Total enrollment
7,128
-393 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
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.
4-year change in Carter County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
-2 (-10%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Carter County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Tennessee | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 7,217 | #29 of 90 | #1,027 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 20 | #22 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.2:1 | #2 of 6 | #587 of 2,655 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 18.2% | #70 of 90 | #2,226 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Carter County school rankings
Residents
56,712
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
2 districts
Enrollment
7,217
students · 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
School enrollment
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%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- West Side Elementary· 71.2%
- Elizabethton High School· 62.3%
- East Side Elementary· 50.6%
- Happy Valley Elementary· 46.9%
- Valley Forge Elementary· 46.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Carter County Online Academy· 19.1%
- Central Elementary· 26.6%
- Hunter Elementary· 29.8%
- Unaka Elementary· 33.0%
- Hampton Elementary· 33.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethton High School | Elizabethton | High | 09-12 | 886 | · |
| Hampton Elementary | Hampton | Elementary | PK-08 | 662 | · |
| T A Dugger Junior High School | Elizabethton | Middle | 06-08 | 619 | · |
| Happy Valley Elementary | Johnson City | Elementary | PK-04 | 506 | · |
| Hunter Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | KG-08 | 498 | · |
| East Side Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | PK-05 | 465 | · |
| Happy Valley High School | Elizabethton | High | 09-12 | 449 | · |
| Hampton High School | Elizabethton | High | 09-12 | 368 | · |
| West Side Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | KG-05 | 367 | · |
| Happy Valley Middle School | Elizabethton | Middle | 05-08 | 354 | · |
| Harold McCormick Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | KG-05 | 341 | · |
| Unaka High School | Elizabethton | High | 09-12 | 284 | · |
| Central Elementary | Johnson City | Elementary | PK-08 | 267 | · |
| Cloudland Elementary School | Roan Mountain | Elementary | PK-06 | 262 | · |
| Cloudland High School | Roan Mountain | High | 07-12 | 236 | · |
| Unaka Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | PK-08 | 194 | · |
| Valley Forge Elementary | Elizabethton | Elementary | PK-05 | 186 | · |
| Carter County Online Academy | Elizabethton | Combined | KG-12 | 123 | · |
| Little Milligan | Butler | Elementary | PK-05 | 89 | · |
| Carter County Alternative School | Elizabethton | High | 05-12 | 61 | · |
| Keenburg Elementary | Elizabethton | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Carter County
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 5% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 7,521 students to 7,128. The school count fell from 21 to 19 across the same 4-year window.
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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data