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North Wilkesboro, North Carolina - 22 schools
An equity score of 57/100 ranks Wilkes County Schools #94 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,156 per pupil, Wilkes County Schools ranks #126 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
8,673
Total Enrollment
22
Schools
$12,156
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
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 $12,156 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 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 57/100, ranked #94 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 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 varies 9.8× across entities
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.
Wilkes County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 86.4% 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 — including this one — 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.
Wilkes County Schools student-counselor ratio is 312:1 — 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 Wilkes County Schools is typically wider than the Wilkes County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Wilkes County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 22.3% — 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 Wilkes County Schools is typically wider than the Wilkes County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Wilkes County Schools has 22 schools, including 5 high, 13 combined, 4 middle. Total enrollment is 8,673 students.
How much does Wilkes County Schools spend per student?
Wilkes County Schools spends $12,156 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #94 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Wilkes County Schools?
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.
What is the equity score for Wilkes County Schools?
Wilkes County Schools has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #94 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.