Total enrollment
5,613
-443 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
16 schools in McDowell County Schools
North Carolina · 5,712 students · 3 cities
From elementary through high school, McDowell County Schools runs 16 public K-12 campuses (8 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high), with combined enrollment of about 5,712.
7-year change in McDowell County Schools
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
+2 (+15%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
74%
was 79%
% Hispanic
16%
was 14%
% Black
3%
was 3%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell High School | Marion | High | 09-12 | 1,379 |
| West McDowell Middle School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 550 |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 435 |
| East McDowell Middle School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 392 |
| West Marion Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 390 |
| Old Fort Elementary School | Old Fort | Elementary | PK-05 | 360 |
| Nebo Elementary School | Nebo | Elementary | PK-05 | 354 |
| Marion Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 333 |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 289 |
| Eastfield Global Magnet School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 279 |
| McDowell Early College | Marion | High | 09-13 | 241 |
| North Cove Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-05 | 230 |
| Foothills Community School | Marion | Middle | 06-08 | 200 |
| McDowell Academy for Innovation | Marion | High | 09-13 | 158 |
| McDowell Virtual Academy | Marion | High | 06-12 | 99 |
| The Summit Academy | Marion | High | 06-12 | 23 |
About McDowell County Schools
McDowell County Schools runs 16 public schools across North Carolina, collectively hosting roughly 5,712 students.
For a sense of the school types, McDowell County Schools comprises 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools.
Average enrollment per school in McDowell County Schools is about 357, meaningfully below the North Carolina average of roughly 571.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment fell 7%: 6,056 students in SY 2017-18 versus 5,613 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, McDowell County Schools opened 2 schools, going from 13 to 15. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 79% to 74%.
On this page, the community for McDowell County Schools discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.