Dearborn City School District, MI

Original Research by School Decision on Dearborn City School District

Dearborn City School District is one of the larger public districts in Wayne County, serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade across a network of more than thirty schools. The district spans Dearborn and touches parts of Dearborn Heights and Allen Park, communities with a working-class and middle-class character shaped by the auto industry and decades of immigration. Housing here sits below both the state and national benchmarks for typical home values, with rents that are moderate for the metro. Values have been climbing modestly, and the market moves at a steady pace, neither overheated nor sluggish. For a family weighing where to buy or rent, the cost of entry is lower than many suburbs farther out, and the district is large enough to offer real choice within its boundaries.

The student body is overwhelmingly white, with very small Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial populations. This homogeneity is unusual for a Wayne County district of this size and reflects Dearborn's distinct community history. The district does not report free-or-reduced-price-lunch figures or English-learner and special-education rates in the data we reviewed, so a parent wanting to understand the economic profile of the enrollment would need to ask the district directly.

Academically, Dearborn's state assessment results place it in the top quartile among Wayne County's districts for overall proficiency. That is a genuinely strong standing for a large urban district competing against much smaller and wealthier systems. Reading results are the brighter spot. Eighth-grade ELA proficiency is the district's standout, with a clear majority of tested students reaching proficiency. Elementary and middle-grade reading results hold in a middling range, neither weak nor remarkable. Math tells a more complicated story. Third-grade math starts strong, with a solid share of students proficient, but results taper steadily through the middle grades and drop to their lowest point by eighth grade. A parent may want to look into how the district supports math progression from elementary into middle school, since the downward pattern is consistent across every grade. Science and social studies results are softer still, with fewer than half of tested students reaching proficiency in either subject at either tested grade.

Where Dearborn stands out beyond test scores is in program breadth. The district operates three comprehensive high schools, Dearborn High, Edsel Ford, and Fordson, giving families a choice of buildings rather than a single assignment. It also runs a Magnet High School, a STEM Middle School, and a Henry Ford Early College program that lets students earn college credit. A second early-college program focused on advanced manufacturing reflects the district's ties to the regional economy. The Howe Trainable Center and Montessori adds a specialized option, and the Dearborn Newcomer College Prep Academy serves students who are new to the country. Publicly reported sources note that the district launched a Virtual K-12 program in 2021, staffed by district teachers and open to families across Wayne County, not just Dearborn residents. This range of options is a real asset for families whose children have specific interests or needs.

On student engagement, Dearborn reports a chronic absenteeism rate that ranks in the top quartile among Wayne County districts, meaning fewer students miss school chronically than in most peer systems. That is a meaningful positive signal. Per-pupil spending sits in the upper range for the county, suggesting the district invests above the median in its operations.

What the data does not give us is a graduation rate. That figure was not available in the materials we reviewed, which limits the picture for a family focused on high school outcomes. The district's three comprehensive high schools and early-college pathways point to a structure designed for completion, but without the rate itself, a parent would want to ask the district for current graduation and postsecondary enrollment figures.

Taken together, Dearborn is a large, well-resourced district with genuine program variety and reading results that outpace most of its Wayne County peers. Its math trajectory from third through eighth grade is the clearest area to probe, and the absence of graduation and economic data leaves some questions open. For families drawn to a district with deep community roots, multiple school options, and housing costs below regional norms, Dearborn offers a solid academic platform with a few specific spots worth investigating.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

19,621

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 3%

White 93%

Asian 1%

Two+ 0%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

40%

57%

Gr 4

40%

66%

Gr 5

45%

67%

Gr 6

37%

57%

Gr 7

34%

57%

Gr 8

56%

78%

Math

Gr 3

51%

69%

Gr 4

38%

65%

Gr 5

38%

53%

Gr 6

40%

57%

Gr 7

34%

59%

Gr 8

29%

47%

Science

Gr 5

31%

47%

Gr 8

23%

41%

Social studies

Gr 5

23%

39%

Gr 8

33%

65%

Schools in this District

37 schools are officially reported under this district.

Iris Becker Elementary School

Woodworth Middle School

Lowrey Middle School

Miller Elementary School

Salina Elementary P 3

McCollough Elementary School

Unis Middle School

Geer Park Elementary School

Bryant Middle School

Charles A Lindbergh Elementary School

Dearborn High School

Snow Elementary School

Duvall Elementary School

Edsel Ford High School

Fordson High School

Henry Ford Elementary School

Haigh Elementary School

Howard Elementary School

Maples Elementary School

McDonald Elementary School

Smith Middle School

Oakman Elementary School

River Oaks Elementary School

Salina Intermediate 4 8

Stout Middle School

WhitmoreBolles Elementary School

William Ford Elementary School

Nowlin Elementary School

Lowrey Elementary School

Long Elementary School

Howe Trainable Center and Montessori

Henry Ford Early College

Dearborn Magnet High School

Dearborn STEM Middle School

Henry Ford Early CollegeAdvanced Manufacturing

Dearborn Newcomer College Prep Academy

Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K12

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

54%

Grade 3

43%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 5

43%

Grade 6

39%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

43%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

49%

Grade 5

40%

Grade 6

38%

Grade 7

60%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

34%

Grade 5

27%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

26%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$248,768

Year-over-year change+4.4%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$210K to $309K

vs. state typical0.94x

vs. national typical0.68x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
48124	Dearborn	$239K	+3.6%	33.0%
48126	Dearborn	$236K	+4.7%	31.8%
48120	Dearborn	$254K	+6.0%	17.8%
48128	Dearborn	$309K	+4.2%	8.8%
48127	Dearborn Heights	$264K	+3.8%	8.6%
48101	Allen Park	$210K	+2.6%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,719/mo

Year-over-year change+6.1%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,227 to $1,777/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
48124	Dearborn	$1,756	-0.4%	33.0%
48126	Dearborn	$1,777	+14.5%	31.8%
48127	Dearborn Heights	$1,365	-0.1%	8.6%
48101	Allen Park	$1,227	—	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,255/mo

Home price / national median income3.0x

Annual rent / national median income24.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$463/mo

Market Activity: Wayne County

Median listing price$150,000

Median listing price YoY-3.2%

Median price per sq ft$124

Median price per sq ft YoY-1.6%

Median days on market45.5 days

Median days on market YoY+7.1%

Active listings4,172

Active listings YoY+17.2%

New listings2,316

New listings YoY+7.8%

Pending listings2,544

Pending listings YoY+3.8%

Hotness: median listing price$149,450

Supply score63.2

Supply score YoY-5.7%

Demand score30.5

Demand score YoY-24.6%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$263,590 (+4.2% 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.