Enrollment
731
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lincolnton, NC
West Lincoln High
Federal NCES profile for West Lincoln High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370268001124
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lincoln High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Lincolnton · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 48.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lincoln High has class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lincoln High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Lincolnton, NC.
School address
District: Lincoln County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370268001124 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lincoln High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lincoln High
West Lincoln High is a mid-sized high school in Lincolnton, North Carolina, enrolling 731 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 731 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.
Against 444 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #78.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 29/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 244 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 213 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 731 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Lincolnton's high schools, it stands alongside North Lincoln High (1,126 students): West Lincoln High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17:1 vs 24:1).
Lincoln County Schools also operates North Lincoln High (1,126 students) and East Lincoln High (1,047 students) alongside West Lincoln High.
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 Lincoln High compares
West Lincoln High 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 | 17:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.1% | ▼ 27% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 731 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
731
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
17:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 73% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.4%
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
$10,582
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 244 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
126
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.1 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
White 83.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Two or More 3.7%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 83.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.6, West Lincoln High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln County Schools, which includes West Lincoln High.
$10,582
Per student
-12%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 58.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Lincoln High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Lincoln High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lincoln High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincolnton High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Lincoln Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Lincoln Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Lincoln High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,126
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 774
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Lincolnton
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~731 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lincoln High's federal record.
- Compare West Lincoln High against another school. Compare schools
- Lincoln 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 Lincoln High
How many students attend West Lincoln High?
West Lincoln High has 731 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lincolnton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lincoln High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lincoln High is 17:1, which is 8% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Lincoln High?
48.1% of students at West Lincoln High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lincoln High?
The largest demographic group at West Lincoln High is White at 83.7% of enrollment, in Lincolnton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lincoln High?
West Lincoln High has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 West Lincoln High rank among high schools in Lincolnton?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lincoln High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Lincolnton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Lincolnton on the city page.
Is West Lincoln High a good school?
West Lincoln High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools. 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 Lincoln County Schools?
Besides West Lincoln High, Lincoln County Schools also operates North Lincoln High (1,126 students), East Lincoln High (1,047 students), and Lincolnton High (797 students). See the Lincoln 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.