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

No. Use the Wilkes 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 Wilkes 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 Wilkes County?

Start with the 22 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Wilkes County Schools & Education

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

Wilkes County, North Carolina

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

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,633

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#74

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Wilkes County

Measured School Summary

Wilkes County faces educational challenges with a school score of 31/100 and a graduation rate of 87.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,633 per pupil, Wilkes County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 22% below the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Wilkes 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

22 public schools and 1 district 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

31/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #74 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

87.0%

1.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,633

$336 below the state average

School coverage

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Wilkes County has 22 public schools across 1 district, 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 Wilkes 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

Wilkes County Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 22 of 22 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#74

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below 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.

Wilkes County Schools

Elementary to high school visible

8,673 students

Elementary 13Middle 4High 5Other 0

22 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Wilkes County Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 22 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 Wilkes County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Wilkes 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.

A Unified Rural School Infrastructure

Wilkes County operates a streamlined education system with 22 public schools serving 8,673 students. The infrastructure includes 13 elementary, four middle, and five high schools managed by a single unified district.

One District Serving Every Student

Wilkes County Schools manages 100% of the public enrollment, as there are currently no charter schools in the area. The district’s flagship campus, Wilkes Central High School, stands as the largest school with 752 students.

Intimate Schools in Rural Settings

Education here has a strong rural identity, with 19 of the 22 schools located in rural locales and an average school size of just 394 students. Campuses like Millers Creek Elementary provide a small-town feel despite serving 734 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Wilkes County

Reported Enrollment

8,673

22 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary13

Middle4

High5

Other0

1 School District in Wilkes County

Wilkes County Schools

Guide

22 schools

8,673 students enrolled

Open district guide

22 Public Schools in Wilkes 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 20 of 22 matching schools

Public schools in Wilkes County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Wilkes Central High School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Wilkesboro, 28697Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	752
Millers Creek Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Millers Creek, 28651Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	734
West Wilkes High School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Millers Creek, 28651Town: Distant	9–12	High	628
North Wilkes High School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Hays, 28635Rural: Distant	9–12	High	625
Central Wilkes Middle School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Moravian Falls, 28654Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	576
East Wilkes High School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Ronda, 28670Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	495
Mountain View Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Hays, 28635Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	484
West Wilkes Middle School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Wilkesboro, 28697Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	468
Mulberry Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	North Wilkesboro, 28659Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	420
North Wilkes Middle School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	North Wilkesboro, 28659Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	409
East Wilkes Middle School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Ronda, 28670Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	375
Wilkesboro Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Wilkesboro, 28697Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	370
Ronda-Clingman Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Ronda, 28670Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	315
North Wilkesboro Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	North Wilkesboro, 28659Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	307
C C Wright Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	North Wilkesboro, 28659Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	304
C B Eller Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Elkin, 28621Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	282
Wilkes Early College High School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Wilkesboro, 28697Town: Distant	9–UG	High	257
Moravian Falls Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Moravian Falls, 28654Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	256
Mount Pleasant Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Ferguson, 28624Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	234
Roaring River Elementary School	Record	Wilkes County Schools	Roaring River, 28669Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	177

Wilkes Central High School

Wilkes County Schools

Wilkesboro, 28697 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High752 students

Millers Creek Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Millers Creek, 28651 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary734 students

West Wilkes High School

Wilkes County Schools

Millers Creek, 28651 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High628 students

North Wilkes High School

Wilkes County Schools

Hays, 28635 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High625 students

Central Wilkes Middle School

Wilkes County Schools

Moravian Falls, 28654 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle576 students

East Wilkes High School

Wilkes County Schools

Ronda, 28670 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High495 students

Mountain View Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Hays, 28635 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary484 students

West Wilkes Middle School

Wilkes County Schools

Wilkesboro, 28697 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle468 students

Mulberry Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

North Wilkesboro, 28659 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary420 students

North Wilkes Middle School

Wilkes County Schools

North Wilkesboro, 28659 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle409 students

East Wilkes Middle School

Wilkes County Schools

Ronda, 28670 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle375 students

Wilkesboro Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Wilkesboro, 28697 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary370 students

Ronda-Clingman Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Ronda, 28670 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary315 students

North Wilkesboro Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

North Wilkesboro, 28659 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary307 students

C C Wright Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

North Wilkesboro, 28659 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary304 students

C B Eller Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Elkin, 28621 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary282 students

Wilkes Early College High School

Wilkes County Schools

Wilkesboro, 28697 / Town: Distant

Record9–UGHigh257 students

Moravian Falls Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Moravian Falls, 28654 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary256 students

Mount Pleasant Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Ferguson, 28624 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary234 students

Roaring River Elementary School

Wilkes County Schools

Roaring River, 28669 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary177 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,633

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Wilkes 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 Wilkes County?

Wilkes County has a school score of 31/100, which is a lower 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 Wilkes County?

The high school graduation rate in Wilkes County is 87.0%, which is below 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 Wilkes County spend per student?

Wilkes County spends $6,633 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 Wilkes County, North Carolina — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Wilkes County?

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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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