Paulding County, GA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Paulding County

Paulding County Schools is a mid-sized suburban district serving north-central Georgia, spanning communities from Acworth and Powder Springs in the north to Hiram and Rockmart to the south and west. With enrollment across pre-K through twelfth grade, the district maintains a diverse student body: just under half white, roughly a third Black, a smaller share Hispanic, and the remainder Asian, multiracial, or Native American. The district operates a full portfolio of schools, from elementary through high school, and has been on an expansion cycle with a new elementary school opening in 2026 and significant recent additions to high school capacity.

The state testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency rates that fall below the midline in most measured areas. In English language arts, district proficiency hovers around or below the low-to-mid range across tested grades, with third-grade performance notably weaker than upper elementary grades. Mathematics shows a similar pattern, with proficiency in the mid-range for early grades but declining notably at the sixth-grade level before rebounding in middle school. Science proficiency was considerably lower at eighth grade than at fifth, a pattern a parent may want to look into further with the school. Social studies performance at eighth grade sits modestly below the middle range. The snapshot covers only one school year, so trend data was not available to show whether these results represent growth, decline, or stability.

On the positive side, the district's four-year graduation rate recently reached a level well above Georgia's state average, reflecting strong throughput to diploma. All five district high schools earned recognition as AP Honor Schools by the state superintendent in both STEM categories, which indicates meaningful breadth in advanced coursework and student opportunity for college-level work while still in high school.

The housing market in Paulding County is more affordable than both the Georgia state median and the national median. Median home values are moderate for metro Atlanta, and rental costs sit proportionally lower relative to median household income than typical national benchmarks. Mortgage affordability remains a consideration given recent interest rates, but the price-to-income ratio is reasonable, and the lack of property-tax school bond millage, due to the district's sustained use of the county's one-cent sales tax for schools, holds down property-owner costs. Voters have renewed this tax six consecutive times, most recently in late 2023, underscoring local investment in schools and providing budget stability.

The district's infrastructure trajectory is upward. North Paulding High School recently completed a substantial classroom addition with science and career-technical labs. South Paulding High School is slated for major renovations. The opening of Crossroads Elementary in 2026 will reshape school boundaries for several elementary schools, a change that directly affects which school families are assigned to and a primary factor in real-estate decisions in fast-growing exurban Atlanta.

State assessment data on free-or-reduced-price lunch, English learner enrollment, and special-education identification rates were not available, so a parent seeking that demographic context would need to inquire directly with the district or individual schools.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

31,831

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 13%

Black 31%

White 48%

Asian 1%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

Schools in this District

33 schools are officially reported under this district.

Floyd L. Shelton Elementary School at Crossroad

Northside Elementary School

East Paulding Middle School

Dallas Elementary School

Paulding County High School

Herschel Jones Middle School

New Georgia Elementary School

Hiram Elementary School

Union Elementary School

Sam D. Panter Elementary School

J. A. Dobbins Middle School

McGarity Elementary School

South Paulding Middle School

East Paulding High School

Nebo Elementary School

C. A. Roberts Elementary School

Allgood Elementary School

Hiram High School

Lena Mae Moses Middle School

Bessie L. Baggett Elementary

Lillian C. Poole Elementary School

Roland W. Russom Elementary

South Paulding High School

Connie Dugan Elementary School

Irma C. Austin Middle School

North Paulding High School

Burnt Hickory Elementary School

Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School

Carl Scoggins Sr. Middle School

Hal Hutchens Elementary

Sara M. Ragsdale Elementary

WC Abney Elementary

P. B. Ritch Middle School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

37%

Grade 6

40%

Grade 7

47%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

38%

Grade 4

40%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

39%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

36%

Grade 5

17%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

45%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$338,838

Year-over-year change-1.2%

Range across 11 ZIP codes$255K to $437K

vs. state typical1.02x

vs. national typical0.92x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (11 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
30132	Dallas	$378K	-1.8%	32.8%
30157	Dallas	$328K	-1.2%	27.0%
30141	Hiram	$318K	-0.6%	8.8%
30153	Rockmart	$255K	-0.3%	7.9%
30179	Temple	$284K	-0.2%	6.4%
30134	Douglasville	$289K	-2.3%	5.4%
30101	Acworth	$437K	-2.0%	3.5%
30178	Taylorsville	$376K	+3.7%	3.2%
30127	Powder Springs	$368K	-2.6%	2.5%
30180	Villa Rica	$314K	-1.5%	2.4%
30120	Cartersville	$331K	+0.2%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,022/mo

Year-over-year change-0.1%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$1,700 to $2,153/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
30132	Dallas	$2,153	+0.9%	32.8%
30157	Dallas	$2,037	-2.0%	27.0%
30141	Hiram	$1,959	+1.0%	8.8%
30153	Rockmart	$1,700	—	7.9%
30179	Temple	$1,945	—	6.4%
30134	Douglasville	$1,787	-0.3%	5.4%
30101	Acworth	$2,083	+1.3%	3.5%
30127	Powder Springs	$2,093	+2.2%	2.5%
30180	Villa Rica	$1,936	+0.5%	2.4%
30120	Cartersville	$1,701	-0.0%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,710/mo

Home price / national median income4.0x

Annual rent / national median income29.0%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$312/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$333,559 (-1.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.