Total enrollment
22,392
-1,281 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
Catawba County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Public schools in Catawba County, North Carolina total 44, with combined enrollment of about 22,392 students against a county population of 163,573. That breaks down as 24 elementary, 8 middle, and 10 high.
7-year change in Catawba County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
44
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
52%
was 59%
% Hispanic
22%
was 19%
% Black
9%
was 9%
% Asian
7%
was 6%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
44
3 districts
Enrollment
22,392
NCES CCD
Median income
$67,864
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
86.4%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
24
11,129 students
Middle
8
3,848 students
High
10
7,301 students
Combined / other
2
114 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Catawba County Schools
16,003 students · 3 districts in Catawba County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Catawba 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+
26.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.7%
civilian labor
Median age
42
21.6% under 18
Test scores in Catawba County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 40 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Discovery High School· 80.8%
- Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School· 78.4%
- Oakwood Elementary· 68.1%
- Fred T Foard High· 66.8%
- Bandys High· 63.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Viewmont Elementary· 32.3%
- Saint Stephens Elementary· 34.4%
- Oxford Elementary· 34.6%
- Grandview Middle· 42.5%
- Catawba Elementary School· 43.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Hickory | High | 09-12 | 1,268 | · |
| Hickory High | Hickory | High | 09-12 | 1,024 | · |
| Bandys High | Catawba | High | 09-12 | 935 | · |
| Fred T Foard High | Newton | High | 09-12 | 930 | · |
| Maiden High | Maiden | High | 09-12 | 852 | · |
| Bunker Hill High | Claremont | High | 09-12 | 845 | · |
| Newton-Conover High | Newton | High | 09-12 | 724 | · |
| Saint Stephens Elementary | Conover | Elementary | KG-06 | 711 | · |
| Mountain View Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | KG-06 | 708 | · |
| Balls Creek Elementary | Newton | Elementary | PK-06 | 686 | · |
| Sherrills Ford Elementary | Sherrills Ford | Elementary | KG-06 | 633 | · |
| Harry M Arndt Middle | Hickory | Middle | 07-08 | 601 | · |
| Maiden Elementary | Maiden | Elementary | PK-06 | 562 | · |
| Newton-Conover Middle | Conover | Middle | 06-08 | 559 | · |
| Snow Creek Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-06 | 551 | · |
| Oxford Elementary | Claremont | Elementary | PK-06 | 540 | · |
| Startown Elementary | Newton | Elementary | PK-06 | 540 | · |
| Viewmont Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-05 | 509 | · |
| Clyde Campbell Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-06 | 505 | · |
| Blackburn Elementary | Newton | Elementary | KG-06 | 484 | · |
| Jacobs Fork Middle | Newton | Middle | 07-08 | 482 | · |
| Northview Middle | Hickory | Middle | 06-08 | 481 | · |
| Mill Creek Middle | Claremont | Middle | 07-08 | 477 | · |
| Claremont Elementary | Claremont | Elementary | PK-06 | 462 | · |
| Lyle Creek Elementary | Conover | Elementary | PK-06 | 458 | · |
| Maiden Middle School | Maiden | Middle | 07-08 | 451 | · |
| Catawba Elementary School | Catawba | Elementary | PK-06 | 450 | · |
| River Bend Middle | Claremont | Middle | 07-08 | 450 | · |
| Shuford Elementary | Conover | Elementary | KG-05 | 402 | · |
| North Newton Elementary | Newton | Elementary | KG-05 | 388 | · |
| Webb A Murray Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-06 | 380 | · |
| Challenger Early College High | Hickory | High | 09-12 | 376 | · |
| Charles H Tuttle Elementary | Maiden | Elementary | KG-06 | 368 | · |
| Grandview Middle | Hickory | Middle | 06-08 | 347 | · |
| Oakwood Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-05 | 336 | · |
| South Newton Elementary | Newton | Elementary | PK-05 | 328 | · |
| Southwest Primary | Hickory | Elementary | PK-02 | 292 | · |
| Banoak Elementary | Vale | Elementary | KG-06 | 291 | · |
| W M Jenkins Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | KG-05 | 276 | · |
| Longview Elementary | Hickory | Elementary | 03-05 | 269 | · |
| Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School | Hickory | High | 09-12 | 201 | · |
| Discovery High School | Newton | High | 09-12 | 146 | · |
| Conover Special Education | Conover | Combined | PK-12 | 107 | · |
| Catawba Rosenwald Education Center | Catawba | Combined | KG-12 | 7 | · |
Cities in Catawba County
About Catawba County
Catawba County is a medium-population county of about 163,573 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system educates approximately 22,392 students across 44 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $67,864, roughly 26% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 7% noticeably above the North Carolina median.
For a sense of the school types, Catawba County comprises 24 elementary schools (11,129 students), 8 middle schools (3,848), 10 high schools (7,301), and 2 combined or other schools.
Catawba County Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 16,003 students across Catawba County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 5%: 23,673 students in SY 2017-18 versus 22,392 in SY 2024-25. The White share of public-school enrollment contracted from 59% to 52%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Catawba County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Catawba County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data