Enrollment
597
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cary, NC
East Cary Middle
Federal NCES profile for East Cary Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472002830
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Cary Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools.
- #6 of 7
- middle schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 32.1%
- free-lunch eligible
East Cary Middle has class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Cary Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472002830 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Cary Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Cary Middle
East Cary Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 597 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 32.1% free-meal eligibility runs 51% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 597 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 312 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #116.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 299 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 193 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 597 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Cary's middle schools, it stands alongside Mills Park Middle (1,632 students): East Cary Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 19.2:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside East Cary Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How East Cary Middle compares
East Cary Middle on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 20% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.1% | ▼ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 597 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
597
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 19% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
88
in-school suspensions + 105 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 53.3%
Hispanic or Latino 24.1%
African American 12.7%
Asian 5.4%
Two or More 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, East Cary Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes East Cary Middle.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How East Cary Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Cary Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Cary
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Mills Park Middle
Standard public school
1,632 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Alston Ridge Middle
Standard public school
1,494 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Davis Drive Middle
Standard public school
992 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
West Cary Middle
Standard public school
824 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Reedy Creek Middle
Standard public school
805 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Connections Academy
Alternative education program
8 students
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~597 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Cary Middle's federal record.
- Compare East Cary Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Wake County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about East Cary Middle
How many students attend East Cary Middle?
East Cary Middle has 597 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Cary Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at East Cary Middle is 12.7:1, which is 20% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 19% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at East Cary Middle?
32.1% of students at East Cary Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Cary Middle?
The largest demographic group at East Cary Middle is White at 53.3% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Cary Middle?
East Cary Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does East Cary Middle rank among middle schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, East Cary Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Cary, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Cary on the city page.
Is East Cary Middle a good school?
East Cary Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Wake County Schools?
Besides East Cary Middle, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.