Total enrollment
22,452
-1,581 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
45 schools in Buncombe County Schools
North Carolina · 22,452 students · 10 cities
Of the 45 public K-12 schools run by Buncombe County Schools, combined student count is roughly 22,452, with 23 elementary, 11 middle, and 10 high.
7-year change in Buncombe County Schools
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
45
+1 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
63%
was 70%
% Hispanic
22%
was 17%
% Black
7%
was 7%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
About Buncombe County Schools
Buncombe County Schools is a mid-sized public-school district in North Carolina. The district maintains 45 schools and educates approximately 22,452 students.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Buncombe County Schools consists of 23 elementary, 11 middle, 10 high schools, and 1 combined or other.
On a per-school basis, Buncombe County Schools runs about 499 students per campus, 13% meaningfully below the state mean of roughly 571.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 7%: 24,033 students in SY 2017-18 versus 22,452 in SY 2024-25. Buncombe County Schools now counts 45 public schools, up from 44 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment declined from 70% to 63%.
On allk12, the community for Buncombe County Schools discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.