Total enrollment
7,495
-452 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Vance County
North Carolina · Public K-12
Vance County's public-school footprint spans 19 K-12 campuses with combined enrollment of about 7,495, the largest district being Vance County Schools. The level mix is 11 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Vance County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
18
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
17%
was 21%
% Hispanic
20%
was 14%
% Black
57%
was 60%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
42,322
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
19
4 districts
Enrollment
7,495
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$50,465
Below North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
98.1%
Above North Carolina avg
Elementary
11
2,631 students
Middle
2
1,036 students
High
4
1,538 students
Combined / other
2
2,290 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Vance County Schools
5,205 students · 4 districts in Vance County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Vance 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+
17.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
14.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
8.2%
civilian labor
Median age
40
24.0% under 18
Test scores in Vance County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Vance Co Early College· 91.9%
- STEM Early High· 70.6%
- Vance Virtual Village Academy· 41.1%
- E M Rollins Elementary· 40.5%
- New Hope Elementary· 38.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Carver Elementary· 22.6%
- Vance County High School· 22.8%
- Clarke Elementary· 22.9%
- E O Young Jr Elementary· 25.4%
- Vance County Middle School· 28.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson Collegiate | Henderson | Combined | KG-12 | 1,334 | · |
| Vance County High School | Henderson | High | 09-12 | 1,064 | · |
| Vance Charter School | Henderson | Combined | KG-12 | 956 | · |
| Vance County Middle School | Henderson | Middle | 06-08 | 755 | · |
| Dabney Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 385 | · |
| Aycock Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 376 | · |
| Clarke Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 364 | · |
| E M Rollins Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 322 | · |
| Zeb Vance Elementary | Kittrell | Elementary | PK-05 | 298 | · |
| STEM Early High | Henderson | Middle | 06-08 | 281 | · |
| Pinkston Street Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 262 | · |
| Vance Co Early College | Henderson | High | 09-13 | 236 | · |
| L B Yancey Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 186 | · |
| E O Young Jr Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 174 | · |
| Carver Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 134 | · |
| New Hope Elementary | Henderson | Elementary | PK-05 | 130 | · |
| Vance Virtual Village Academy | Henderson | High | 06-12 | 126 | · |
| AdVance Academy | Henderson | High | 06-12 | 112 | · |
| Sledge Institute | Henderson | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Vance County
About Vance County
In North Carolina, Vance County is a low-population county of about 42,322 residents. 19 public schools across the county enrolls about 7,495 students between them.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $50,465 a year, 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 14%. That income level is 20% below the North Carolina median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Vance County covers 11 elementary schools (2,631 students), 2 middle schools (1,036), 4 high schools (1,538), and 2 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Vance County is Vance County Schools, which alone enrolls about 5,205 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Vance County has decreased 6% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 7,947 students to 7,495. Over that span, Vance County lost 1 school, going from 19 to 18. Demographically, the Hispanic share of enrollment grew from 14% to 20%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Vance County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Vance County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data