Enrollment
551
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hickory, NC
Snow Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Snow Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370069003084
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Snow Creek Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Snow Creek Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Snow Creek Elementary ranks #4 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Catawba County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370069003084 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Snow Creek Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Snow Creek Elementary
Snow Creek Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 551 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 53.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 551 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 498 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #293.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 551 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hickory's public schools, it stands alongside Viewmont Elementary (509 students): Snow Creek Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 14.5:1).
Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students) and Bandys High (935 students) alongside Snow Creek 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 Snow Creek Elementary compares
Snow Creek 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▼ 20% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 551 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
551
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 32% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.9%
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
$11,517
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 551 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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 58.8%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%
Two or More 9.6%
Asian 7.3%
African American 2.5%
Largest group: White at 58.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Snow Creek 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 Catawba County Schools, which includes Snow Creek Elementary.
$11,517
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.3%
State 55.4%
Federal 22.2%
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 Snow Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bandys High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fred T Foard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maiden High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunker Hill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Snow Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Hickory
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Viewmont Elementary
Standard public school
509 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Clyde Campbell Elementary
Standard public school
505 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Ray Childers Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Webb a Murray Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Oakwood Elementary
Standard public school
336 students 16:1 students per teacher
Southwest Primary
Standard public school
292 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~551 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Snow Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Snow Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Catawba 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 Snow Creek Elementary
How many students attend Snow Creek Elementary?
Snow Creek Elementary has 551 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Snow Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Snow Creek Elementary is 13.8:1, which is 13% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 12% 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 Snow Creek Elementary?
53.0% of students at Snow Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Snow Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Snow Creek Elementary is White at 58.8% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Snow Creek Elementary?
Snow Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Snow Creek Elementary rank among schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, Snow Creek Elementary ranks #4 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hickory on the city page.
Is Snow Creek Elementary a good school?
Snow Creek Elementary earns 38/100 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 Catawba County Schools?
Besides Snow Creek Elementary, Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students), Bandys High (935 students), and Fred T Foard High (930 students). See the Catawba 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.