5.0 avg / 10

Best Schools in Lorain, Ohio

27 schools · 16 Elementary · 5 Middle · 4 High · 2 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 26

Private: 1

Districts: 9

Avg Rating: 5.0/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Lorain?

Use this page to compare every school in Lorain by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Elementary · Lorain City. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

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

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Lorain for 2026 are Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain (7.4/10), Toni Wofford Morrison ES (7.0/10), and St Peter School (6.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 26 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.

Top-Rated Schools in Lorain

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (26 of 27). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain	7.4 / 10	Elementary	—	69th
2	Toni Wofford Morrison ES	7.0 / 10	Elementary	—	61th
3	St Peter School	6.8 / 10	Elementary	—	53th
4	Garfield Elementary School	6.5 / 10	Elementary	—	52th
5	Horizon Science Academy Lorain	6.4 / 10	Other	—	50th
6	Helen Steiner Rice ES	6.2 / 10	Elementary	—	46th
7	Lorain Bilingual Preparatory Academy	5.9 / 10	Elementary	—	41th
8	Hawthorne Elementary School	5.9 / 10	Elementary	—	41th
9	Larkmoor Elementary School	5.9 / 10	Elementary	—	41th
10	Clearview High School	5.7 / 10	High	—	36th

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: 5.0/10
Median household income: $48,078
Median home value: $129,733
Bachelor's degree or higher: 14%
Avg commute: 24 min
Owner-occupied homes: 56%

How Lorain compares

Ohio rank

#420 of 442

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-1.4

below Ohio avg (6.4)

Median household income

$48k

68% of Ohio median

Schools in this city

26

About Schools in Lorain, Ohio

Lorain, Ohio has 25 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school. The city's average school score is 4.1 out of 10, which signals to parents that school selection matters here — performance varies meaningfully across campuses, and where a child is assigned makes a real difference.

At the top of the range, New Beginnings leads the city with a 6.3 out of 10, the highest score among all 25 ranked schools. Lorain High School follows at 6.1, and Clearview High School posts a 5.9, making the high school tier Lorain's strongest performing segment overall. On the elementary side, Frank Jacinto Elementary earns a 5.8, the top elementary score in the city. Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-Lorain rounds out the top five at 5.5, offering a structured alternative program for students who need a different academic environment.

The concentration of top performers at the high school level is worth noting. Three of the five highest-rated schools are high schools, which suggests families approaching secondary school decisions have more competitive options to evaluate. Elementary performance is thinner — Frank Jacinto stands clearly ahead of most peers, but the gap between it and the city average is narrower than what appears at the high school level.

Practically, parents researching Lorain should treat school assignment as an active decision rather than a default. The more than two-point gap between the city's top school (6.3) and the average (4.1) is wide enough that placement has real academic stakes. Families with high school-age students should start their research at New Beginnings and Lorain High School. Elementary families have a clear standout in Frank Jacinto. For students who need non-traditional instruction, Summit Academy's alternative learners program provides a rated option inside city limits without requiring a longer commute.

Filter by Level: All Levels (27) Elementary (16) Middle (5) High (4)

Filter by Type: All Types (27) Public (26) Private (1)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (27) Academics (26) Growth (24) Diversity (25) Resources (26)

Filter by ZIP: 44052 (16) 44055 (8) 44053 (3)

Elementary Schools

16 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain 75 students · Kindergarten–8th	75	Kindergarten–8th	7.4
2	Toni Wofford Morrison ES 300 students · Pre-K–5th	300	Pre-K–5th	7.0
3	Garfield Elementary School 237 students · Pre-K–5th	237	Pre-K–5th	6.5
4	Helen Steiner Rice ES 284 students · Pre-K–5th	284	Pre-K–5th	6.2
5	Lorain Bilingual Preparatory Academy 270 students · Kindergarten–8th	270	Kindergarten–8th	5.9
6	Hawthorne Elementary School 222 students · Pre-K–5th	222	Pre-K–5th	5.9
7	Larkmoor Elementary School 450 students · Pre-K–5th	450	Pre-K–5th	5.9
8	Vincent Elementary School 479 students · Kindergarten–4th	479	Kindergarten–4th	5.0
9	Washington Elementary School 289 students · Pre-K–5th	289	Pre-K–5th	4.7
10	Palm Elementary School 298 students · Pre-K–5th	298	Pre-K–5th	4.3

Show all 16 elementary schools in Lorain

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

Admiral King Elementary School Frank Jacinto Elementary Stevan Dohanos Elementary School Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Elementary Lorain Preparatory Academy St Peter School Private

Middle Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Southview Middle School 418 students · 6th–8th	418	6th–8th	5.3
2	Durling Middle School 447 students · 5th–8th	447	5th–8th	4.8
3	Longfellow Middle School 349 students · 6th–8th	349	6th–8th	4.5
4	General Johnnie Wilson Middle School 446 students · 6th–8th	446	6th–8th	3.7
5	Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Middle 106 students · 5th–8th	106	5th–8th	3.5

High Schools

4 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Clearview High School 340 students · 9th–12th	340	9th–12th	5.7
2	New Beginnings 121 students · 9th–12th	121	9th–12th	5.0
3	Lorain High School 1,784 students · 9th–12th	1,784	9th–12th	4.6
4	Clearview Local Schools 31 students · 6th–12th	31	6th–12th	2.8

Other Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Horizon Science Academy Lorain 815 students · Kindergarten–12th	815	Kindergarten–12th	6.4
2	Lorain Preparatory High School 119 students · 9th–11th	119	9th–11th	—

Schools in Lorain

Lorain, Ohio · 27 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes

Median Income

$48,078

Median Home Value

$129,733

Median Rent

$838/mo

Population

69,194

College Educated

14%

Homeownership

56%

Avg Commute

24 min

Poverty Rate

26.8%

Community Profile

Lorain has a median household income of $48,078. It is a community where 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $129,733, with a median rent of $838/month. The area has a poverty rate of 26.8%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Ohio
Elementary: 16
Middle: 5
High: 4
Other: 2

Resources

🔍 Google "Lorain schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Lorain 📊 Niche Lorain Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (9)

Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Elementary

1 school · 121 students

Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-Lorain

1 school · 75 students

Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Middle

1 school · 106 students

Lorain Preparatory Academy

1 school · 457 students

Horizon Science Academy Lorain

1 school · 815 students

Lorain Bilingual Preparatory Academy

1 school · 270 students

Lorain City

15 schools · 6,058 students

Clearview Local

4 schools · 1,297 students

Lorain Preparatory High School

1 school · 119 students

Nearby Cities

Sheffield Lake (2 schools)

4 mi

Sheffield Village (5 schools)

Avon Lake (7 schools)

9 mi

Oberlin (7 schools)

10 mi

North Ridgeville (8 schools)

9 mi

Grafton (8 schools)

11 mi

Vermilion (5 schools)

Bay Village (5 schools)

12 mi

Westlake (12 schools)

13 mi

Olmsted (1 school)

13 mi

Other Major Cities in Ohio

Top metros statewide by school count.

Columbus 277 schools Cincinnati 261 schools Cleveland 178 schools Toledo 119 schools Dayton 102 schools

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 Lorain, Ohio

How many schools are in Lorain, Ohio?

Lorain has 27 schools, including 26 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Lorain, Ohio?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Lorain is 5.0 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 Lorain, Ohio?

The top-ranked school in Lorain on MySchoolScout is Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain with a composite score of 7.4/10.

What is the best elementary school in Lorain, Ohio?

The top-ranked elementary school in Lorain on MySchoolScout is Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain with a composite score of 7.4/10.

What is the best middle school in Lorain, Ohio?

The top-ranked middle school in Lorain on MySchoolScout is Southview Middle School with a composite score of 5.3/10.

What is the best high school in Lorain, Ohio?

The top-ranked high school in Lorain on MySchoolScout is Clearview High School with a composite score of 5.7/10.

How many school districts serve Lorain, Ohio?

Lorain is served by 9 school districts: Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Elementary, Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-lorain, Constellation Schools: Lorain Community Middle, Lorain Preparatory Academy, Horizon Science Academy Lorain, Lorain Bilingual Preparatory Academy, Lorain City, Clearview Local, Lorain Preparatory High School.

What is the education level in Lorain, Ohio?

According to Census data, 14% of adults in Lorain have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Lorain, Ohio?

The median household income in Lorain is approximately $48,078 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Lorain, Ohio?

Yes, Lorain has 1 private school alongside 26 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Peter School with a score of 6.8/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Lorain, Ohio?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Lorain is 21.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Lorain, Ohio?

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.