Enrollment
265
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Gaston, NC
Northampton County High School
Federal NCES profile for Northampton County High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370342001412
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northampton County High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Gaston · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 98.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Northampton County High School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northampton County High School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Gaston, NC.
School address
District: Northampton County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370342001412 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northampton County High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northampton County High School
Northampton County High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Gaston, North Carolina, enrolling 265 students.
At 14.7:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 265 puts it in the smaller 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 274 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #162.
Its student body is predominantly African American (84% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 29/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 92.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Northampton County Schools spends $20,192 per pupil, 68% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 28.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 125 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 265 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Northampton County Schools also operates Gaston Stem Leadership Academy (284 students) and Central Elementary (283 students) alongside Northampton County High School.
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 Northampton County High School compares
Northampton County High School 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.8% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 265 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
265
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 45% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
92.8%
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
$20,192
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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
African American 83.8%
White 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 83.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.0, Northampton County High School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Northampton County Schools, which includes Northampton County High School.
$20,192
Per student
+68%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 55.0%
Federal 28.1%
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 Northampton County High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Stem Leadership Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Conway Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northampton Early College | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northampton Virtual Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Northampton County High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 284
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 283
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 259
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 148
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 12
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high 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 (~265 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northampton County High School's federal record.
- Compare Northampton County High School against another school. Compare schools
- Northampton 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 Northampton County High School
How many students attend Northampton County High School?
Northampton County High School has 265 students enrolled. It is a high school in Gaston, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northampton County High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northampton County High School is 14.7:1, which is 7% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Northampton County High School?
98.8% of students at Northampton County High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northampton County High School?
The largest demographic group at Northampton County High School is African American at 83.8% of enrollment, in Gaston, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northampton County High School?
Northampton County High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northampton County High School rank among public schools in Gaston?
By Resource Investment Index, Northampton County High School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Gaston, 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 Gaston on the city page.
Is Northampton County High School a good school?
Northampton County High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Northampton County Schools?
Besides Northampton County High School, Northampton County Schools also operates Gaston Stem Leadership Academy (284 students), Central Elementary (283 students), and Conway Middle (259 students). See the Northampton 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.