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Polk County

North Carolina · Public K-12

7 public schools serving approximately 2,166 students, in a county of 19,891 residents.

Schools
7
1 districts
Enrollment
2,166
NCES CCD
Median income
$67,758
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
70.9%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
4
schools
Middle
1
schools
High
2
schools
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Polk County Schools
2,166 students · 1 district in Polk County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Polk 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
87%
Hispanic
6%
Black
4%
Asian
1%
Two or more
7%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
75%
Hispanic
n/r
Black
6%
Asian
1%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
36.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.1%
civilian labor
Median age
55
15.3% under 18

All schools (7)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Polk County High SchoolColumbusHigh09-12579·
Polk County Middle SchoolMill SpringMiddle06-08475·
Tryon Elementary SchoolTryonElementaryPK-05407·
Polk Central Elementary SchoolMill SpringElementaryPK-05341·
Saluda Elementary SchoolSaludaElementaryPK-05146·
Sunny View Elementary SchoolMill SpringElementaryPK-05134·
Polk County Early CollegeColumbusHigh09-1284·

Frequently asked

How many public schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, North Carolina has 7 public K-12 schools serving approximately 2,166 students.
How many high schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, North Carolina has 2 public high schools, along with 1 middle schools and 4 elementary schools.
What is the largest school district in Polk County?
Polk County Schools is the largest school district in Polk County, serving approximately 2,166 students. The county contains 1 school district overall.
What is the population of Polk County?
Polk County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 19,891, with a median age of 55. About 15.3% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Polk County?
Median household income in Polk County is $67,758, above the North Carolina average of $63,182. About 10.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Polk County?
Approximately 36.2% of adults 25 and older in Polk County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Polk County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 70.9% of students in Polk County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the North Carolina county average of 68.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Polk County schools?
Across Polk County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 13.0 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Polk County?
Polk County residents are approximately 87% White, 6% Hispanic, 4% Black, 1% Asian, 7% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of housing in Polk County is owner-occupied?
Polk County has about 11,042 housing units, of which roughly 76.9% are owner-occupied.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data