Brunswick County Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Bolivia, North Carolina - 20 schools

An equity score of 51/100 ranks Brunswick County Schools #120 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,819 per pupil, Brunswick County Schools ranks #100 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

12,944
Total Enrollment
20
Schools
$12,819
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Brunswick County Schools operates 20 public schools serving 12,944 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 elementary, 5 combined, 4 high, 4 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Brunswick County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,819 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 34.5% local, 46.4% state, and 19.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 51/100, ranked #120 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 20 schools offering Advanced Placement (38 AP courses district-wide), a 422.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 30.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.1% White, 18.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lincoln Elementary, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.

Its largest campus is North Brunswick High, enrolling 1,620 students (12% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is The Coast, at 96 students, a 17x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Brunswick County Schools school enrollment varies 17× across entities

Brunswick County Schools school enrollment ranges from 96 students (lowest) to 1,620 students (highest), a spread of 1,524 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Brunswick County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 99.3% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Brunswick County Schools student-counselor ratio is 422:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Brunswick County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 30.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.1%
Federal
46.4%
State
34.5%
Local

Funding Equity

51
Equity Score
120 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 20 schools in Brunswick County Schools.

White 60.1%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
African American 13.1%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 7.3%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 56.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Brunswick County Schools's schools, about the same as the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lincoln Elementary 70.3
  2. 2 Leland Middle 68.5
  3. 3 Supply Elementary 68.5
  4. 4 North Brunswick High 66.0
  5. 5 Belville Elementary 64.3

Programs & Resources

3 / 20
Schools with AP
38 AP courses total
422.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Brunswick County Schools

School Enrollment
North Brunswick High
1,620
West Brunswick High
1,466
South Brunswick High
1,154
Belville Elementary
812
Leland Middle
806
Lincoln Elementary
738
Town Creek Elementary
702
Union Elementary
654
Shallotte Middle
627
Virginia Williamson Elem
610
South Brunswick Middle
585
Supply Elementary
580
Town Creek Middle
540
Bolivia Elementary
514
Cedar Grove Middle
507
Waccamaw
415
Southport Elementary
413
Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary
390
Brunswick County Early College
332
The Coast
96

How Brunswick County Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Henderson County Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Moore County Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Craven County Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Burke County Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Lincoln County Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Brunswick County Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $11,859/pupil
Compare vs Brunswick County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $11,853/pupil
Compare vs Brunswick County Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Brunswick County Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,412/pupil
Compare vs Brunswick County Schools →

Compare Brunswick County Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Brunswick County Schools?

Brunswick County Schools has 20 schools, including 4 high, 5 combined, 4 middle, 7 elementary. Total enrollment is 12,944 students.

How much does Brunswick County Schools spend per student?

Brunswick County Schools spends $12,819 per student. The district has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #120 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Brunswick County Schools?

Brunswick County Schools students are 60.1% White, 18.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% African American, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 20 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Brunswick County Schools?

Brunswick County Schools has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #120 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.