Total enrollment
8,331
-611 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Lenoir County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Lenoir County's public schools, 18 in all, serve approximately 8,480 K-12 students inside North Carolina, with Lenoir County Public Schools the largest district by enrollment. By level, that breaks down as 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Lenoir County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
30%
was 35%
% Hispanic
18%
was 14%
% Black
47%
was 48%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
54,919
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
18
2 districts
Enrollment
8,480
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$45,143
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
99.1%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
10
4,242 students
Middle
3
1,589 students
High
4
2,583 students
Combined / other
1
66 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lenoir County Public Schools
8,331 students · 2 districts in Lenoir County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lenoir 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+
16.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
17.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
9.0%
civilian labor
Median age
42
22.6% under 18
Test scores in Lenoir County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Lenoir County Early College High· 93.4%
- Moss Hill Elementary· 66.3%
- Pink Hill Elementary· 54.1%
- Banks Elementary· 53.4%
- Southwood Elementary· 52.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Rochelle Middle· 33.9%
- Northeast Elementary· 34.4%
- Kinston High· 35.9%
- Northwest Elementary· 40.7%
- La Grange Elementary· 40.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Lenoir High | La Grange | High | 09-12 | 957 | · |
| Contentnea-Savannah School | Kinston | Elementary | PK-08 | 789 | · |
| South Lenoir High | Deep Run | High | 09-12 | 721 | · |
| Kinston High | Kinston | High | 09-12 | 659 | · |
| Woodington Middle | Kinston | Middle | 06-08 | 584 | · |
| La Grange Elementary | La Grange | Elementary | PK-05 | 547 | · |
| Rochelle Middle | Kinston | Middle | 06-08 | 517 | · |
| Northwest Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | KG-05 | 504 | · |
| E B Frink Middle | La Grange | Middle | 06-08 | 488 | · |
| Northeast Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | PK-05 | 465 | · |
| Pink Hill Elementary | Pink Hill | Elementary | PK-05 | 437 | · |
| Banks Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | PK-05 | 436 | · |
| Moss Hill Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | KG-05 | 371 | · |
| Southeast Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | PK-05 | 326 | · |
| Lenoir County Early College High | Kinston | High | 09-13 | 246 | · |
| Southwood Elementary | Kinston | Elementary | PK-05 | 218 | · |
| Children's Village Academy | Kinston | Elementary | KG-08 | 149 | · |
| Lenoir County Learning Academy | Kinston | Combined | PK-12 | 66 | · |
Cities in Lenoir County
About Lenoir County
Lenoir County is a low-population North Carolina county of about 54,919 residents, home to 18 public schools and roughly 8,480 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $45,143, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 17%. That income level is 29% meaningfully below the North Carolina median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Lenoir County covers 10 elementary schools (4,242 students), 3 middle schools (1,589), 4 high schools (2,583), and 1 combined or other schools.
Lenoir County Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 8,331 students across Lenoir County.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 8,331 students, fell 7% from the 8,942 reported in SY 2017-18. Lenoir County now counts 17 public schools, down from 18 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment declined from 35% to 30%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lenoir County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Lenoir County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data