Hiwassee Dam High

Hiwassee Dam High is a very small 9-12 campus in Murphy, North Carolina, part of Cherokee County Schools. The school hosts 137 students in grades 9 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 82% leaner than the state mean of about 761.

Hiwassee Dam High is one of 13 schools operated by Cherokee County Schools, a district that works with 2,992 students overall.

On the student-mix side, Hiwassee Dam High shows that nearly all students (93%) are White. Other groups include 4% multiracial, 3% Hispanic. Compared to Cherokee County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 9 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 15.9:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 19.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 98% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

With demographic context factored in, Hiwassee Dam High tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 49.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 48.6%.

In the surrounding community, Cherokee County reports that the typical household earns roughly $53,628 per year, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. In all, Cherokee County runs 13 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,992 students), of which Hiwassee Dam High is one.

Hiwassee Dam Middle is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 2 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, Hiwassee Dam High comes 6th of 6 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 58.1%.

The campus sits in an outlying setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Hiwassee Dam High has declined 28%, going from 190 students in 2018 to 137 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 11.6:1 in 2018 to 15.9:1 today.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.