Caldwell County Schools

Lenoir, North Carolina — 24 schools

10,758
Total Enrollment
24
Schools
$12,314
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Caldwell County Schools operates 24 public schools serving 10,758 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 other, 5 high, 4 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 10,529 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Caldwell County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,314 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 16.5% local, 57.4% state, and 26.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $74,431 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 59/100, ranked #85 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 24 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 401.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 43.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 72.0% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% African American across the district's schools.

Caldwell County Schools school enrollment varies 44× across entities

Caldwell County Schools school enrollment ranges from 29 students (lowest) to 1,272 students (highest), a spread of 1,243 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Caldwell County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 66.1% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants 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

Caldwell County Schools student-counselor ratio is 402:1 — 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

Caldwell County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 43.0% — 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?

26.1%
Federal
57.4%
State
16.5%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
85 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Caldwell County county, where this district is located.

$858
Studio/mo
$908
1 BR/mo
$1,095
2 BR/mo
$1,372
3 BR/mo
$1,660
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$74,431
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 24 schools in Caldwell County Schools.

White 72.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
African American 5.6%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 6.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 24
Schools with AP
16 AP courses total
401.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Caldwell County Schools

School Enrollment
South Caldwell High
1,272
Hibriten High
818
Hudson Elementary
665
Granite Falls Elementary
647
West Caldwell High
634
Hudson Middle
551
Granite Falls Middle
518
William Lenoir Middle
512
Gamewell Elementary
459
Gamewell Middle
457
Dudley Shoals Elementary
433
Davenport a+ School
429
Lower Creek Elementary
396
Caldwell Early College
387
Baton Elementary
357
Sawmills Elementary
351
Whitnel Elementary
330
Collettsville School
321
Valmead Elementary
305
Happy Valley Elementary
234
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
218
Kings Creek Elementary
153
Gateway School
53
Horizons Elementary
29

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 · $14,074/pupil
Compare vs Caldwell County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $15,997/pupil
Compare vs Caldwell County Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,788/pupil
Compare vs Caldwell County Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,982/pupil
Compare vs Caldwell County Schools →

Compare Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Schools?

Caldwell County Schools has 24 schools, including 5 high, 14 other, 4 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 10,758 students.

How much does Caldwell County Schools spend per student?

Caldwell County Schools spends $12,314 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #85 in North Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Caldwell County Schools?

The average teacher salary in Caldwell County Schools is $74,431 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Caldwell County Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Caldwell County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Caldwell County Schools?

Caldwell County Schools students are 72.0% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 24 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Caldwell County Schools?

Caldwell County Schools has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #85 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.