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Wake County

North Carolina · Public K-12

Public-school enrollment in Wake County clocks in around 184,790 students across 237 schools (147 elementary, 41 middle, and 41 high).

7-year change in Wake County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
184,790
+10,295 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
226
+20 (+10%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
41%
was 47%
% Hispanic
20%
was 17%
% Black
21%
was 23%
% Asian
13%
was 9%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,178,653
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
237
30 districts
Enrollment
184,790
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$105,768
Above North Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
41.9%
Below North Carolina avg
Elementary
147
84,422 students
Middle
41
35,886 students
High
41
57,066 students
Combined / other
8
7,416 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Wake County Schools
163,176 students · 30 districts in Wake County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Wake 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
58%
Hispanic
12%
Black
19%
Asian
9%
Two or more
10%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
41%
Hispanic
20%
Black
21%
Asian
13%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
57.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.1%
civilian labor
Median age
37
23.0% under 18

Test scores in Wake County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 188 schools ranked. North Carolina state average: 51.8%.

See all 188 schools in Wake County ranked by score →

All schools (237)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Pleasant Grove ElementaryMorrisvilleElementaryPK-05376·
Raleigh Oak CharterRaleighElementaryKG-08373·
Lead Mine ElementaryRaleighElementaryKG-05359·
Baileywick Road ElementaryRaleighElementaryPK-05352·
Vernon Malone College and Career AcademyRaleighHigh09-13348·
North Wake College and Career AcademyWake ForestHigh09-13346·
Bugg ElementaryRaleighElementaryPK-05345·
Wake Young Women's Leadership AcademyRaleighHigh06-13337·
Powell ElementaryRaleighElementaryPK-05335·
Poe ElementaryRaleighElementaryPK-05324·
Wake Early College of Health and ScienceRaleighHigh09-13317·
Swift Creek ElementaryRaleighElementaryKG-05310·
Wake STEM Early College High SchoolCaryHigh09-13294·
Central Wake High SchoolRaleighHigh09-12293·
Partnership ElementaryRaleighElementaryKG-05276·
Wake Young Men's Leadership AcademyRaleighHigh06-13262·
Wake EC of Information & BiotechnologiesMorrisvilleHigh09-12260·
Olds ElementaryRaleighElementaryPK-05244·
Crossroads FLEXCaryHigh09-12139·
Quest AcademyRaleighElementaryKG-08139·
Phillips HighRaleighHigh09-12123·
Mount VernonRaleighElementaryKG-0870·
Governor Morehead School for the BlindRaleighCombinedKG-1235·
LongviewRaleighHigh06-1218·
Connections AcademyCaryMiddle06-088·
River Oaks MiddleRaleighMiddle06-087·
NCVPSRaleighHigh07-130·
Bowling Road ElementaryFuquay-VarinaElementaryM-M··
Carolina Charter Remote Academy: CFAAngierElementaryM-M··
Felton Grove HighApexElementaryM-M··
Longleaf School of Arts Remote AcademyRaleighElementaryM-M··
Nalanda Charter SchoolRaleighElementaryM-M··
Pleasant Plains ElementaryApexElementaryM-M··
Rex Road ElementaryHolly SpringsElementaryM-M··
Wake Virtual ElementaryCaryCombinedM-M··
Wake Virtual HighCaryCombinedM-M··
Wake Virtual MiddleCaryCombinedM-M··

Cities in Wake County

Raleigh102 schoolsCary36 schoolsApex23 schoolsWake Forest14 schoolsHolly Springs12 schoolsGarner11 schoolsFuquay-Varina8 schoolsMorrisville6 schoolsWendell6 schoolsKnightdale5 schoolsRolesville5 schoolsZebulon4 schoolsAngier2 schoolsFuquay Varina2 schoolsWillow Spring1 school

About Wake County

In North Carolina, Wake County is a broad county of about 1,178,653 residents. 237 public schools across the county hosts about 184,790 students between them.

Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $105,768, about 57% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 67% meaningfully above the North Carolina median.

In terms of grade levels, Wake County consists of 147 elementary schools (84,422 students), 41 middle schools (35,886), 41 high schools (57,066), and 8 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Wake County is Wake County Schools, which alone enrolls about 163,176 students.

Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Wake County has climbed 6% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 174,495 students to 184,790. Wake County now counts 226 public schools, up from 206 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment contracted from 47% to 41%.

On allk12, the community for Wake County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Wake County?
There are 237 public K-12 schools in Wake County, North Carolina, with a combined enrollment of about 184,790.
How many high schools are in Wake County?
Wake County, North Carolina has 41 public high schools, serving approximately 57,066 students.
How many middle schools are in Wake County?
Wake County, North Carolina has 41 public middle schools, serving approximately 35,886 students.
How many elementary schools are in Wake County?
Wake County, North Carolina has 147 public elementary schools, serving approximately 84,422 students.
What is the largest school district in Wake County?
Wake County Schools is the largest school district in Wake County, serving approximately 163,176 students. The county contains 30 school districts overall.
How many people live in Wake County?
Wake County has roughly 1,178,653 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Wake County?
Median household income in Wake County is $105,768, above the North Carolina average of $63,182. About 5.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Wake County?
Approximately 57.2% of adults 25 and older in Wake County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Wake County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 41.9% of students in Wake 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 Wake County schools?
Across Wake County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 16.2 to 1.

Wake County school rankings

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