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Carter County

Tennessee · Public K-12

The 21 public K-12 schools in Carter County cover all standard grade bands (11 elementary, 2 middle, and 6 high), with combined enrollment around 7,217.

7-year change in Carter County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
7,128
-728 (-9%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
19
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
90%
was 94%
% Hispanic
5%
was 2%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
21
2 districts
Enrollment
7,217
NCES CCD
Median income
$50,135
Below Tennessee avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
11
3,837 students
Middle
2
973 students
High
6
2,284 students
Combined / other
2
123 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Carter County Public Schools
4,539 students · 2 districts in Carter County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Carter 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
94%
Hispanic
3%
Black
2%
Asian
0%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
90%
Hispanic
5%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
3%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
20.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.2%
civilian labor
Median age
46
17.7% under 18

Test scores in Carter County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 18 schools ranked. Tennessee state average: 40.9%.

See all 18 schools in Carter County ranked by score →

All schools (21)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Elizabethton High SchoolElizabethtonHigh09-12886·
Hampton ElementaryHamptonElementaryPK-08662·
T A Dugger Junior High SchoolElizabethtonMiddle06-08619·
Happy Valley ElementaryJohnson CityElementaryPK-04506·
Hunter ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryKG-08498·
East Side ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryPK-05465·
Happy Valley High SchoolElizabethtonHigh09-12449·
Hampton High SchoolElizabethtonHigh09-12368·
West Side ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryKG-05367·
Happy Valley Middle SchoolElizabethtonMiddle05-08354·
Harold McCormick ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryKG-05341·
Unaka High SchoolElizabethtonHigh09-12284·
Central ElementaryJohnson CityElementaryPK-08267·
Cloudland Elementary SchoolRoan MountainElementaryPK-06262·
Cloudland High SchoolRoan MountainHigh07-12236·
Unaka ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryPK-08194·
Valley Forge ElementaryElizabethtonElementaryPK-05186·
Carter County Online AcademyElizabethtonCombinedKG-12123·
Little MilliganButlerElementaryPK-0589·
Carter County Alternative SchoolElizabethtonHigh05-1261·
Keenburg ElementaryElizabethtonCombinedM-M··

Cities in Carter County

Elizabethton15 schoolsJohnson City2 schoolsRoan Mountain2 schoolsButler1 schoolHampton1 school

About Carter County

Carter County is a compact county of about 56,712 residents in Tennessee. Its public-school system teaches approximately 7,217 students across 21 schools.

Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $50,135 a year, about 21% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%. That income level is 18% noticeably below the Tennessee median.

In terms of grade levels, Carter County comprises 11 elementary schools (3,837 students), 2 middle schools (973), 6 high schools (2,284), and 2 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Carter County is Carter County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 4,539 students.

Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Carter County has shrank 9% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 7,856 students to 7,128. The school count fell from 20 to 19 across the same 7-year window. The White share of public-school enrollment shrank from 94% to 90%.

On this page, the community for Carter County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Carter County?
There are 21 public K-12 schools in Carter County, Tennessee, with a combined enrollment of about 7,217.
How many high schools are in Carter County?
Carter County, Tennessee has 6 public high schools, serving approximately 2,284 students.
How many middle schools are in Carter County?
Carter County, Tennessee has 2 public middle schools, serving approximately 973 students.
How many elementary schools are in Carter County?
Carter County, Tennessee has 11 public elementary schools, serving approximately 3,837 students.
What is the largest school district in Carter County?
Carter County Public Schools is the largest school district in Carter County, serving approximately 4,539 students. The county contains 2 school districts overall.
What is the population of Carter County?
Carter County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 56,712, with a median age of 46. About 17.7% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Carter County?
Median household income in Carter County is $50,135, below the Tennessee average of $61,364. About 12.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Carter County?
Approximately 20.6% of adults 25 and older in Carter County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Carter County schools?
Across Carter County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 12.2 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Carter County?
Carter County residents are approximately 94% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Black, 0% Asian, 4% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

Carter County school rankings

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