Total enrollment
29,691
+363 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Buncombe County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Buncombe County's public schools total 61 across the county, with enrollment of about 29,908 and Buncombe County Schools the largest single district. By grade band, the county runs 33 elementary, 13 middle, and 13 high schools.
4-year change in Buncombe County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
60
+2 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Buncombe County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 53.3% | #41 of 93 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 29,908 | #12 of 98 | #344 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 61 | #7 of 98 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.7:1 | #23 of 98 | #1,645 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 87.6% | #66 of 98 | #342 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 53.8% | #62 of 94 | #911 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Buncombe County school rankings
Residents
274,360
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
61
9 districts
Enrollment
29,908
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$74,436
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
87.6%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
33
12,036 students
Middle
13
6,999 students
High
13
9,338 students
Combined / other
2
1,535 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Buncombe County Schools
22,452 students · 9 districts in Buncombe County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Buncombe County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
45.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.3%
civilian labor
Median age
43
17.8% under 18
Test scores in Buncombe County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 49 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Early College· 94.3%
- SILSA· 81.1%
- Weaverville Elementary· 71.5%
- Fairview Elementary· 71.1%
- Barnardsville Elementary· 70.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Woodfin Elementary· 26.0%
- Johnston Elementary· 28.2%
- Erwin Middle· 34.2%
- Eblen Intermediate· 34.9%
- Emma Elementary· 34.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 1,479 | · |
| IC Imagine | Asheville | Combined | KG-12 | 1,239 | · |
| Asheville High | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 1,221 | · |
| Reynolds High | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 1,169 | · |
| Enka High | Candler | High | 09-12 | 1,051 | · |
| Erwin High | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 1,013 | · |
| North Buncombe High | Weaverville | High | 09-12 | 896 | · |
| Estes Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-04 | 754 | · |
| Koontz Intermediate | Asheville | Middle | 05-06 | 725 | · |
| The Franklin School of Innovation | Asheville | High | 05-12 | 717 | · |
| Asheville Middle | Asheville | Middle | 06-08 | 670 | · |
| Valley Springs Middle | Arden | Middle | 05-08 | 654 | · |
| Owen High | Black Mountain | High | 09-12 | 649 | · |
| Fairview Elementary | Fairview | Elementary | KG-05 | 646 | · |
| North Buncombe Elementary | Weaverville | Elementary | PK-04 | 593 | · |
| Sand Hill-Venable Elem | Asheville | Elementary | PK-04 | 590 | · |
| Enka Middle | Candler | Middle | 07-08 | 588 | · |
| Enka Intermediate | Candler | Middle | 05-06 | 585 | · |
| West Buncombe Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | KG-04 | 580 | · |
| Eblen Intermediate | Asheville | Middle | 05-06 | 566 | · |
| Avery's Creek Elementary | Arden | Elementary | PK-04 | 557 | · |
| Erwin Middle | Asheville | Middle | 07-08 | 545 | · |
| North Buncombe Middle | Weaverville | Middle | 07-08 | 516 | · |
| Glen Arden Elementary | Arden | Elementary | PK-04 | 505 | · |
| Oakley Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 502 | · |
| Cane Creek Middle | Fletcher | Middle | 06-08 | 499 | · |
| Reynolds Middle | Asheville | Middle | 06-08 | 490 | · |
| North Windy Ridge Intermediate | Weaverville | Middle | 05-06 | 487 | · |
| Owen Middle | Swannanoa | Middle | 06-08 | 457 | · |
| Williams Elementary | Swannanoa | Elementary | PK-05 | 451 | · |
| Evergreen Community Charter | Asheville | Elementary | KG-08 | 430 | · |
| Claxton Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | KG-05 | 405 | · |
| ArtSpace Charter School | Swannanoa | Elementary | KG-08 | 402 | · |
| Haw Creek Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 402 | · |
| Hominy Valley Elementary | Candler | Elementary | KG-04 | 399 | · |
| Leicester Elementary | Leicester | Elementary | PK-04 | 399 | · |
| Isaac Dickson Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 390 | · |
| Candler Elementary | Candler | Elementary | PK-04 | 381 | · |
| Nesbitt Discovery Academy | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 372 | · |
| Ira B Jones Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 369 | · |
| Black Mountain Primary | Black Mountain | Elementary | PK-03 | 351 | · |
| Weaverville Elementary | Weaverville | Elementary | 02-04 | 342 | · |
| SILSA | Asheville | High | 09-12 | 332 | · |
| Hall Fletcher Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 318 | · |
| Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy | Asheville | Combined | KG-12 | 296 | · |
| Emma Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-04 | 277 | · |
| Early College | Asheville | High | 09-13 | 271 | · |
| Lucy S. Herring Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 255 | · |
| Weaverville Primary | Weaverville | Elementary | PK-01 | 245 | · |
| Bell Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-05 | 224 | · |
| Johnston Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | PK-04 | 217 | · |
| Montford North Star Academy | Asheville | Middle | 06-08 | 217 | · |
| Francine Delany New School | Asheville | Elementary | KG-08 | 193 | · |
| Black Mountain Elementary | Black Mountain | Elementary | 04-05 | 163 | · |
| Pisgah Elementary | Candler | Elementary | KG-04 | 162 | · |
| Asheville PEAK Academy | Asheville | Elementary | KG-06 | 161 | · |
| Mountain City Public Montessori | Asheville | Elementary | KG-07 | 137 | · |
| Community High School | Swannanoa | High | 07-12 | 127 | · |
| Barnardsville Elementary | Barnardsville | Elementary | PK-04 | 125 | · |
| Woodfin Elementary | Asheville | Elementary | KG-05 | 111 | · |
| Center for Career Innovation | Asheville | High | 09-13 | 41 | · |
Cities in Buncombe County
About Buncombe County
In North Carolina, Buncombe County is a wide-reaching county of about 274,360 residents. 61 public schools across the county educates about 29,908 students between them.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $74,436, roughly 46% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 18% noticeably above the North Carolina median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Buncombe County covers 33 elementary schools (12,036 students), 13 middle schools (6,999), 13 high schools (9,338), and 2 combined or other schools.
Buncombe County Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 22,452 students across Buncombe County.
Trend over the past 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 29,691 students, stayed largely flat from the 29,328 reported in SY 2020-21. Over that span, Buncombe County opened 2 schools, going from 58 to 60.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Buncombe County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data