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Rutherford County

North Carolina · Public K-12

20 public schools serving approximately 9,329 students, in a county of 64,930 residents.

Schools
20
3 districts
Enrollment
9,329
NCES CCD
Median income
$51,410
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
80.0%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
10
schools
Middle
3
schools
High
5
schools
Combined / other
2
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Rutherford County Schools
7,527 students · 3 districts in Rutherford County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Rutherford 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
82%
Hispanic
6%
Black
8%
Asian
1%
Two or more
7%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
71%
Hispanic
n/r
Black
10%
Asian
1%
Two or more
8%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
21.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.3%
civilian labor
Median age
45
20.1% under 18

All schools (20)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Thomas Jefferson Class AcademyMooresboroOtherKG-121,360·
R-S Central High SchoolRutherfordtonHigh09-12758·
Chase High SchoolForest CityHigh09-12660·
East Rutherford High SchoolBosticHigh09-12659·
Ellenboro Elementary SchoolEllenboroElementaryPK-05595·
R-S Middle SchoolRutherfordtonMiddle06-08574·
East Rutherford Middle SchoolBosticMiddle06-08552·
Chase Middle SchoolForest CityMiddle06-08501·
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary SchoolForest CityElementaryPK-05479·
Harris Elementary SchoolForest CityElementaryPK-05445·
Lake Lure Classical AcademyLake LureOtherKG-12442·
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary SchoolForest CityElementaryPK-05391·
Rutherfordton Elementary SchoolRutherfordtonElementaryPK-05390·
Spindale Elementary SchoolSpindaleElementaryPK-05341·
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary SchoolForest CityElementaryPK-05235·
Pinnacle Elementary SchoolRutherfordtonElementaryPK-05234·
Cliffside Elementary SchoolCliffsideElementaryKG-05213·
Rutherford Early College High SchoolSpindaleHigh09-13191·
Sunshine Elementary SchoolBosticElementaryPK-05190·
Rutherford Opportunity CenterForest CityHigh06-12119·

Frequently asked

How many K-12 schools serve Rutherford County?
There are 20 public K-12 schools in Rutherford County, North Carolina, with a combined enrollment of about 9,329.
How many high schools are in Rutherford County?
Rutherford County, North Carolina has 5 public high schools, along with 3 middle schools and 10 elementary schools.
What is the largest school district in Rutherford County?
Rutherford County Schools is the largest school district in Rutherford County, serving approximately 7,527 students. The county contains 3 school districts overall.
How many people live in Rutherford County?
Rutherford County has roughly 64,930 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Rutherford County?
Median household income in Rutherford County is $51,410, below the North Carolina average of $63,182. About 13.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Rutherford County?
Approximately 21.5% of adults 25 and older in Rutherford County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Rutherford County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 80.0% of students in Rutherford 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 Rutherford County schools?
Across Rutherford County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 14.4 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Rutherford County?
Rutherford County residents are approximately 82% White, 6% Hispanic, 8% Black, 1% Asian, 7% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of housing in Rutherford County is owner-occupied?
Rutherford County has about 32,775 housing units, of which roughly 73.9% are owner-occupied.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data