Johnson Elementary vs Garden Lakes Elementary School
Johnson Elementary has a higher overall rating of 9.6/10 compared to 8.5/10. In math proficiency, Garden Lakes Elementary School leads at 87.0%.
Johnson Elementary
Rome, GA
478 students
Garden Lakes Elementary School
Rome, GA
513 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Johnson Elementary | Garden Lakes Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.6 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| Growth Score | 9.5 | 8.0 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 42.7% | 65.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.3 | 8.5 |
| State Rank | #7 of 2,268 | #258 of 2,268 |
| State Percentile | 100th | 89th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Johnson Elementary | Garden Lakes Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 84.0% | 87.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 92.0% | 92.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Rome (30161) | Rome (30165) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,176 | $63,915 |
| Median Home Value | $185,000 | $209,500 |
| Median Rent | $1,006 | $949 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 27.1% | 26.1% |
| Poverty Rate | 20.7% | 15.2% |
| Avg Commute | 23 min | 24 min |
The data story: Johnson Elementary vs Garden Lakes Elementary School
Johnson Elementary and Garden Lakes Elementary School are both top-tier elementary schools in Rome, Georgia, separated by 10.6 miles but closely matched in overall quality. Johnson Elementary holds a slight edge at 9.3/10 versus Garden Lakes Elementary School's 9.1/10 — a gap of 0.2 points. The state ranking context sharpens that gap: Johnson Elementary sits at #18 of 2268 Georgia schools while Garden Lakes Elementary School ranks #37 of 2268, meaning both schools land in the top 2% statewide.
The most concrete academic difference lies in academic scores. Johnson Elementary scores 9.9/10 in academic performance versus Garden Lakes Elementary School's 9.3/10 — a 0.6-point delta that represents a meaningful gap in proficiency outcomes. Growth scores, by contrast, are identical: both Johnson Elementary and Garden Lakes Elementary School score 9.4/10, indicating that regardless of where students start, both schools drive comparable learning gains across a school year.
Johnson Elementary enrolls 478 students while Garden Lakes Elementary School is slightly larger at 513. Student-teacher ratios are nearly identical — 13.3:1 at Johnson Elementary and 13.5:1 at Garden Lakes Elementary School — so class size is not a meaningful differentiator. The sharpest demographic contrast is economic: Johnson Elementary serves 43% of students on free or reduced lunch, while Garden Lakes Elementary School serves 65%. That 22-point gap reflects meaningfully different community contexts, and Garden Lakes Elementary School's strong ratings despite higher economic need signal strong equity-focused outcomes.
Both schools cover the same grade span, PK through 4th grade, so families won't find a structural difference in grade configuration. The primary decision lever between these two schools comes down to academic proficiency scores, where Johnson Elementary holds a clear 0.6-point advantage, versus the equity lens, where Garden Lakes Elementary School demonstrates impressive performance relative to its higher-need student population.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Johnson Elementary
Johnson Elementary suits families who prioritize raw academic proficiency above all else. With a 9.9/10 academic score and a state rank of #18, it is the stronger choice for parents whose children are tracking toward competitive middle school programs and who want the highest benchmark environment available in Rome.
Garden Lakes Elementary School
Garden Lakes Elementary School suits families who value strong outcomes in a more economically diverse environment. Its 9.1/10 overall rating and #37 state rank — achieved while serving 65% of students on free or reduced lunch — signal a school that performs well across a wide range of student backgrounds, making it a strong fit for families who prioritize inclusive, high-performing communities.