Total enrollment
42,974
+2,682 (+7%) vs SY 2020-21
Cabarrus County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Across 56 public schools, Cabarrus County, North Carolina serves roughly 43,278 K-12 students, roughly 1 in 5 residents. By grade band, the county runs 28 elementary, 11 middle, and 14 high schools.
4-year change in Cabarrus County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
55
+2 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Cabarrus County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 57.7% | #16 of 93 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 43,278 | #8 of 98 | #246 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 56 | #10 of 98 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.6:1 | #70 of 98 | #2,208 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 56.1% | #88 of 98 | #1,294 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 75.0% | #2 of 94 | #16 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.
Cabarrus County school rankings
Residents
236,133
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
56
6 districts
Enrollment
43,278
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$89,005
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
56.1%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
28
19,326 students
Middle
11
9,180 students
High
14
13,313 students
Combined / other
3
1,459 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Cabarrus County Schools
35,568 students · 6 districts in Cabarrus County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Cabarrus 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+
37.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.6%
civilian labor
Median age
38
25.2% under 18
Test scores in Cabarrus County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 47 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Cabarrus Health Sciences Institute· 94.6%
- Cabarrus Early College of Technology· 91.8%
- Cox Mill High School· 87.0%
- Harris Road Middle· 84.7%
- Cox Mill Elementary· 83.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Kannapolis Middle School 6· 27.5%
- Concord Middle· 29.5%
- Shady Brook Elementary· 30.7%
- Kannapolis Middle School 7/8· 31.3%
- Wolf Meadow Elementary· 32.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Mill High School | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,772 | · |
| A L Brown High | Kannapolis | High | 09-12 | 1,753 | · |
| Hickory Ridge High | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 1,671 | · |
| West Cabarrus High | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,627 | · |
| Central Cabarrus High | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,369 | · |
| Harris Road Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 1,368 | · |
| Jay M Robinson High | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,210 | · |
| Northwest Cabarrus High | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,142 | · |
| Concord High | Concord | High | 09-12 | 1,128 | · |
| Harold E. Winkler Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 1,094 | · |
| Cox Mill Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 1,086 | · |
| Hickory Ridge Middle | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 1,057 | · |
| W R Odell Elementary | Concord | Elementary | 03-05 | 1,052 | · |
| Weddington Hills Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 1,038 | · |
| W R Odell Primary | Concord | Elementary | KG-02 | 938 | · |
| Hickory Ridge Elementary | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 927 | · |
| Roberta Road Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 906 | · |
| Charles E Boger Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | PK-05 | 895 | · |
| Mount Pleasant High | Mount Pleasant | High | 09-12 | 894 | · |
| Pitts School Road Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 885 | · |
| Concord Lake STEAM Academy | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-08 | 856 | · |
| Harrisburg Elementary | Harrisburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 850 | · |
| Northwest Cabarrus Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 825 | · |
| C C Griffin Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 792 | · |
| Carl A Furr Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 782 | · |
| Kannapolis Middle School 7/8 | Kannapolis | Middle | 07-08 | 782 | · |
| W M Irvin Elementary | Concord | Elementary | PK-05 | 760 | · |
| J N Fries Magnet School | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 755 | · |
| Carolina International School | Concord | Combined | KG-12 | 744 | · |
| Winecoff Elementary | Concord | Elementary | PK-05 | 740 | · |
| R Brown McAllister Elementary | Concord | Elementary | PK-05 | 698 | · |
| Mount Pleasant Elementary | Mount Pleasant | Elementary | KG-05 | 679 | · |
| Royal Oaks Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-08 | 661 | · |
| Mount Pleasant Middle | Mount Pleasant | Middle | 06-08 | 660 | · |
| Wolf Meadow Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 655 | · |
| Rocky River Elementary | Concord | Elementary | PK-05 | 652 | · |
| Patriots Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 636 | · |
| A T Allen Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 626 | · |
| Bethel Elementary | Midland | Elementary | PK-05 | 611 | · |
| Valor Preparatory Academy | Concord | Combined | KG-12 | 608 | · |
| Concord Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 583 | · |
| GW Carver Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-05 | 503 | · |
| Jackson Park Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-05 | 476 | · |
| Forest Park Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-05 | 472 | · |
| A.C.E. Academy | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-08 | 421 | · |
| Fred L Wilson Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-05 | 415 | · |
| Coltrane-Webb Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 386 | · |
| Kannapolis Middle School 6 | Kannapolis | Middle | 06-06 | 358 | · |
| Shady Brook Elementary | Kannapolis | Elementary | KG-05 | 322 | · |
| Beverly Hills Elementary | Concord | Elementary | KG-05 | 304 | · |
| Cabarrus Early College of Technology | Concord | High | 09-13 | 236 | · |
| Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early Coll | Concord | High | 09-13 | 234 | · |
| Cabarrus Health Sciences Institute | Concord | High | 09-11 | 159 | · |
| Cabarrus County Schools Virtual Academy | Concord | Combined | KG-12 | 107 | · |
| Performance Learning Center | Concord | High | 06-12 | 77 | · |
| Cabarrus Co Opportunity School | Concord | High | 06-12 | 41 | · |
Cities in Cabarrus County
About Cabarrus County
Across the moderately sized North Carolina county of Cabarrus County of about 236,133 residents, the public-school footprint covers 56 schools and about 43,278 students.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $89,005, about 38% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 41% meaningfully above the North Carolina median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Cabarrus County consists of 28 elementary schools (19,326 students), 11 middle schools (9,180), 14 high schools (13,313), and 3 combined or other schools.
Cabarrus County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 35,568 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Cabarrus County has expanded 7% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 40,292 students to 42,974. Over that span, Cabarrus County gained 2 schools, going from 53 to 55.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Cabarrus County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data