Dare County Schools & Education
Dare County, North Carolina
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
68/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.0%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,349
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,969
School Score
68/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 40/100
State Score Position
#6
of 100 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Dare County
Measured School Summary
Dare County performs at an average level with a school score of 68/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.0%.
Funding Context
At $7,349 per pupil, Dare County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 69% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 7.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Dare County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
11 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
68/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #6 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.
Completion
95.0%
7.0 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,349
$380 above the state average
School coverage
11
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Dare County has 11 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Dare County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
Dare County Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 11 of 11 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#6
of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 28 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Dare County Schools
Elementary to high school visible
5,181 students
11 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Dare County Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 11 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dare County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Dare County, North Carolina
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Specialized Coastal School System
Dare County operates 11 public schools, providing education for 5,181 students through a single district. The system is distributed across five elementary, two middle, and four high schools. This infrastructure is specifically designed to serve the unique geography of the Outer Banks.
Unified Under Dare County Schools
Dare County Schools is the sole provider of public education here, with no charter schools operating in the area. This unified approach manages all 5,181 students across 11 diverse campuses. The district's focus on consistency helps maintain its high-ranking status among North Carolina counties.
Community Schools with a Town Focus
Eight of the county's 11 schools are located in town settings, reflecting the clustered population centers along the coast. First Flight High School is the largest campus with 956 students, while the average school size across the county is 471 students. Most schools offer a mid-sized, accessible feel where teachers and students know each other well.
School Overview
Total Schools
11
in Dare County
Reported Enrollment
5,181
11 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Dare County
11 Public Schools in Dare County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 11 of 11 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Flight High School | Profile | Dare County Schools | Kill Devil Hills, 27948Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 956 |
| Manteo Elementary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Manteo, 27954Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 660 |
| First Flight Middle School | Record | Dare County Schools | Kill Devil Hills, 27948Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 612 |
| Manteo High School | Record | Dare County Schools | Manteo, 27954Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 578 |
| Nags Head Elementary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Nags Head, 27959Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 538 |
| Kitty Hawk Elementary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Kitty Hawk, 27949Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 453 |
| Manteo Middle School | Record | Dare County Schools | Manteo, 27954Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 369 |
| Cape Hatteras Secondary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Buxton, 27920Rural: Remote | 6–12 | High | 365 |
| First Flight Elementary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Kill Devil Hills, 27948Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 320 |
| Cape Hatteras Elementary School | Record | Dare County Schools | Buxton, 27920Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 310 |
| Dare Learning Academy | Record | Dare County Schools | Nags Head, 27959Town: Remote | 9–12 | Alternative | 20 |
First Flight High School
Dare County Schools
Kill Devil Hills, 27948 / Town: Remote
Manteo Elementary School
Dare County Schools
Manteo, 27954 / Town: Remote
First Flight Middle School
Dare County Schools
Kill Devil Hills, 27948 / Town: Remote
Nags Head Elementary School
Dare County Schools
Nags Head, 27959 / Town: Remote
Kitty Hawk Elementary School
Dare County Schools
Kitty Hawk, 27949 / Town: Remote
Cape Hatteras Secondary School
Dare County Schools
Buxton, 27920 / Rural: Remote
First Flight Elementary School
Dare County Schools
Kill Devil Hills, 27948 / Town: Remote
Cape Hatteras Elementary School
Dare County Schools
Buxton, 27920 / Rural: Remote
Dare Learning Academy
Dare County Schools
Nags Head, 27959 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,349
State avg $6,969
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Dare County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which North Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in North Carolina?
How should I read the school score in Dare County?
What is the graduation rate in Dare County?
How much does Dare County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Dare County, North Carolina — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Dare County, North Carolina?
Dare County operates 11 public schools, providing education for 5,181 students through a single district. The system is distributed across five elementary, two middle, and four high schools. This infrastructure is specifically designed to serve the unique geography of the Outer Banks.
What are the major school districts in Dare County, North Carolina?
Dare County Schools is the sole provider of public education here, with no charter schools operating in the area. This unified approach manages all 5,181 students across 11 diverse campuses. The district's focus on consistency helps maintain its high-ranking status among North Carolina counties.
What is the school experience like in Dare County?
Eight of the county's 11 schools are located in town settings, reflecting the clustered population centers along the coast. First Flight High School is the largest campus with 956 students, while the average school size across the county is 471 students. Most schools offer a mid-sized, accessible feel where teachers and students know each other well.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.