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

No. Use the Johnston 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 Johnston 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 Johnston County?

Start with the 51 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Johnston County Schools & Education

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

Johnston County, North Carolina

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

School Score

48/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,643

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

48/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#26

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Johnston County

Measured School Summary

Johnston County performs at an average level with a school score of 48/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.0%.

Funding Context

At $6,643 per pupil, Johnston County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 20% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Johnston 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

51 public schools and 4 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

48/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #26 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

92.0%

4.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,643

$326 below the state average

School coverage

4 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

Johnston County has 51 public schools across 4 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 Johnston 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

Johnston County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 48 of 51 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#26

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 8 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.

Johnston County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

37,286 students

Elementary 24Middle 12High 11Other 1

48 listed schools in this county slice.

American Leadership Academy - Johnston

Other grade structure

1,740 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Neuse Charter School

Other grade structure

904 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Johnston Charter Academy

Elementary school only in this slice

679 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Johnston County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 48 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 Johnston County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Johnston 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?

Education Overview

About Schools in Johnston 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.

Expansive school network for a growing population

Johnston County maintains a massive educational footprint with 51 public schools serving over 40,609 students. The landscape is built around 25 elementary, 12 middle, and 11 high schools. This infrastructure supports one of the fastest-growing student populations in North Carolina.

A powerhouse public school district

Johnston County Public Schools dominates the landscape, educating 37,286 students across 48 different schools. The county also offers three charter schools, including Neuse Charter and the American Leadership Academy, which serve roughly 6% of the student population. This district-heavy model ensures consistent standards across most of the county.

A blend of rural and suburban schools

The county features 31 rural schools alongside a growing number of suburban and town-based campuses. Corinth Holders High is the largest school with 2,219 students, contributing to an average school size of 796 pupils. Students here experience a mix of large-scale high schools and specialized charter academies.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Johnston County

Reported Enrollment

40,609

51 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary25

Middle12

High11

Other3

4 School Districts in Johnston County

Johnston County Public Schools

American Leadership Academy - Johnston

1 school

1,740 students

Neuse Charter School

1 school

904 students

Johnston Charter Academy

1 school

679 students

51 Public Schools in Johnston County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 14 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 51 matching schools

Public schools in Johnston County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Corinth Holders High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Wendell, 27591Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,219
Clayton High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27520Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,024
Cleveland High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27520Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,879
American Leadership Academy - Johnston	Profile	American Leadership Academy - Johnston	Raleigh, 27614Rural: Fringe	KG–10	Charter	1,740
Smithfield-Selma High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Smithfield, 27577Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,503
West Johnston High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Benson, 27504Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,469
South Johnston High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Four Oaks, 27524Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,331
Archer Lodge Middle	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Wendell, 27591Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	1,219
Four Oaks Elementary	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Four Oaks, 27524Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	1,041
Princeton High	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Princeton, 27569Rural: Fringe	6–12	High	1,024
Polenta Elementary	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Garner, 27529Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	1,014
West View Elementary	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Garner, 27529Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	949
Riverwood Middle	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27527Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	948
Cleveland Middle	Profile	Johnston County Public Schools	Garner, 27529Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	936
River Dell Elementary	Record	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27527Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	922
Neuse Charter School	Record	Neuse Charter School	Smithfield, 27577Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	904
McGee's Crossroads Elem	Record	Johnston County Public Schools	Angier, 27501Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	890
Cleveland Elementary	Record	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27520Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	822
Riverwood Elementary	Record	Johnston County Public Schools	Clayton, 27527Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	810
North Johnston High	Record	Johnston County Public Schools	Kenly, 27542Rural: Distant	9–12	High	787

Corinth Holders High

Johnston County Public Schools

Wendell, 27591 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,219 students

Clayton High

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27520 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,024 students

Cleveland High

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27520 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,879 students

American Leadership Academy - Johnston

Raleigh, 27614 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–10Charter1,740 students

Smithfield-Selma High

Johnston County Public Schools

Smithfield, 27577 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,503 students

West Johnston High

Johnston County Public Schools

Benson, 27504 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,469 students

South Johnston High

Johnston County Public Schools

Four Oaks, 27524 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,331 students

Archer Lodge Middle

Johnston County Public Schools

Wendell, 27591 / Town: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle1,219 students

Four Oaks Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Four Oaks, 27524 / Rural: Fringe

ProfilePK–5Primary1,041 students

Princeton High

Johnston County Public Schools

Princeton, 27569 / Rural: Fringe

Profile6–12High1,024 students

Polenta Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Garner, 27529 / Suburb: Large

ProfilePK–5Primary1,014 students

West View Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Garner, 27529 / Suburb: Large

ProfilePK–5Primary949 students

Riverwood Middle

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27527 / Rural: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle948 students

Cleveland Middle

Johnston County Public Schools

Garner, 27529 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle936 students

River Dell Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27527 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary922 students

Neuse Charter School

Smithfield, 27577 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–12Charter904 students

McGee's Crossroads Elem

Johnston County Public Schools

Angier, 27501 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary890 students

Cleveland Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27520 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary822 students

Riverwood Elementary

Johnston County Public Schools

Clayton, 27527 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary810 students

North Johnston High

Johnston County Public Schools

Kenly, 27542 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High787 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,643

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Johnston 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 Johnston County?

Johnston County has a school score of 48/100, 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 Johnston County?

The high school graduation rate in Johnston County is 92.0%, 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 Johnston County spend per student?

Johnston County spends $6,643 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Johnston County, North Carolina — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Johnston County, North Carolina?

What are the major school districts in Johnston County, North Carolina?

What is the school experience like in Johnston County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Moore County

North Carolina

-0 pts

48/100

School score

Henderson County

North Carolina

-1 pts

48/100

School score

Chowan County

North Carolina

+1 pts

49/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 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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