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Wilmington, North Carolina - 42 schools
An equity score of 61/100 ranks New Hanover County Schools #82 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,724 per pupil, New Hanover County Schools ranks #73 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
25,244
Total Enrollment
42
Schools
$13,724
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
New Hanover County Schools operates 42 public schools serving 25,244 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 20 elementary, 8 combined, 7 high, 7 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 New Hanover County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,724 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 29.4% local, 51.7% state, and 18.8% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 61/100, ranked #82 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 6 of 42 schools offering Advanced Placement (79 AP courses district-wide), a 328.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 30.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.5% White, 21.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is John J Blair Elementary, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
Its largest campus is Emsley a Laney High, enrolling 2,243 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is J. C. Roe Center, at 14 students, a 160x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
New Hanover County Schools school enrollment varies 160× across entities
New Hanover County Schools school enrollment ranges from 14 students (lowest) to 2,243 students (highest), a spread of 2,229 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
New Hanover County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 66.9% 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 approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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.
New Hanover County Schools student-counselor ratio is 328:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within New Hanover County Schools is typically wider than the New Hanover County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
New Hanover County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 30.0% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
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 Variation between sub-units within New Hanover County Schools is typically wider than the New Hanover County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in New Hanover County Schools?
New Hanover County Schools has 42 schools, including 7 high, 7 middle, 20 elementary, 8 combined. Total enrollment is 25,244 students.
How much does New Hanover County Schools spend per student?
New Hanover County Schools spends $13,724 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #82 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of New Hanover County Schools?
New Hanover County Schools students are 51.5% White, 21.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% African American, 1.9% Asian, averaged across 42 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for New Hanover County Schools?
New Hanover County Schools has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #82 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.