the middle school level, Parker Middle School scores 6.5 — just above the city average of 6.3. That narrow gap suggests performance holds relatively steady in the middle grades without a sharp drop-off, which is reassuring for families tracking academic continuity from elementary through eighth grade.

For parents making decisions, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Pathway School is the city's strongest option by a meaningful margin, so families who can access it should prioritize it. If access is limited, the elementary tier is where Howell concentrates its highest-performing schools — three options above 7.0 give parents real alternatives at those early grades. The 6.3 city average reflects a school system that performs competently across the board, but with only 1 in 5 schools breaking above 7.0, the difference between the top and the middle of the pack is large enough to drive enrollment decisions. Check boundary maps and program eligibility early in the process.

Filter by ZIP: 48843 (15)

Elementary Schools

8 schools
# School Rating
1 424 students · Pre-K–5th 6.8
2 545 students · Kindergarten–5th 6.5
3 521 students · Pre-K–5th 5.9
4 439 students · Pre-K–5th 5.8
5 459 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.7
6 704 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.7
7 655 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.6
Private Schools 1 school

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

1 46 students · Pre-K–8th 5.4

Middle Schools

2 schools
# School Rating
1 751 students · 6th–8th 5.7
2 776 students · 6th–8th 5.6

High Schools

4 schools
# School Rating
1 1,919 students · 9th–12th 6.7
2 55 students · 9th–12th 6.5
3 184 students · 9th–12th 4.5
4 21 students · 6th–12th

Other Schools

2 schools
# School Rating
1 55 students · Pre-K–12th 7.5
2 74 students · 15–15 3.6

Schools in Howell

Howell, Michigan · 16 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes

Median Income

$98,086

Median Home Value

$320,150

Median Rent

$1,353/mo

Population

63,527

College Educated

36%

Homeownership

83%

Avg Commute

32 min

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Community Profile

Howell has a median household income of $98,086. It is an area where 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $320,150, with a median rent of $1,353/month. The local poverty rate of 4.4% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 32 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Howell, Michigan

How many schools are in Howell, Michigan?

Howell has 16 schools, including 15 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Howell, Michigan?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Howell is 5.8 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 Howell, Michigan?

The top-ranked school in Howell on MySchoolScout is Pathway School with a composite score of 7.5/10.

What is the best elementary school in Howell, Michigan?

The top-ranked elementary school in Howell on MySchoolScout is Northwest Elementary School with a composite score of 6.8/10.

What is the best middle school in Howell, Michigan?

The top-ranked middle school in Howell on MySchoolScout is Parker Middle School with a composite score of 5.7/10.

What is the best high school in Howell, Michigan?

The top-ranked high school in Howell on MySchoolScout is Howell High School with a composite score of 6.7/10.

How many school districts serve Howell, Michigan?

Howell is served by 4 school districts: Charyl Stockwell Academy, Hartland Consolidated Schools, Howell Public Schools, Livingston Esa.

What is the education level in Howell, Michigan?

According to Census data, 36% of adults in Howell have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Howell, Michigan?

The median household income in Howell is approximately $98,086 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Howell, Michigan?

Yes, Howell has 1 private school alongside 15 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Joseph Catholic School with a score of 5.4/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Howell, Michigan?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Howell is 16.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Howell, Michigan?

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