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

No. Use the Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange County?

Start with the 36 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

How does Orange County compare with nearby school counties?

Orange County appears in the Research Triangle comparison with Wake County, NC and Durham County, NC. Use that regional guide to compare county school score, graduation rate, and spending before narrowing to individual districts and schools.

Orange County Schools & Education

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

Orange County, North Carolina

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

School Score

72/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

92.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,629

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

72/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Orange County

Measured School Summary

Orange County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 72/100 and a graduation rate of 92.3%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Orange County spends $8,629 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 81% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 24% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Orange 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

36 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

72/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #5 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

92.3%

4.3 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,629

$1,660 above the state average

School coverage

4 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Orange County has 36 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 Orange 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.

Higher-signal county

Orange County screens well on the measured county-level school signal. The next check is whether that strength is broad across districts or concentrated in a few school pathways.

State position

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 32 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.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Elementary to high school visible

11,561 students

Elementary 11Middle 4High 5Other 1

21 listed schools in this county slice.

Orange County Schools

Elementary to high school visible

7,208 students

Elementary 7Middle 3High 3Other 0

13 listed schools in this county slice.

Eno River Academy

Other grade structure

782 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

The Expedition School

Elementary school only in this slice

361 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 21 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 Orange County?

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

Comparison context

Compare Orange County With Nearby School Markets

Orange County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

Research Triangle

Wake County vs Durham County vs Orange County Schools

This guide is built for families comparing Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and nearby communities using county-level education signals.

Compared with

Wake County, NC and Durham County, NC

Current leader

Orange County, NC at 72/100

Graduation-rate leader: Orange County, NC at 92.3%

Open regional guide Open interactive comparison

Education Overview

About Schools in Orange 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.

Two Powerhouse Districts Serving the Region

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is the largest district, serving 11,561 students, while Orange County Schools serves 7,208. Charter options like Eno River Academy provide additional choice, representing about 5.6% of the school mix. Families benefit from having two major, well-resourced districts within a single county.

A Blend of City Spirit and Rural Peace

The county offers a diverse mix of 15 city schools, 11 suburban schools, and 10 rural schools. Large high schools like Chapel Hill High enrollment nearly 1,600 students, while the average school size countywide is 569. This geographic diversity allows families to choose the living and learning environment that fits them best.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Orange County

Reported Enrollment

19,912

36 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary19

Middle7

High8

Other2

4 School Districts in Orange County

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Orange County Schools

Eno River Academy

1 school

782 students

The Expedition School

1 school

361 students

36 Public Schools in Orange County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 4 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 36 matching schools

Public schools in Orange County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Chapel Hill High	Profile	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516City: Small	9–12	High	1,597
East Chapel Hill High	Profile	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27514City: Small	9–12	High	1,447
Orange High	Profile	Orange County Schools	Hillsborough, 27278Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,341
Cedar Ridge High	Profile	Orange County Schools	Hillsborough, 27278Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,104
Carrboro High	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Carrboro, 27510Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	870
Eno River Academy	Record	Eno River Academy	Hillsborough, 27278Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	782
Smith Middle	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516City: Small	6–8	Middle	768
McDougle Middle	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	752
Culbreth Middle	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516City: Small	6–8	Middle	656
A L Stanback Middle	Record	Orange County Schools	Hillsborough, 27278Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	646
Phillips Middle	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27514City: Small	6–8	Middle	609
River Park Elementary	Record	Orange County Schools	Hillsborough, 27278Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	559
New Hope Elementary	Record	Orange County Schools	Chapel Hill, 27514Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	548
Efland Cheeks Elementary	Record	Orange County Schools	Efland, 27243Suburb: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	545
FPG Elementary	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516City: Small	PK–5	Primary	528
Orange Middle	Record	Orange County Schools	Hillsborough, 27278Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	525
Carrboro Elementary	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Carrboro, 27510Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	501
Seawell Elementary	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516City: Small	PK–5	Primary	491
McDougle Elementary	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27516Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	489
Glenwood Elementary	Record	Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools	Chapel Hill, 27517Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	433

Chapel Hill High

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,597 students

East Chapel Hill High

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27514 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,447 students

Orange High

Orange County Schools

Hillsborough, 27278 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,341 students

Cedar Ridge High

Orange County Schools

Hillsborough, 27278 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,104 students

Carrboro High

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Carrboro, 27510 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High870 students

Eno River Academy

Hillsborough, 27278 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–12Charter782 students

Smith Middle

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle768 students

McDougle Middle

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle752 students

Culbreth Middle

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle656 students

A L Stanback Middle

Orange County Schools

Hillsborough, 27278 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle646 students

Phillips Middle

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27514 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle609 students

River Park Elementary

Orange County Schools

Hillsborough, 27278 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary559 students

New Hope Elementary

Orange County Schools

Chapel Hill, 27514 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary548 students

Efland Cheeks Elementary

Orange County Schools

Efland, 27243 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary545 students

FPG Elementary

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary528 students

Orange Middle

Orange County Schools

Hillsborough, 27278 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle525 students

Carrboro Elementary

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Carrboro, 27510 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary501 students

Seawell Elementary

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary491 students

McDougle Elementary

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27516 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary489 students

Glenwood Elementary

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Chapel Hill, 27517 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary433 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,629

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Orange 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 Orange County?

Orange County has a school score of 72/100, which is a higher 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 Orange County?

The high school graduation rate in Orange County is 92.3%, 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 Orange County spend per student?

Orange County spends $8,629 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 Orange County, North Carolina — FAQ

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

What is the school experience like in Orange County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Dare County

North Carolina

-5 pts

68/100

School score

Alleghany County

North Carolina

-7 pts

66/100

School score

Pamlico County

North Carolina

+8 pts

80/100

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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