Enrollment
927
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Harrisburg, NC
Hickory Ridge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hickory Ridge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370053003518
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hickory Ridge Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Harrisburg · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 14.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Hickory Ridge Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Ridge Elementary ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Harrisburg, NC.
School address
District: Cabarrus County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370053003518 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hickory Ridge Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hickory Ridge Elementary
Hickory Ridge Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Harrisburg, North Carolina, enrolling 927 students.
At 14.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.1% free-meal eligibility runs 79% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 927 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 149 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #75.
Its student body is led by Asian (39%) and White (31%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 464 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Harrisburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside A.C.E. Academy (421 students): Hickory Ridge Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 17.5:1).
Cabarrus County Schools also operates Cox Mill High School (1,772 students) and Hickory Ridge High (1,671 students) alongside Hickory Ridge Elementary.
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 Hickory Ridge Elementary compares
Hickory Ridge Elementary 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.1% | ▼ 79% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 927 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
927
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 42% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,831
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 464 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Asian 38.8%
White 31.1%
African American 16.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%
Two or More 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Asian at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.8, Hickory Ridge Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cabarrus County Schools, which includes Hickory Ridge Elementary.
$10,831
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 55.3%
Federal 14.4%
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 Hickory Ridge Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Mill High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hickory Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Cabarrus High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Cabarrus High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harris Road Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hickory Ridge Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,772
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,671
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,627
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,369
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,368
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Harrisburg
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~927 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hickory Ridge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hickory Ridge Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cabarrus 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 Hickory Ridge Elementary
How many students attend Hickory Ridge Elementary?
Hickory Ridge Elementary has 927 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Harrisburg, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hickory Ridge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hickory Ridge Elementary is 14.5:1, which is 8% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% 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 Hickory Ridge Elementary?
14.1% of students at Hickory Ridge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hickory Ridge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hickory Ridge Elementary is Asian at 38.8% of enrollment, in Harrisburg, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hickory Ridge Elementary?
Hickory Ridge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Hickory Ridge Elementary rank among public schools in Harrisburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Ridge Elementary ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Harrisburg, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Harrisburg on the city page.
Is Hickory Ridge Elementary a good school?
Hickory Ridge Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Cabarrus County Schools?
Besides Hickory Ridge Elementary, Cabarrus County Schools also operates Cox Mill High School (1,772 students), Hickory Ridge High (1,671 students), and West Cabarrus High (1,627 students). See the Cabarrus 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.