Total enrollment
20,611
-319 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Harnett County
North Carolina · Public K-12
The schools list below covers the full public K-12 directory for Harnett County: 31 campuses, 20,611 students, Harnett County Schools as the largest district. By grade band, the county runs 18 elementary, 6 middle, and 6 high schools.
7-year change in Harnett County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
31
+1 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
39%
was 47%
% Hispanic
28%
was 21%
% Black
24%
was 24%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
139,150
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
31
3 districts
Enrollment
20,611
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$71,287
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
73.8%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
18
9,938 students
Middle
6
4,256 students
High
6
6,317 students
Combined / other
1
100 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Harnett County Schools
20,095 students · 3 districts in Harnett County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Harnett 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+
24.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.7%
civilian labor
Median age
36
25.4% under 18
Test scores in Harnett County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 25 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Northwest Harnett Elementary· 60.3%
- Benhaven Elementary· 59.0%
- LaFayette Elementary· 56.8%
- Highland Elementary· 52.8%
- Johnsonville Elementary· 50.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Erwin Elementary· 27.7%
- Angier Elementary· 30.5%
- Dunn Elementary· 33.7%
- Coats Elementary· 33.9%
- Boone Trail Elementary· 36.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overhills High | Spring Lake | High | 09-12 | 1,981 | · |
| Harnett Central High | Angier | High | 09-12 | 1,522 | · |
| Western Harnett High | Lillington | High | 09-12 | 1,324 | · |
| Triton High | Erwin | High | 09-12 | 1,274 | · |
| Benhaven Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | PK-05 | 1,065 | · |
| Harnett Central Middle | Angier | Middle | 06-08 | 1,059 | · |
| Overhills Elementary | Spring Lake | Elementary | PK-05 | 866 | · |
| Highland Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | PK-05 | 854 | · |
| Dunn Elementary | Dunn | Elementary | PK-05 | 813 | · |
| Highland Middle | Sanford | Middle | 06-08 | 762 | · |
| Overhills Middle | Spring Lake | Middle | 06-08 | 758 | · |
| Western Harnett Middle | Lillington | Middle | 06-08 | 700 | · |
| Lillington-Shawtown Elementary | Lillington | Elementary | PK-05 | 695 | · |
| Northwest Harnett Elementary | Fuquay-Varina | Elementary | PK-05 | 645 | · |
| Erwin Elementary | Erwin | Elementary | PK-05 | 637 | · |
| Coats Elementary | Coats | Elementary | PK-05 | 633 | · |
| Coats-Erwin Middle | Dunn | Middle | 06-08 | 589 | · |
| Anderson Creek Primary | Bunnlevel | Elementary | PK-02 | 553 | · |
| Boone Trail Elementary | Lillington | Elementary | PK-05 | 545 | · |
| Johnsonville Elementary | Cameron | Elementary | PK-05 | 489 | · |
| South Harnett Elementary | Bunnlevel | Elementary | 03-05 | 476 | · |
| Dunn Middle | Dunn | Middle | 06-08 | 388 | · |
| Angier Elementary | Angier | Elementary | 03-05 | 376 | · |
| North Harnett Primary | Angier | Elementary | PK-02 | 329 | · |
| Anderson Creek Academy | Spring Lake | Elementary | KG-05 | 305 | · |
| Buies Creek Elementary | Buies Creek | Elementary | KG-05 | 267 | · |
| Achievement Charter Academy | Fuquay-Varina | Elementary | KG-08 | 211 | · |
| Harnett County Early College | Dunn | High | 09-13 | 185 | · |
| LaFayette Elementary | Fuquay-Varina | Elementary | KG-05 | 179 | · |
| Harnett Virtual Academy | Lillington | Combined | KG-12 | 100 | · |
| STAR Academy | Lillington | High | 06-12 | 31 | · |
Cities in Harnett County
About Harnett County
Harnett County is a medium-population county of about 139,150 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 20,611 students across 31 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $71,287, 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%. That income level is 13% higher than the North Carolina median.
For a sense of the school types, Harnett County spans 18 elementary schools (9,938 students), 6 middle schools (4,256), 6 high schools (6,317), and 1 combined or other schools.
Harnett County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 20,095 students on its own.
Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Harnett County has held roughly steady since SY 2017-18, moving from about 20,930 students to 20,611. The school count climbed from 30 to 31 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 47% to 39% over the same window.
On this page, the community for Harnett County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Harnett County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data