- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Swannanoa, NC
Owen Middle
Federal NCES profile for Owen Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370045002286
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Owen Middle earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Swannanoa · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Owen 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, Owen Middle ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Swannanoa, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045002286 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+17 students YoY
Owen Middle held near 435 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 36.1 → 34.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+17 students YoY 370045002286 · Swannanoa, NC Middle · SMALL · TRAD
457 enr · 12.7:1 · 57.2% lunch · RII 49
Nearest enrollment peer: Roberson High (1,479 students)
Owen Middle held near 435 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 36.1 → 34.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Owen Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Roberson High
Roberson High
1,479 students
- Reynolds High
Reynolds High
1,169 students
- Enka High
Enka High
1,051 students
- Erwin High
Erwin High
1,013 students
- North Buncombe
North Buncombe High
896 students
- This school 457
Owen Middle
457 students
What this shows Owen Middle reports 457 students on the CCD universe file.
How Owen Middle compares
Owen Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 57.2% | ▼ 13% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 457 | top 55% | - | - |
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.
457
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below 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
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
31.1%
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
$13,585
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 229 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
83
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 72.0%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 3.3%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 72.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.3, Owen Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Buncombe County Schools reports $13,585 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Owen Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Owen Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~457 students)
Frequently asked questions about Owen Middle
How many students attend Owen Middle?
Owen Middle has 457 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Swannanoa, NC. CCD year-over-year: 418 (2022-23) → 435 (2023-24), nearly flat (+17).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Owen Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Owen 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 Owen Middle?
57.2% of students at Owen Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Owen Middle?
The largest demographic group at Owen Middle is White at 72.0% of enrollment, in Swannanoa, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Owen Middle?
Owen Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Owen Middle rank among public schools in Swannanoa?
By Resource Investment Index, Owen Middle ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Swannanoa, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Owen Middle, Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students), Reynolds High (1,169 students), and Enka High (1,051 students). See the Buncombe County Schools district page for the complete list.