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Mecklenburg County

North Carolina · Public K-12

Mecklenburg County's 226 public schools sit inside North Carolina and collectively enroll about 170,407 K-12 students across 138 elementary, 31 middle, and 40 high.

7-year change in Mecklenburg County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
170,260
+7,076 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
220
+17 (+8%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
24%
was 30%
% Hispanic
29%
was 23%
% Black
35%
was 38%
% Asian
7%
was 7%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,154,681
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
226
40 districts
Enrollment
170,407
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$87,005
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
70.5%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
138
78,866 students
Middle
31
27,054 students
High
40
48,481 students
Combined / other
17
16,006 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
145,014 students · 40 districts in Mecklenburg County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Mecklenburg 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
White
45%
Hispanic
16%
Black
30%
Asian
6%
Two or more
10%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
24%
Hispanic
29%
Black
35%
Asian
7%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
49.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.3%
civilian labor
Median age
36
22.8% under 18

Test scores in Mecklenburg County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 175 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.

See all 175 schools in Mecklenburg County ranked by score →

All schools (226)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Gov's Village STEM (Upper)CharlotteMiddle05-08684·
Myers Park Traditional ElemCharlotteElementaryKG-05678·
Winget Park ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05677·
Smithfield ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05672·
Selwyn ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05669·
North Academy of World LanguagesHuntersvilleElementaryKG-08668·
James Martin MiddleCharlotteMiddle06-08659·
Crown Point ElementaryMatthewsElementaryPK-05657·
Torrence Creek ElementaryHuntersvilleElementaryKG-05653·
Briarwood AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05649·
Beverly Woods ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05645·
Hickory Grove ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05643·
Bonnie Cone Classical AcademyHuntersvilleElementaryKG-06642·
Hawk Ridge ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05640·
Polo Ridge ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05634·
Lake Wylie ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05633·
Coulwood STEM AcademyCharlotteMiddle06-08632·
Movement Charter SchoolCharlotteElementaryKG-08625·
Telra InstituteCharlotteCombinedKG-09621·
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Virtual SchoolCharlotteHigh05-12619·
J. H. Gunn ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05616·
Nations Ford ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05610·
David Cox Road ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05604·
Hornets Nest ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05601·
Merry Oaks International AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05601·
Charlotte East Language AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-08594·
Northeast MiddleMint HillMiddle06-08594·
Providence Spring ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05586·
Lansdowne ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05573·
Thomasboro AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-08569·
Rama Road ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05560·
Pioneer Springs Community SchoolCharlotteCombinedKG-12558·
River Oaks AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05555·
Newell ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05554·
Devonshire ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05550·
Grand Oak ElementaryHuntersvilleElementaryPK-05549·
Tuckaseegee ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05544·
Cornelius ElementaryCorneliusElementaryKG-05542·
Esperanza Global AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05538·
McAlpine ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05535·
McKee Road ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05534·
Sedgefield MiddleCharlotteMiddle06-08534·
Shamrock Gardens ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05532·
Oaklawn Language AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-08531·
Joseph W Grier AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05529·
Long Creek ElementaryHuntersvilleElementaryKG-05527·
Steele Creek ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05525·
Movement School EastlandCharlotteElementaryKG-05523·
Oakhurst STEAM AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-05523·
Westerly Hills AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05522·
Pinewood ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05521·
Montclaire ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05512·
Greenway Park ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05511·
Knights View Elementary SchoolCharlotteElementaryPK-04511·
Oakdale ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05497·
Mallard Creek ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05490·
Lebanon Road ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05488·
Sedgefield MontessoriCharlotteElementaryPK-06485·
Statesville Road ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05482·
Highland Creek ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05477·
Charles H. Parker Academic CenterCharlotteElementaryKG-05472·
Windsor Park ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05470·
Winterfield ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05461·
Clear Creek ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05459·
Croft Community SchoolCharlotteElementaryPK-05459·
Wilson STEM AcademyCharlotteMiddle06-08456·
Highland Renaissance AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05443·
Piney Grove ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05441·
Parkside ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05437·
Berryhill SchoolCharlotteElementaryPK-08423·
First Ward Creative Arts AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-05421·
Starmount Academy of ExcellenceCharlotteElementaryPK-05416·
Bruns Avenue ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05415·
Dilworth ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-02411·
Elizabeth Traditional ElemCharlotteElementaryKG-05409·
Williams Secondary MontessoriCharlotteHigh07-12401·
Metrolina Reg Scholars AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-08396·
Eastover ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-05385·
Commonwealth HighCharlotteHigh09-12377·
Irwin Academic CenterCharlotteElementaryKG-05371·
Billingsville ElementaryCharlotteElementaryKG-02356·
Stewart Creek HighCharlotteHigh09-12342·
Highland Mill MontessoriCharlotteElementaryPK-06341·
Cotswold ElementaryCharlotteElementary03-05340·
Ashley Park PreK-8 SchoolCharlotteElementaryPK-08338·
Steele Creek Preparatory AcademyCharlotteElementaryKG-08335·
Dilworth Elementary School Latta CampusCharlotteElementary03-05330·
Marie G Davis SchoolCharlotteElementaryKG-08328·
Reid Park AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-05317·
Chantilly MontessoriCharlotteElementaryPK-06316·
Char Eng Early College-UNCCCharlotteHigh09-13313·
Vaughan Academy of TechnologyCharlotteElementaryKG-05309·
Walter G. Byers SchoolCharlotteElementaryPK-08303·
Druid Hills AcademyCharlotteElementaryPK-08288·
Movement School SouthwestCharlotteElementaryKG-03284·
Central Piedmont Early CollegeCharlotteHigh09-13278·
American Leadership Academy CharlotteCharlotteElementaryKG-07277·
Aspire Trade HighHuntersvilleHigh09-11270·
Allenbrook ElementaryCharlotteElementaryPK-05267·
Metro SchoolCharlotteCombinedPK-12258·

Cities in Mecklenburg County

Charlotte186 schoolsHuntersville16 schoolsMatthews10 schoolsCornelius5 schoolsMint Hill4 schoolsDavidson2 schoolsPineville2 schoolsCharlotte1 school

About Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County is a population-heavy county of about 1,154,681 residents in North Carolina. Its public-school system instructs approximately 170,407 students across 226 schools.

Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $87,005 a year, roughly 49% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 38% noticeably above the North Carolina median.

For a sense of the school types, Mecklenburg County is made up of 138 elementary schools (78,866 students), 31 middle schools (27,054), 40 high schools (48,481), and 17 combined or other schools.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 145,014 students on its own.

Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment rose 4%: 163,184 students in SY 2017-18 versus 170,260 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 203 to 220 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the Hispanic share of enrollment grew from 23% to 29%.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Mecklenburg County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has 226 public K-12 schools serving approximately 170,407 students.
How many high schools are in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has 40 public high schools, serving approximately 48,481 students.
How many middle schools are in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has 31 public middle schools, serving approximately 27,054 students.
How many elementary schools are in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has 138 public elementary schools, serving approximately 78,866 students.
What is the largest school district in Mecklenburg County?
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is the largest school district in Mecklenburg County, serving approximately 145,014 students. The county contains 40 school districts overall.
How many people live in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County has roughly 1,154,681 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Mecklenburg County?
Median household income in Mecklenburg County is $87,005, above the North Carolina average of $63,182. About 7.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Mecklenburg County?
Approximately 49.2% of adults 25 and older in Mecklenburg County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Mecklenburg County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 70.5% of students in Mecklenburg County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the North Carolina county average of 86.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Mecklenburg County schools?
Across Mecklenburg County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 17.4 to 1.

Mecklenburg County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data