Total enrollment
8,386
-665 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Columbus County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Columbus County, North Carolina operates 21 public K-12 schools today, enrolling approximately 8,386 students (about 399 per campus). By grade band, the county runs 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 7 high schools.
7-year change in Columbus County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
-6 (-24%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
45%
was 50%
% Hispanic
14%
was 10%
% Black
30%
was 33%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
21
4 districts
Enrollment
8,386
NCES CCD
Median income
$49,442
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
98.2%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
10
5,090 students
Middle
2
645 students
High
7
2,651 students
Combined / other
2
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Columbus County Schools
5,440 students · 4 districts in Columbus County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Columbus 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+
14.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
15.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.4%
civilian labor
Median age
43
20.6% under 18
Test scores in Columbus County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Columbus Career and College Academy· 76.8%
- Nakina Middle· 65.8%
- Old Dock Elementary· 57.1%
- Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary· 48.0%
- Central Middle· 46.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- West Columbus High· 30.5%
- East Columbus Junior-Senior High· 37.3%
- Tabor City School· 37.4%
- West Columbus School· 38.1%
- Chadbourn Elementary· 42.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville | Whiteville | Elementary | KG-08 | 842 | · |
| West Columbus School | Cerro Gordo | Elementary | PK-08 | 814 | · |
| South Columbus High | Tabor City | High | 09-12 | 669 | · |
| Williams Township | Whiteville | Elementary | PK-08 | 659 | · |
| Whiteville High | Whiteville | High | 09-12 | 639 | · |
| Tabor City School | Tabor City | Elementary | PK-08 | 598 | · |
| East Columbus Junior-Senior High | Lake Waccamaw | High | 07-12 | 576 | · |
| Whiteville Primary | Whiteville | Elementary | PK-02 | 486 | · |
| West Columbus High | Cerro Gordo | High | 09-12 | 459 | · |
| Central Middle | Whiteville | Middle | 06-08 | 451 | · |
| Edgewood Elementary | Whiteville | Elementary | 03-05 | 450 | · |
| Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary | Hallsboro | Elementary | PK-06 | 394 | · |
| Acme Delco Elementary | Riegelwood | Elementary | PK-06 | 349 | · |
| Old Dock Elementary | Whiteville | Elementary | PK-04 | 265 | · |
| Chadbourn Elementary | Chadbourn | Elementary | PK-05 | 233 | · |
| Columbus Career and College Academy | Whiteville | High | 09-13 | 230 | · |
| Nakina Middle | Nakina | Middle | 05-08 | 194 | · |
| Thomas Academy | Lake Waccamaw | High | 06-12 | 62 | · |
| North Whiteville Academy | Whiteville | High | 06-12 | 16 | · |
| Tabor City Elementary | Tabor City | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Tabor City Middle | Tabor City | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Columbus County
About Columbus County
Columbus County is a rural-scale county of about 50,140 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system instructs approximately 8,386 students across 21 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $49,442, roughly 15% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 15%. That income level is 22% noticeably below the North Carolina median.
For a sense of the school types, Columbus County is made up of 10 elementary schools (5,090 students), 2 middle schools (645), 7 high schools (2,651), and 2 combined or other schools.
Columbus County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 5,440 students on its own.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 7%: 9,051 students in SY 2017-18 versus 8,386 in SY 2024-25. Columbus County now counts 19 public schools, down from 25 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment declined from 50% to 45%.
On this page, the community for Columbus County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Columbus County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data