Total enrollment
5,613
-443 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
McDowell County
North Carolina · Public K-12
McDowell County's school count of 16 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 5,712 students inside North Carolina, around 13% of the county population. By level, that breaks down as 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in McDowell County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
+2 (+15%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
74%
was 79%
% Hispanic
16%
was 14%
% Black
3%
was 3%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
16
1 districts
Enrollment
5,712
NCES CCD
Median income
$57,168
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
98.0%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
8
2,670 students
Middle
3
1,142 students
High
5
1,900 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
McDowell County Schools
5,712 students · 1 district in McDowell County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of McDowell 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+
18.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.1%
civilian labor
Median age
44
19.4% under 18
Test scores in McDowell County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 12 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Foothills Community School· 74.5%
- Old Fort Elementary School· 57.3%
- Marion Elementary School· 56.9%
- Pleasant Gardens Elementary School· 52.8%
- Nebo Elementary School· 52.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- North Cove Elementary School· 41.3%
- McDowell High School· 43.4%
- East McDowell Middle School· 45.2%
- West Marion Elementary School· 46.6%
- West McDowell Middle School· 47.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell High School | Marion | High | 09-12 | 1,379 | · |
| West McDowell Middle School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 550 | · |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 435 | · |
| East McDowell Middle School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 392 | · |
| West Marion Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 390 | · |
| Old Fort Elementary School | Old Fort | Elementary | PK-05 | 360 | · |
| Nebo Elementary School | Nebo | Elementary | PK-05 | 354 | · |
| Marion Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 333 | · |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 289 | · |
| Eastfield Global Magnet School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 279 | · |
| McDowell Early College | Marion | High | 09-13 | 241 | · |
| North Cove Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 230 | · |
| Foothills Community School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 200 | · |
| McDowell Academy for Innovation | Marion | High | 09-13 | 158 | · |
| McDowell Virtual Academy | Marion | High | 06-12 | 99 | · |
| The Summit Academy | Marion | High | 06-12 | 23 | · |
Cities in McDowell County
About McDowell County
Across the low-population North Carolina county of McDowell County of about 44,817 residents, the public-school footprint covers 16 schools and about 5,712 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $57,168 a year, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 10% meaningfully below the North Carolina median.
In terms of grade levels, McDowell County is made up of 8 elementary schools (2,670 students), 3 middle schools (1,142), and 5 high schools (1,900).
The largest single district in McDowell County is McDowell County Schools, which alone enrolls about 5,712 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 7%: 6,056 students in SY 2017-18 versus 5,613 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 13 to 15 across the same 7-year window. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 79% to 74%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for McDowell County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
McDowell County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data