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

No. Use the Wake 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 Wake 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 Wake County?

Start with the 225 listed public schools and 28 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

How does Wake County compare with nearby school counties?

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

Wake County Schools & Education

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

Wake 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

90.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,574

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#38

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Wake County

Measured School Summary

Wake County performs at an average level with a school score of 41/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.2%.

Funding Context

At $6,574 per pupil, Wake County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 1% above the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Wake 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

225 public schools and 28 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 #38 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

90.2%

2.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,574

$395 below the state average

School coverage

225

28 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

Wake County has 225 public schools across 28 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 Wake 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

Wake County Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 197 of 225 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#38

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.

Wake County Schools

Elementary to high school visible

159,778 students

Elementary 121Middle 40High 34Other 2

197 listed schools in this county slice.

Franklin Academy

Other grade structure

1,651 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Triangle Math and Science Academy

Other grade structure

1,276 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Pine Springs Preparatory Academy

Elementary school only in this slice

1,243 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Wake County Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 197 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 Wake County?

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

Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?

Comparison context

Compare Wake County With Nearby School Markets

Wake 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

Durham County, NC and Orange 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

Data Story

Wake County Operates Largest Public Enrollment in North Carolina

Education data brief for Wake County, North Carolina.

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

Lead metric:District structure

Wake County manages the state's largest public enrollment, serving 177,432 students across 225 schools. The primary district, Wake County Schools, operates 197 schools with an average school size of 792 students. The largest campus, Apex Friendship High, enrolls 2,772 students. The county’s graduation rate is 90.2%, which is higher than the North Carolina average of 88.0% and the national benchmark of 87.0%. The composite school score of 40.5 is nearly identical to the state average of 40.3 but falls below the national median of 50.0. Per-pupil expenditure is $6,574, lower than the state average of $6,969 and significantly lower than the national average of $13,000. There are 26 charter schools in the county, making up about 11.6% of all public campuses. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions regarding specific school zones.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

225

in Wake County

Reported Enrollment

177,432

224 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

12% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary139

Middle41

High39

Other6

28 School Districts in Wake County

Wake County Schools

Franklin Academy

1 school

1,651 students

Triangle Math and Science Academy

1 school

1,276 students

Pine Springs Preparatory Academy

1 school

1,243 students

East Wake Academy

1 school

1,227 students

Cardinal Charter Acad at Wendell Falls

1 school

786 students

Endeavor Charter

1 school

767 students

Peak Charter Academy

1 school

767 students

Carolina Charter Academy: CFA

1 school

755 students

Envision Science Academy

1 school

741 students

225 Public Schools in Wake County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 52 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 225 matching schools

Public schools in Wake County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Apex Friendship High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Apex, 27502Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,772
Leesville Road High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27613City: Large	9–12	High	2,613
Enloe High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27610City: Large	9–12	High	2,502
Apex High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Apex, 27502Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,500
Panther Creek High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Cary, 27519City: Midsize	9–12	High	2,435
Millbrook High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27615City: Large	9–12	High	2,421
Rolesville High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Rolesville, 27571Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,373
Cary High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Cary, 27511City: Midsize	9–12	High	2,145
Holly Springs High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Holly Springs, 27540Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,140
Needham Broughton High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27605City: Large	9–12	High	2,128
Wake Forest High School	Profile	Wake County Schools	Wake Forest, 27587Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,101
Wakefield High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27614City: Large	9–12	High	2,072
Athens Drive High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Raleigh, 27606City: Large	9–12	High	2,062
Green Level High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Cary, 27519Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,052
Green Hope High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Cary, 27519City: Midsize	9–12	High	2,001
Fuquay-Varina High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Fuquay-Varina, 27526Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,940
South Garner High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Garner, 27529Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,824
Heritage High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Wake Forest, 27587Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,811
Knightdale High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Knightdale, 27545Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,702
Garner High	Profile	Wake County Schools	Garner, 27529Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,683

Apex Friendship High

Wake County Schools

Apex, 27502 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,772 students

Leesville Road High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27613 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,613 students

Enloe High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27610 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,502 students

Apex High

Wake County Schools

Apex, 27502 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,500 students

Panther Creek High

Wake County Schools

Cary, 27519 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High2,435 students

Millbrook High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27615 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,421 students

Rolesville High

Wake County Schools

Rolesville, 27571 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,373 students

Cary High

Wake County Schools

Cary, 27511 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High2,145 students

Holly Springs High

Wake County Schools

Holly Springs, 27540 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,140 students

Needham Broughton High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27605 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,128 students

Wake Forest High School

Wake County Schools

Wake Forest, 27587 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,101 students

Wakefield High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27614 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,072 students

Athens Drive High

Wake County Schools

Raleigh, 27606 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,062 students

Green Level High

Wake County Schools

Cary, 27519 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,052 students

Green Hope High

Wake County Schools

Cary, 27519 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High2,001 students

Fuquay-Varina High

Wake County Schools

Fuquay-Varina, 27526 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,940 students

South Garner High

Wake County Schools

Garner, 27529 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,824 students

Heritage High

Wake County Schools

Wake Forest, 27587 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,811 students

Knightdale High

Wake County Schools

Knightdale, 27545 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,702 students

Garner High

Wake County Schools

Garner, 27529 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,683 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

32 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,574

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Wake 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 Wake County?

Wake 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 Wake County?

The high school graduation rate in Wake County is 90.2%, 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 Wake County spend per student?

Wake County spends $6,574 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

Haywood County

North Carolina

+0 pts

41/100

School score

Guilford County

North Carolina

-1 pts

40/100

School score

Beaufort County

North Carolina

+1 pts

42/100

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.

Explore more data for Wake County

Property Tax Cost of Living Crime Rate Income Health Disaster Risk Water Quality Weather County Score