- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hampstead, NC
Surf City Middle
Federal NCES profile for Surf City Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370357003479
👥 S:T ratio 6
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Surf City Middle earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Hampstead · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.5:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 20.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Surf City Middle has class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Surf City Middle ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Hampstead, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357003479 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+45 students YoY
Surf City Middle grew from 705 students in 2022-23 to 750 in 2023-24 (+6.4%).
Teacher FTE added 32.0 → 35.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+45 students YoY 370357003479 · Hampstead, NC Middle · MID · TRAD
752 enr · 23.5:1 · 20.7% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Surf City Middle grew from 705 students in 2022-23 to 750 in 2023-24 (+6.4%). Teacher FTE added 32.0 → 35.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Surf City Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Topsail High
Topsail High
1,945 students
- Surf City Elem
Surf City Elementary
857 students
- Topsail Middle
Topsail Middle
837 students
- This school 752
Surf City Middle
752 students
- Heide Trask Hi 732
Heide Trask High
732 students
- Pender High 648
Pender High
648 students
What this shows Surf City Middle reports 752 students on the CCD universe file.
How Surf City Middle compares
Surf City Middle is a growing campus on CCD: 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 | 23.5:1 | ▲ 49% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.7% | ▼ 69% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 752 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.5:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
752
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
20.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
23.5:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 95% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$11,425
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 752 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
87
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 82.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Two or More 6.6%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 82.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.7, Surf City Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pender County Schools reports $11,425 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Surf City Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pender High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Surf City Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~752 students)
Frequently asked questions about Surf City Middle
How many students attend Surf City Middle?
Surf City Middle has 752 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hampstead, NC. CCD year-over-year: 705 (2022-23) → 750 (2023-24), up 45.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Surf City Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Surf City Middle is 23.5:1, which is 49% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Surf City Middle?
20.7% of students at Surf City Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Surf City Middle?
The largest demographic group at Surf City Middle is White at 82.6% of enrollment, in Hampstead, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Surf City Middle?
Surf City Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Surf City Middle rank among public schools in Hampstead?
By Resource Investment Index, Surf City Middle ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Hampstead, 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 Hampstead on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Surf City Middle, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Surf City Elementary (857 students), and Topsail Middle (837 students). See the Pender County Schools district page for the complete list.