Total enrollment
35,598
+844 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
Gaston County
North Carolina · Public K-12
In Gaston County, North Carolina, the public-school system rolls up to 61 schools and roughly 35,898 K-12 students, with county median household income around $67,478. By grade band, the county runs 31 elementary, 11 middle, and 13 high schools.
7-year change in Gaston County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
59
+2 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
46%
was 59%
% Hispanic
21%
was 13%
% Black
25%
was 22%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
61
6 districts
Enrollment
35,898
NCES CCD
Median income
$67,478
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
84.6%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
31
14,020 students
Middle
11
7,029 students
High
13
9,800 students
Combined / other
6
5,049 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Gaston County Schools
30,995 students · 6 districts in Gaston County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Gaston 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+
26.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.4% under 18
Test scores in Gaston County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 48 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Cramerton Middle· 71.4%
- Hawks Nest STEAM Academy· 71.3%
- South Point High· 70.7%
- McAdenville Elementary· 69.8%
- New Hope Elementary· 66.3%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Woodhill Elementary· 20.5%
- H H Beam Elementary· 20.6%
- Lingerfeldt Elementary· 21.1%
- Hunter Huss High· 23.5%
- Bessemer City Central Elem· 24.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Community Charter School | Gastonia | Combined | KG-12 | 1,963 | · |
| Mountain Island Charter School | Mt. Holly | Combined | KG-12 | 1,782 | · |
| Ashbrook High | Gastonia | High | 09-12 | 1,386 | · |
| Hunter Huss High | Gastonia | High | 09-12 | 1,165 | · |
| Forestview High | Gastonia | High | 09-12 | 1,133 | · |
| North Gaston High | Dallas | High | 09-12 | 1,061 | · |
| South Point High | Belmont | High | 09-12 | 989 | · |
| Cramerton Middle | Cramerton | Middle | 06-08 | 959 | · |
| Stuart W Cramer High | Belmont | High | 09-12 | 953 | · |
| East Gaston High | Mount Holly | High | 09-12 | 917 | · |
| Pleasant Ridge Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 887 | · |
| Community Charter School | Stanley | Combined | KG-10 | 858 | · |
| Southwest Middle | Gastonia | Middle | 06-08 | 832 | · |
| Belmont Middle | Belmont | Middle | 06-08 | 770 | · |
| Holbrook Middle | Lowell | Middle | 06-08 | 712 | · |
| Belmont Central Elementary | Belmont | Elementary | 02-05 | 693 | · |
| W A Bess Elementary School | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 674 | · |
| Carr Elementary | Dallas | Elementary | PK-05 | 665 | · |
| W P Grier Middle School | Gastonia | Middle | 06-08 | 659 | · |
| W C Friday Middle School | Dallas | Middle | 06-08 | 618 | · |
| Stanley Middle | Stanley | Middle | 06-08 | 602 | · |
| H H Beam Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 591 | · |
| Bessemer City High | Bessemer City | High | 09-12 | 590 | · |
| Woodhill Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 577 | · |
| New Hope Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | KG-05 | 571 | · |
| Mount Holly Middle | Mount Holly | Middle | 06-08 | 570 | · |
| Gardner Park Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 560 | · |
| Sherwood Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 553 | · |
| Highland Sch of Technology | Gastonia | High | 09-12 | 538 | · |
| Ida Rankin Elementary School | Mount Holly | Elementary | PK-05 | 533 | · |
| Brookside Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 512 | · |
| Pinewood Elementary | Mount Holly | Elementary | PK-05 | 508 | · |
| Bessemer City Middle | Bessemer City | Middle | 06-08 | 497 | · |
| Cherryville High | Cherryville | High | 09-12 | 484 | · |
| Lingerfeldt Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 450 | · |
| Bessemer City Primary | Bessemer City | Elementary | PK-02 | 445 | · |
| Costner Elementary | Dallas | Elementary | PK-05 | 430 | · |
| Robinson Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 420 | · |
| John Chavis Middle School | Cherryville | Middle | 06-08 | 412 | · |
| York Chester Middle | Gastonia | Middle | 06-08 | 398 | · |
| J B Page Primary School | Belmont | Elementary | PK-01 | 396 | · |
| Bessemer City Central Elem | Bessemer City | Elementary | 03-05 | 392 | · |
| Chapel Grove Elementary | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 382 | · |
| Cherryville Elementary | Cherryville | Elementary | PK-03 | 378 | · |
| Edward D Sadler Jr Elementary School | Gastonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 374 | · |
| North Belmont Elementary | Belmont | Elementary | PK-05 | 371 | · |
| Lowell Elementary | Lowell | Elementary | PK-05 | 367 | · |
| Hawks Nest STEAM Academy | Gastonia | Elementary | KG-05 | 356 | · |
| Springfield Primary | Stanley | Elementary | PK-02 | 352 | · |
| Tryon Elementary | Bessemer City | Elementary | PK-05 | 336 | · |
| Kiser Elementary | Stanley | Elementary | 03-05 | 328 | · |
| Ridgeview Charter School | Gastonia | Elementary | KG-08 | 300 | · |
| Gaston Virtual Academy | Gastonia | Combined | KG-12 | 283 | · |
| Catawba Heights Elementary | Belmont | Elementary | PK-05 | 238 | · |
| Gaston Early College High School | Dallas | High | 09-13 | 235 | · |
| W B Beam Intermediate School | Cherryville | Elementary | 04-05 | 191 | · |
| McAdenville Elementary | Mcadenville | Elementary | KG-05 | 190 | · |
| Warlick Academy | Gastonia | High | 06-12 | 175 | · |
| Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences | Dallas | High | 09-12 | 174 | · |
| Webb Street School | Gastonia | Combined | PK-12 | 163 | · |
| Dogwood Classical Academy | Belmont | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Gaston County
About Gaston County
Gaston County is a moderately sized county of about 234,881 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system hosts approximately 35,898 students across 61 schools.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $67,478, about 27% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 7% noticeably above the North Carolina median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Gaston County consists of 31 elementary schools (14,020 students), 11 middle schools (7,029), 13 high schools (9,800), and 6 combined or other schools.
Gaston County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 30,995 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 34,754 students in SY 2017-18 versus 35,598 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 57 to 59 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 59% to 46%.
On this page, the community for Gaston County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Gaston County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data