Total enrollment
10,641
+577 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Lee County
North Carolina · Public K-12
In Lee County, North Carolina, the public-school system rolls up to 20 schools and roughly 10,641 K-12 students, with county median household income around $65,387. By level, that breaks down as 9 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools.
4-year change in Lee County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
20
+2 (+11%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Lee County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 46.7% | #67 of 93 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 10,641 | #40 of 98 | #777 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 20 | #43 of 98 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.7:1 | #45 of 98 | #1,990 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 94.8% | #58 of 98 | #208 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 68.2% | #20 of 94 | #178 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Lee County school rankings
Residents
65,816
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
4 districts
Enrollment
10,641
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$65,387
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
94.8%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
9
4,564 students
Middle
4
1,867 students
High
6
4,115 students
Combined / other
1
95 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lee County Schools
9,168 students · 4 districts in Lee County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lee 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+
21.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
23.7% under 18
Test scores in Lee County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Lee Early College· 88.2%
- Tramway Elementary· 66.8%
- Greenwood Elementary· 57.5%
- SanLee Middle School· 53.3%
- J R Ingram Jr Elementary· 50.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Broadway Elementary· 30.6%
- East Lee Middle· 36.0%
- Lee County High· 36.1%
- WB Wicker Elementary· 36.3%
- Southern Lee High School· 41.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County High | Sanford | High | 09-12 | 1,459 | · |
| Southern Lee High School | Sanford | High | 09-12 | 1,180 | · |
| SanLee Middle School | Sanford | Middle | 06-08 | 792 | · |
| Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County | Sanford | High | 06-12 | 628 | · |
| WB Wicker Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 588 | · |
| J Glenn Edwards Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 587 | · |
| Greenwood Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 571 | · |
| Tramway Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 559 | · |
| Deep River Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 557 | · |
| Central Carolina Academy | Sanford | High | 06-12 | 536 | · |
| East Lee Middle | Sanford | Middle | 06-08 | 526 | · |
| West Lee Middle | Sanford | Middle | 06-08 | 522 | · |
| BT Bullock Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 511 | · |
| Broadway Elementary | Broadway | Elementary | PK-05 | 490 | · |
| J R Ingram Jr Elementary | Sanford | Elementary | KG-05 | 419 | · |
| Rising Leaders Academy | Sanford | Elementary | KG-08 | 282 | · |
| Lee Early College | Sanford | High | 09-13 | 272 | · |
| Floyd L Knight Children Center | Sanford | Combined | PK-12 | 95 | · |
| Bragg Street Academy | Sanford | High | 06-12 | 40 | · |
| Ascend Leadership Remote Academy | Sanford | Middle | 06-08 | 27 | · |
Cities in Lee County
About Lee County
Lee County is a middle-population North Carolina county of about 65,816 residents, home to 20 public schools and roughly 10,641 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $65,387, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
In terms of grade levels, Lee County is made up of 9 elementary schools (4,564 students), 4 middle schools (1,867), 6 high schools (4,115), and 1 combined or other schools.
Lee County Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 9,168 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 10,641 students, climbed 6% from the 10,064 reported in SY 2020-21. The school count climbed from 18 to 20 across the same 4-year window.
On this page, the community for Lee County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data