Enrollment
824
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cary, NC
West Cary Middle
Federal NCES profile for West Cary Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472001905
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Cary Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 7
- middle schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 22.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West Cary Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Cary Middle ranks #2 of 7 middle schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001905 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Cary Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Cary Middle
West Cary Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 824 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.3% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 824 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 257 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #17, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (32%) and White (31%) (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 275 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cary's middle schools, it stands alongside Mills Park Middle (1,632 students): West Cary Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 19.2:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside West Cary Middle.
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 West Cary Middle compares
West Cary Middle 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.3% | ▼ 66% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 824 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
824
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 65% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,859
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 275 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
141
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.2 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 32.2%
White 31.3%
Hispanic or Latino 17.2%
African American 15.8%
Two or More 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 32.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.3, West Cary Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes West Cary Middle.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 West Cary Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Cary Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Cary
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Mills Park Middle
Standard public school
1,632 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Alston Ridge Middle
Standard public school
1,494 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Davis Drive Middle
Standard public school
992 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Reedy Creek Middle
Standard public school
805 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
East Cary Middle
Standard public school
597 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Connections Academy
Alternative education program
8 students
Similar middle 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 (~824 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Cary Middle's federal record.
- Compare West Cary Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 West Cary Middle
How many students attend West Cary Middle?
West Cary Middle has 824 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Cary Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at West Cary Middle is 16.2:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Cary Middle?
22.3% of students at West Cary Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Cary Middle?
The largest demographic group at West Cary Middle is Asian at 32.2% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Cary Middle?
West Cary Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 West Cary Middle rank among middle schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, West Cary Middle ranks #2 of 7 middle schools in Cary, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Cary on the city page.
Is West Cary Middle a good school?
West Cary Middle earns 54/100 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides West Cary Middle, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.