Can I use Haywood County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Haywood County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Haywood County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Haywood County?

Start with the 16 listed public schools and 2 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Haywood County Schools & Education

Name: Haywood County, North Carolina Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Haywood County, North Carolina

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

89.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,938

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#37

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Haywood County

Measured School Summary

Haywood County performs at an average level with a school score of 41/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.0%.

Funding Context

At $6,938 per pupil, Haywood County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 2% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Haywood 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

16 public schools and 2 districts 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

41/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #37 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

89.0%

1.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,938

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

2 districts 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

Haywood County has 16 public schools across 2 districts, 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Haywood 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

Haywood County Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 15 of 16 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#37

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with 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.

Haywood County Schools

Elementary to high school visible

6,605 students

Elementary 8Middle 3High 4Other 0

15 listed schools in this county slice.

Shining Rock Classical Academy

Other grade structure

604 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Haywood County Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 15 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 Haywood County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Haywood County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Data Story

Haywood County Graduation Rate Exceeds State and National Benchmarks

Education data brief for Haywood County, North Carolina.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:Graduation rate

Haywood County reports a high school graduation rate of 89.0%, outperforming the North Carolina state average of 88.0% and the national average of 87.0%. The county's 16 public schools serve a total of 7,209 students, with an average school size of 451. Haywood County Schools is the largest district, managing 15 schools and 6,605 students, with Pisgah High being the largest single institution at 927 students. One charter school, Shining Rock Classical Academy, also serves the area. The county's composite school score of 40.6 is nearly aligned with the state average of 40.3, though it remains below the national median of 50.0. Per-pupil expenditure is recorded at $6,938, which is slightly below the state average of $6,969 and significantly lower than the national average of $13,000. The schools are split between suburban and rural locales, with nine categorized as suburban. To investigate specific school performance, refer to the NCES Common Core of Data.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Haywood County

Reported Enrollment

7,209

16 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle3

High4

Other1

2 School Districts in Haywood County

Haywood County Schools

Shining Rock Classical Academy

1 school

604 students

16 Public Schools in Haywood County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 16 of 16 matching schools

Public schools in Haywood County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Pisgah High	Record	Haywood County Schools	Canton, 28716Suburb: Large	9–12	High	927
Tuscola High	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	917
Waynesville Middle	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	720
Shining Rock Classical Academy	Record	Shining Rock Classical Academy	Waynesville, 28786Suburb: Large	KG–10	Charter	604
Bethel Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Canton, 28716Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	526
Clyde Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Clyde, 28721Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	526
Hazelwood Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	492
Canton Middle	Record	Haywood County Schools	Canton, 28716Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	449
Junaluska Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	447
Jonathan Valley Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28785Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	378
North Canton Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Canton, 28716Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	324
Bethel Middle	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	245
Meadowbrook Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Canton, 28716Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	218
Riverbend Elementary	Record	Haywood County Schools	Clyde, 28721Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	183
Haywood Early College	Record	Haywood County Schools	Clyde, 28721Suburb: Large	9–UG	High	176
Central Haywood High	Record	Haywood County Schools	Waynesville, 28786Suburb: Large	9–12	Alternative	77

Pisgah High

Haywood County Schools

Canton, 28716 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High927 students

Tuscola High

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High917 students

Waynesville Middle

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle720 students

Shining Rock Classical Academy

Waynesville, 28786 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–10Charter604 students

Bethel Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Canton, 28716 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary526 students

Clyde Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Clyde, 28721 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary526 students

Hazelwood Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary492 students

Canton Middle

Haywood County Schools

Canton, 28716 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle449 students

Junaluska Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary447 students

Jonathan Valley Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28785 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary378 students

North Canton Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Canton, 28716 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary324 students

Bethel Middle

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle245 students

Meadowbrook Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Canton, 28716 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary218 students

Riverbend Elementary

Haywood County Schools

Clyde, 28721 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary183 students

Haywood Early College

Haywood County Schools

Clyde, 28721 / Suburb: Large

Record9–UGHigh176 students

Central Haywood High

Haywood County Schools

Waynesville, 28786 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12Alternative77 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,938

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Haywood County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which North Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?

Jones County (97.0%), Pamlico County (95.7%), and Currituck County (95.0%) currently lead North Carolina among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in North Carolina?

Across North Carolina counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,969. The highest current county values are Hyde County ($10,356), Tyrrell County ($9,655), and Orange County ($8,629). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Haywood County?

Haywood County has a school score of 41/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Haywood County?

The high school graduation rate in Haywood County is 89.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Haywood County spend per student?

Haywood County spends $6,938 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Wake County

North Carolina

-0 pts

41/100

School score

Beaufort County

North Carolina

+1 pts

42/100

School score

Guilford County

North Carolina

-1 pts

40/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.

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