Total enrollment
29,745
-1,007 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
36 schools in Cary
North Carolina · Public K-12
Of all public K-12 schools in North Carolina, 36 sit inside Cary city limits, with combined enrollment of roughly 29,745 students (18 elementary, 7 middle, and 7 high).
7-year change in Cary
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
33
+2 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
34%
was 45%
% Hispanic
15%
was 13%
% Black
12%
was 12%
% Asian
35%
was 25%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
About Cary
Public education in Cary, North Carolina runs across 36 schools that serves roughly 29,745 students. By footprint, Cary sits in the sizable bracket.
On the school-mix side, the city consists of 18 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, and 4 other.
Average school size in Cary is around 826 students, 45% meaningfully above the North Carolina average of about 571.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 3%: 30,752 students in SY 2017-18 versus 29,745 in SY 2024-25. Cary now counts 33 public schools, up from 31 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment shrank from 45% to 34%.
On this page, the community for Cary discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.