5/16/2026
Which North Carolina Counties Have the Best Public Schools?
North Carolina has 2,768 public schools across 100 counties, and the variation in school quality between those counties is significant enough that where you live in the state shapes your child's educational experience as much as any other factor. The state average for reading proficiency in 2024-25 sits at 50.9 percent meeting or exceeding grade level, which means roughly half of North Carolina students are performing below grade level on state assessments. But...
Mary Johnson