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5.7avg / 10

Best Schools in Summerville, South Carolina

33 schools · 19 Elementary · 6 Middle · 4 High · 4 Other

Public: 26
Private: 7
Districts: 3
Avg Rating: 5.7/10
Estimated Scores: 19%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Summerville?

Use this page to compare every school in Summerville 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.

Fort Dorchester Elementary

7.9/10

Elementary · Dorchester 02. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Summerville Elementary

7.1/10

Elementary · Dorchester 02. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Nexton Elementary

6.9/10

Elementary · Berkeley 01. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Summerville for 2026 are Fort Dorchester Elementary (7.9/10), Summerville Elementary (7.1/10), and Nexton Elementary (6.9/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 25 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

33

26 public · 7 private

Avg Score

5.7

out of 10

Median Home

$314,667

home value · ACS

Districts

3

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Fort Dorchester Elementary

Rates 7.9/10 despite 51% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 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 Summerville schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Summerville

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 25 rated schools; 33 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Fort Dorchester Elementary7.9 / 10
2Summerville Elementary7.1 / 10
3Nexton Elementary6.9 / 10
4Berkeley Preparatory Academy6.9 / 10
5William M. Reeves Elementary6.8 / 10
6Ashley Ridge High6.7 / 10
7Beech Hill Elementary6.5 / 10
8Rollings Middle School of the Arts6.4 / 10
9Summerville High6.4 / 10
10Sangaree Intermediate6.2 / 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
5.7/10

13% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$84,289

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$314,667

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
32%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
31 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
76%

Of occupied housing units

How Summerville compares

South Carolina rank

#103 of 133

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.6

below South Carolina avg (6.3)

Median household income

$84k

135% of South Carolina median

Schools in this city

31

Dorchester 02 runs 69% of Summerville's public schools

Summerville touches 3 districts, but Dorchester 02 is the one most addresses actually attend.

Dorchester 02 accounts for 18 of 26 public schools (69%). The other 2 districts hold the remaining 8.

Among 25 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.2 to 7.9 — the spread is inside Summerville, not a citywide average.

About Schools in Summerville, South Carolina

Summerville's public school landscape spans 26 ranked schools, giving families a wide field to evaluate. The city's average rating sits at 4.9 out of 10 — squarely at the midpoint — which means performance varies considerably from one campus to the next. Only 2 of those 26 schools, or 8%, clear the 7.0 threshold, so high-performing options exist but require deliberate searching.

The strongest elementary options lead the city. Summerville Elementary tops all 26 ranked schools with a 7.1, and Beech Hill Elementary and Berkeley Preparatory Academy each score 6.8, making the elementary tier the most competitive segment of the market. Parents with young children have the clearest path to a high-rated school here. At the middle school level, Rollings Middle School of the Arts earns a 6.4 — the standout option for that grade band and worth a close look for families open to an arts-integrated curriculum. On the high school side, Ashley Ridge High scores 7.0, placing it among the city's top two schools overall and giving older students a strong option without leaving Summerville.

The spread between the top and the average tells the practical story for parents. With a city mean of 4.9 and only 8% of schools above 7.0, most campuses land in the 4–6 range. Families who end up zoned to a mid-tier school are not necessarily in poor territory, but the gap between a 7.1 and a 4.0 is meaningful — worth knowing before signing a lease or closing on a house.

For parents doing side-by-side comparisons, the school-level ratings on MySchoolScout give the fastest read on how individual campuses perform relative to state and national peers. In Summerville, zone boundaries matter more than average — proximity to Summerville Elementary or Ashley Ridge High can represent a full rating tier of difference. Confirm your specific address assignment directly with the district before finalizing any housing decision, since attendance boundaries here can shift without much notice.

Elementary Schools

19 schools
#SchoolRating
1860 students · Pre-K–5th7.9
2556 students · Pre-K–5th7.1
3973 students · Pre-K–5th6.9
4786 students · Kindergarten–8th6.9
5941 students · Pre-K–5th6.8
61,209 students · Pre-K–5th6.5
7531 students · 3rd–5th6.2
81,241 students · Pre-K–5th6.2
9596 students · Pre-K–2nd5.7
101,226 students · Pre-K–4th4.9
Show all 19 elementary schools in Summerville

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

Middle Schools

6 schools
#SchoolRating
1805 students · 6th–8th6.4
2942 students · 6th–8th6.1
3864 students · 6th–8th5.5
4927 students · 6th–8th4.7
5804 students · 6th–8th4.3
61,475 students · 5th–8th3.3

High Schools

4 schools
#SchoolRating
12,735 students · 9th–12th6.7
23,293 students · 9th–12th6.4
32,490 students · 9th–12th6.2
Private Schools1 school

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

114 students · 7th–12thNot Rated

Other Schools

4 schools
#SchoolRating
1697 students · Kindergarten–12th4.5
Private Schools3 schools

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

1169 students · Pre-K–12thNot Rated
2354 students · Pre-K–12thNot Rated
3672 students · Pre-K–12thNot Rated

Schools in Summerville

Summerville, South Carolina · 33 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes

Median Income

$84,289

Median Home Value

$314,667

Median Rent

$1,435/mo

Population

164,613

College Educated

32%

Homeownership

76%

Avg Commute

31 min

Poverty Rate

12.1%

Community Profile

Summerville has a median household income of $84,289. It is an area where 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $314,667, with a median rent of $1,435/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.1%. The average commute for residents is 31 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

Elementary
19
Middle
6
High
4
Other
4

Other Major Cities in South 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 Summerville, South Carolina

How many schools are in Summerville, South Carolina?

Summerville has 33 schools, including 26 public and 7 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Summerville, South Carolina?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Summerville is 5.7 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 Summerville, South Carolina?

The top-ranked school in Summerville on MySchoolScout is Fort Dorchester Elementary with a composite score of 7.9/10.

What is the best elementary school in Summerville, South Carolina?

The top-ranked elementary school in Summerville on MySchoolScout is Fort Dorchester Elementary with a composite score of 7.9/10.

What is the best middle school in Summerville, South Carolina?

The top-ranked middle school in Summerville on MySchoolScout is Rollings Middle School of the Arts with a composite score of 6.4/10.

What is the best high school in Summerville, South Carolina?

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

How many school districts serve Summerville, South Carolina?

Summerville is served by 3 school districts: Berkeley 01, Dorchester 02, Charter Institute at Erskine.

What is the education level in Summerville, South Carolina?

According to Census data, 32% of adults in Summerville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Summerville, South Carolina?

The median household income in Summerville is approximately $84,289 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Summerville, South Carolina?

Yes, Summerville has 7 private schools alongside 26 public schools. The top-rated private school is Ridge Christian Academy with a score of 8.5/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Summerville, South Carolina?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Summerville is 15.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Summerville, South 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, South Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.