Total enrollment
10,920
-842 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Caldwell County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Caldwell County sits inside North Carolina and runs 26 public K-12 schools, enrolling about 10,920 students. Caldwell County Schools alone accounts for 10,667 of those students. That works out to 15 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools.
7-year change in Caldwell County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
72%
was 79%
% Hispanic
15%
was 11%
% Black
5%
was 5%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
80,536
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
26
2 districts
Enrollment
10,920
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$56,425
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
94.5%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
15
5,362 students
Middle
4
2,038 students
High
6
3,382 students
Combined / other
1
138 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Caldwell County Schools
10,667 students · 2 districts in Caldwell County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Caldwell 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+
18.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.0%
civilian labor
Median age
45
19.7% under 18
Test scores in Caldwell County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 23 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Caldwell Early College· 92.5%
- Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy· 87.3%
- Caldwell Online Academy· 67.7%
- South Caldwell High· 62.7%
- Granite Falls Elementary· 58.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Valmead Elementary· 32.6%
- Gamewell Middle· 36.3%
- Whitnel Elementary· 37.9%
- West Caldwell High· 38.1%
- Gamewell Elementary· 42.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Hudson | High | 09-12 | 1,272 | · |
| Hibriten High | Lenoir | High | 09-12 | 818 | · |
| Hudson Elementary | Hudson | Elementary | PK-05 | 665 | · |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Granite Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 647 | · |
| West Caldwell High | Lenoir | High | 09-12 | 634 | · |
| Hudson Middle | Hudson | Middle | 06-08 | 551 | · |
| Granite Falls Middle | Granite Falls | Middle | 06-08 | 518 | · |
| William Lenoir Middle | Lenoir | Middle | 06-08 | 512 | · |
| Gamewell Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-05 | 459 | · |
| Gamewell Middle | Lenoir | Middle | 06-08 | 457 | · |
| Dudley Shoals Elementary | Granite Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 433 | · |
| Davenport A+ School | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-05 | 429 | · |
| Lower Creek Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-05 | 396 | · |
| Caldwell Early College | Hudson | High | 09-13 | 387 | · |
| Baton Elementary | Granite Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 357 | · |
| Sawmills Elementary | Granite Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 351 | · |
| Whitnel Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-05 | 330 | · |
| Collettsville School | Collettsville | Elementary | PK-08 | 321 | · |
| Valmead Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-05 | 305 | · |
| Oak Hill Charter School | Lenoir | Elementary | KG-08 | 253 | · |
| Happy Valley Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-08 | 234 | · |
| Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy | Hudson | High | 09-12 | 218 | · |
| Kings Creek Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | PK-08 | 153 | · |
| Caldwell Online Academy | Lenoir | Combined | 04-12 | 138 | · |
| Gateway School | Granite Falls | High | 06-12 | 53 | · |
| Horizons Elementary | Lenoir | Elementary | KG-05 | 29 | · |
Cities in Caldwell County
About Caldwell County
Caldwell County is a mid-sized county of about 80,536 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system serves approximately 10,920 students across 26 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $56,425, about 19% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 11% below the North Carolina median.
In terms of grade levels, Caldwell County is built around 15 elementary schools (5,362 students), 4 middle schools (2,038), 6 high schools (3,382), and 1 combined or other schools.
Caldwell County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 10,667 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Caldwell County has shrank 7% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 11,762 students to 10,920. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 79% to 72% over the same window.
On allk12, the community for Caldwell County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Caldwell County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data