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Durham County

North Carolina · Public K-12

Durham County runs 74 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with an average school size of about 623 students. That works out to 42 elementary, 9 middle, and 16 high schools.

7-year change in Durham County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
46,109
+1,957 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
71
+3 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
24%
was 24%
% Hispanic
33%
was 28%
% Black
34%
was 42%
% Asian
3%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
332,353
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
74
18 districts
Enrollment
46,109
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$82,316
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
94.6%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
42
18,345 students
Middle
9
5,464 students
High
16
12,592 students
Combined / other
7
9,708 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Durham Public Schools
31,797 students · 18 districts in Durham County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Durham 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
White
43%
Hispanic
16%
Black
32%
Asian
5%
Two or more
10%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
24%
Hispanic
33%
Black
34%
Asian
3%
Two or more
7%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
55.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
36
20.0% under 18

Test scores in Durham County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 51 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.

See all 51 schools in Durham County ranked by score →

All schools (74)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
NC Virtual AcademyDurhamCombinedKG-123,482·
North Carolina Cyber AcademyDurhamCombinedKG-122,461·
C E Jordan HighDurhamHigh09-122,189·
Riverside HighDurhamHigh09-121,900·
Durham School of the ArtsDurhamHigh06-121,764·
Hillside HighDurhamHigh09-121,433·
Southern School of Energy and SustainabiDurhamHigh09-121,384·
Voyager AcademyDurhamCombinedKG-121,360·
Northern HighDurhamHigh09-121,281·
Excelsior Classical AcademyDurhamCombinedKG-121,032·
Durham Charter SchoolDurhamCombinedKG-111,010·
Sherwood Githens MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08878·
George L Carrington MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08771·
Pearsontown ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05765·
Brogden MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08753·
Research Triangle CharterDurhamElementaryKG-08710·
Neal MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08706·
Forest View ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05662·
Rogers-Herr MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08660·
Southwest ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05639·
Maureen Joy Charter SchoolDurhamElementaryKG-08631·
Lyons Farm ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05608·
Sandy Ridge ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05589·
Holt ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05587·
Hillandale ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05586·
Central Park School For ChildrenDurhamElementaryKG-08585·
Research Triangle High SchoolDurhamHigh09-12572·
Lowe's Grove MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08564·
Creekside ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05554·
Spring Valley ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05543·
Hope Valley ElementaryDurhamElementaryKG-05539·
Murray-Massenburg ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05517·
Parkwood ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05491·
Easley ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05490·
Glenn ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05455·
E K Powe ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05454·
Discovery CharterBahamaHigh06-11453·
Merrick-Moore ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05445·
Bethesda ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05442·
Eno Valley ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05440·
Lakewood ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05439·
James E Shepard MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08423·
Kestrel Heights SchoolDurhamElementaryKG-08421·
The Institute Development Young LeadersDurhamElementaryKG-08419·
Lucas MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08400·
Oak Grove ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05395·
Reaching All Minds AcademyDurhamElementaryKG-08391·
J D Clement Early College HSDurhamHigh09-13380·
KIPP Durham College PreparatoryDurhamElementaryKG-08380·
Club Boulevard ElementaryDurhamElementaryKG-05364·
Ignite Online AcademyDurhamCombinedKG-12363·
George Watts ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05358·
Y E Smith ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05358·
The School for Creative StudiesDurhamHigh06-12350·
Eastway ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05331·
City of Medicine AcademyDurhamHigh09-13329·
Little River ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05326·
W G Pearson ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05319·
Mangum ElementaryBahamaElementaryPK-05315·
R N Harris ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05313·
Lakewood Montessori MiddleDurhamMiddle06-08309·
Burton ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05293·
Morehead MontessoriDurhamElementaryPK-05278·
Fayetteville Street ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05261·
C C Spaulding ElementaryDurhamElementaryPK-05247·
Durham School of TechnologyDurhamHigh09-13219·
Community School of Digital & Visual ArtDurhamElementaryKG-08204·
Global Scholars AcademyDurhamElementaryKG-08201·
Middle College HS @ DTCCDurhamHigh11-13164·
Durham's Performance Learning CenterDurhamHigh09-12122·
Lakeview SchoolDurhamHigh06-1252·
DPS Hospital SchoolDurhamCombinedPK-120·
Holton Career and Resource CenterDurhamHigh09-120·
North Oak AcademyDurhamElementaryM-M··

Cities in Durham County

Durham72 schoolsBahama2 schools

About Durham County

Durham County is a large North Carolina county of about 332,353 residents, home to 74 public schools and roughly 46,109 students.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $82,316, 55% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 8%. That income level is 30% noticeably above the North Carolina median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Durham County is made up of 42 elementary schools (18,345 students), 9 middle schools (5,464), 16 high schools (12,592), and 7 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Durham County is Durham Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 31,797 students.

Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment grew 4%: 44,152 students in SY 2017-18 versus 46,109 in SY 2024-25. Durham County now counts 71 public schools, up from 68 in SY 2017-18. The Black share of public-school enrollment decreased from 42% to 34%.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Durham County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Durham County?
There are 74 public K-12 schools in Durham County, North Carolina, with a combined enrollment of about 46,109.
How many high schools are in Durham County?
Durham County, North Carolina has 16 public high schools, serving approximately 12,592 students.
How many middle schools are in Durham County?
Durham County, North Carolina has 9 public middle schools, serving approximately 5,464 students.
How many elementary schools are in Durham County?
Durham County, North Carolina has 42 public elementary schools, serving approximately 18,345 students.
What is the largest school district in Durham County?
Durham Public Schools is the largest school district in Durham County, serving approximately 31,797 students. The county contains 18 school districts overall.
What is the population of Durham County?
Durham County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 332,353, with a median age of 36. About 20.0% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Durham County?
Median household income in Durham County is $82,316, above the North Carolina average of $63,182. About 7.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Durham County?
Approximately 55.2% of adults 25 and older in Durham County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Durham County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 94.6% of students in Durham County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the North Carolina county average of 86.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Durham County schools?
Across Durham County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 16.3 to 1.

Durham County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data