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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina - 22 schools
An equity score of 55/100 ranks Wilkes County Schools #100 of 297 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,150 per pupil, Wilkes County Schools ranks #150 of 328 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
Wilkes County Schools operates 22 public schools serving 8,673 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 13 combined, 5 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 Wilkes County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,150 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 328 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.8% local, 59.5% state, and 19.7% 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 55/100, ranked #100 of 297 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 4 of 22 schools offering Advanced Placement (19 AP courses district-wide), a 311.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 72.2% White, 16.7% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is North Wilkesboro Elementary School, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
Its largest campus is Wilkes Central High School, enrolling 719 students (8% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Traphill Elementary School, at 73 students, a 10x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Wilkes County Schools school enrollment ranges from 73 students (lowest) to 719 students (highest), a spread of 646 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
The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
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 Wilkes County Schools is typically wider than the Wilkes County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
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 Wilkes County Schools is typically wider than the Wilkes County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.
Average demographic composition across 22 schools in Wilkes County Schools.
Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.
Average Simpson diversity index across Wilkes County Schools's schools, below the North Carolina average of 56.1.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.
The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.
| District | Enrollment | Spending | Funding Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanly County Schools | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Hoke County Schools | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
| Lenoir County Public Schools | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Chatham County Schools | Similar size | Higher spending | More locally funded |
| Lee County Schools | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
Comparisons are relative to Wilkes County Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.
See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.
Compare vs Wake County Schools →Wilkes County Schools has 22 schools, including 5 high, 13 combined, 4 middle. Total enrollment is 8,673 students.
Wilkes County Schools spends $12,150 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #100 in North Carolina.
Wilkes County Schools students are 72.2% White, 16.7% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 22 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
Wilkes County Schools has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #100 out of 297 districts in North Carolina.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.