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6.8avg / 10

Best Schools in Garner, North Carolina

15 schools · 10 Elementary · 3 Middle · 2 High

Public: 14
Private: 1
Districts: 2
Avg Rating: 6.8/10
Estimated Scores: 7%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Garner?

Use this page to compare every school in Garner 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.

West View Elementary

8.5/10

Elementary · Johnston County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Vandora Springs Elementary

8.4/10

Elementary · Wake County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Bryan Road Elementary

8.3/10

Elementary · Wake County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Garner for 2026 are West View Elementary (8.5/10), Vandora Springs Elementary (8.4/10), and Bryan Road Elementary (8.3/10), 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

15

14 public · 1 private

Avg Score

6.8

out of 10

Median Home

$325,600

home value · ACS

Districts

2

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Bryan Road Elementary

Rates 8.3/10 despite 38% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 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 Garner schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Rand Road Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +21.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Garner schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Garner

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 14 rated schools; 15 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1West View Elementary8.5 / 10
2Vandora Springs Elementary8.4 / 10
3Bryan Road Elementary8.3 / 10
4Polenta Elementary7.5 / 10
5East Garner Elementary7.2 / 10
6Creech Road Elementary7.0 / 10
7East Garner Middle6.8 / 10
8South Garner High6.8 / 10
9Rand Road Elementary6.4 / 10
10Garner High6.2 / 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

47% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$86,426

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$325,600

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
41%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
29 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
73%

Of occupied housing units

How Garner compares

North Carolina rank

#51 of 255

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.5

above North Carolina avg (6.3)

Median household income

$86k

127% of North Carolina median

Schools in this city

15

Wake County Schools runs 79% of Garner's public schools

Garner touches 2 districts, but Wake County Schools is the one most addresses actually attend.

Wake County Schools accounts for 11 of 14 public schools (79%). The other 1 district holds the remaining 3.

Among 14 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.0 to 8.5 — the spread is inside Garner, not a citywide average.

About Schools in Garner, North Carolina

Garner's public school system gives parents a strong foundation to work with. The town has 14 ranked public schools, and they perform well above average as a group — the system's mean score sits at 7.1 out of 10, and exactly half the schools (7 of 14) clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold. That kind of consistency is meaningful: it tells parents that strong options aren't confined to a single standout campus.

Elementary education is where Garner's schools shine brightest. Rand Road Elementary and Bryan Road Elementary both score 9.0 out of 10, tying for the top spot in the system. Vandora Springs Elementary follows at 8.8, and Polenta Elementary and West View Elementary round out the top five at 8.5 and 8.4, respectively. All five of these campuses score above the citywide average by a significant margin. Parents with children in elementary grades have multiple high-performing options to consider depending on where in Garner they live.

The 7.1 system average is the most useful number for families still deciding on a neighborhood. A 7.1 average means typical performance across these 14 schools is meaningfully above middling — parents aren't navigating a landscape where strong schools are rare outliers. At the same time, the gap between the top performers at 9.0 and the system floor indicates real variation exists. Families prioritizing maximum academic performance will want to check school-assignment boundaries carefully before committing to a street address.

For parents moving to Garner, the practical takeaway is this: the elementary tier is the clearest strength in the system. Five schools scoring 8.4 or higher is a standout concentration of quality. With half the district's schools at 7 or above, Garner competes well for families weighing suburban Wake County options. Research your assigned school directly, confirm current boundaries with the district, and use the ratings as a starting filter — not a final verdict — when weighing neighborhoods.

Filter by ZIP:27529(15)

Elementary Schools

10 schools
#SchoolRating
1969 students · Pre-K–5th8.5
2553 students · Pre-K–5th8.4
3756 students · Pre-K–5th8.3
4993 students · Pre-K–5th7.5
5496 students · Pre-K–5th7.2
6579 students · Pre-K–5th7.0
7359 students · Pre-K–5th6.4
8383 students · Pre-K–5th5.9
9350 students · Pre-K–5th5.5
Private Schools1 school

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

1175 students · Pre-K–8thNot Rated

Middle Schools

3 schools
#SchoolRating
11,101 students · 6th–8th6.8
2923 students · 6th–8th5.4
3896 students · 6th–8th4.0

High Schools

2 schools
#SchoolRating
11,888 students · 9th–12th6.8
21,670 students · 9th–12th6.2

Schools in Garner

Garner, North Carolina · 15 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$86,426

Median Home Value

$325,600

Median Rent

$1,379/mo

Population

55,201

College Educated

41%

Homeownership

73%

Avg Commute

29 min

Poverty Rate

8.2%

Community Profile

Garner has a median household income of $86,426. It is a well-educated community where 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $325,600, with a median rent of $1,379/month. The local poverty rate of 8.2% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 29 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

Elementary
10
Middle
3
High
2

Other Major Cities in North Carolina

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Garner, North Carolina

How many schools are in Garner, North Carolina?

Garner has 15 schools, including 14 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Garner, North Carolina?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Garner 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 Garner, North Carolina?

The top-ranked school in Garner on MySchoolScout is West View Elementary with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What is the best elementary school in Garner, North Carolina?

The top-ranked elementary school in Garner on MySchoolScout is West View Elementary with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What is the best middle school in Garner, North Carolina?

The top-ranked middle school in Garner on MySchoolScout is East Garner Middle with a composite score of 6.8/10.

What is the best high school in Garner, North Carolina?

The top-ranked high school in Garner on MySchoolScout is South Garner High with a composite score of 6.8/10.

How many school districts serve Garner, North Carolina?

Garner is served by 2 school districts: Johnston County Public Schools, Wake County Schools.

What is the education level in Garner, North Carolina?

According to Census data, 41% of adults in Garner have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Garner, North Carolina?

The median household income in Garner is approximately $86,426 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Garner, North Carolina?

Yes, Garner has 1 private school alongside 14 public schools. The top-rated private school is Oak City Academy with a score of 7.5/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Garner, North Carolina?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Garner is 14.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Garner, North Carolina?

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