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

No. Use the Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County?

Start with the 11 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Jackson County Schools & Education

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

Jackson County, North Carolina

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

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,931

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#16

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Jackson County

Measured School Summary

Jackson County performs at an average level with a school score of 56/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.0%.

Funding Context

At $6,931 per pupil, Jackson County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 41% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Jackson 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 3 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

56/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #16 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

93.0%

5.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,931

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

3 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

Jackson County has 11 public schools across 3 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 Jackson 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

Jackson County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 9 of 11 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#16

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 16 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.

Jackson County Public Schools

Elementary and high visible

3,557 students

Elementary 5Middle 0High 4Other 0

9 listed schools in this county slice.

Summit Charter

Other grade structure

292 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Catamount School

Middle school only in this slice

59 students

Elementary 0Middle 1High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Jackson County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 9 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 Jackson County?

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

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

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

Jackson County School Score Outpaces North Carolina State Median

Education data brief for Jackson County, North Carolina.

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

Lead metric:School score

Jackson County reports a composite school score of 56.2, significantly higher than the North Carolina state average of 40.3 and the national median of 50.0. The 3,908 students in the county mostly attend Jackson County Public Schools, the largest district with 3,557 students across nine schools. The county maintains a 93.0% graduation rate, which is higher than the state average of 88.0% and the national mark of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure stands at $6,931, closely aligning with the state average of $6,969 but remaining well below the national average of $13,000. Most schools are located in rural areas, including the largest campus, Smoky Mountain High School, which enrolls 899 students. The county has one charter school, Summit Charter, serving 292 students. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Jackson County

Reported Enrollment

3,908

11 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

9% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5

Middle1

High4

Other1

3 School Districts in Jackson County

Jackson County Public Schools

Summit Charter

1 school

292 students

Catamount School

1 school

59 students

11 Public Schools in Jackson 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

Sort

Showing 11 of 11 matching schools

Public schools in Jackson County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Smoky Mountain High School	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Sylva, 28779Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	899
Fairview Elementary	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Sylva, 28779Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Primary	762
Cullowhee Valley School	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Cullowhee, 28723Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Primary	619
Scotts Creek Elementary	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Sylva, 28779Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Primary	451
Smokey Mountain Elementary	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Whittier, 28789Rural: Distant	PK–8	Primary	353
Summit Charter	Record	Summit Charter	Cashiers, 28717Rural: Distant	KG–12	Charter	292
Blue Ridge School	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Cashiers, 28717Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	165
Blue Ridge Early College	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Cashiers, 28717Rural: Distant	7–UG	High	132
Jackson Co Early College	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Sylva, 28779Town: Distant	9–UG	High	101
Jackson Community School	Record	Jackson County Public Schools	Sylva, 28779Rural: Fringe	6–12	Alternative	75
Catamount School	Record	Catamount School	Sylva, 28779Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	59

Smoky Mountain High School

Jackson County Public Schools

Sylva, 28779 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High899 students

Fairview Elementary

Jackson County Public Schools

Sylva, 28779 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary762 students

Cullowhee Valley School

Jackson County Public Schools

Cullowhee, 28723 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary619 students

Scotts Creek Elementary

Jackson County Public Schools

Sylva, 28779 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary451 students

Smokey Mountain Elementary

Jackson County Public Schools

Whittier, 28789 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary353 students

Summit Charter

Cashiers, 28717 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Charter292 students

Blue Ridge School

Jackson County Public Schools

Cashiers, 28717 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary165 students

Blue Ridge Early College

Jackson County Public Schools

Cashiers, 28717 / Rural: Distant

Record7–UGHigh132 students

Jackson Co Early College

Jackson County Public Schools

Sylva, 28779 / Town: Distant

Record9–UGHigh101 students

Jackson Community School

Jackson County Public Schools

Sylva, 28779 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12Alternative75 students

Catamount School

Sylva, 28779 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle59 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,931

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Jackson 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 Jackson County?

Jackson County has a school score of 56/100, 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 Jackson County?

The high school graduation rate in Jackson County is 93.0%, 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 Jackson County spend per student?

Jackson County spends $6,931 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

Clay County

North Carolina

+1 pts

57/100

School score

Currituck County

North Carolina

-1 pts

56/100

School score

Surry County

North Carolina

-1 pts

55/100

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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