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Best Elementary Schools in Wilmington, NC (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Wilmington, NC, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Wilmington, NC rankings: Elementary Schools
Wilmington, NC elementary schools ranked
How Wilmington, NC's elementary schools compare
A: 9B: 5C: 4D: 7F: 3
50% of the 28 ranked elementary schools in Wilmington, NC earn an A or B (9 A grades, 5 B, 4 C, 7 D, 3 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 19 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (68% here, 70% nationally), and 13 exceed it. On average 56% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 43% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: The International School At Gregory (62% against 33%, B), Dr Hubert Eaton SR Elem (81% against 54%, A+), Classical Charter Schools Of Wilmington (43% against 18%, D), Heyward C Bellamy Elem (80% against 56%, A+), Edwin A Anderson Elementary (73% against 51%, A).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): New Hanover County Schools (9).
The largest ranked elementary schools: Ogden Elementary (641 students, A+, #2), Edwin A Anderson Elementary (624 students, A, #8), Porters Neck Elementary (605 students, A, #5).
Of the top 25, 2 are magnet schools and 4 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
Elementary schools in Wilmington, NC that are not ranked
1 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Special-purpose schools (1)
Alternative, special-education and vocational schools serve a different mission and a different student body, so they are graded but not ranked against regular schools.
- F Lake Forest Academy, Wilmington
About this ranking
- Scope: public elementary schools in Wilmington, NC, as grouped on its schools page; the North Carolina ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about elementary schools in Wilmington, NC
What is the best elementary school in Wilmington, NC?
Masonboro Elementary in Wilmington ranks first among the 28 ranked elementary schools in Wilmington, NC with a SchoolGrade of A+, 90% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 70%.
How are elementary schools in Wilmington, NC ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many elementary schools does Wilmington, NC have?
SchoolGrade grades 29 public elementary schools in Wilmington, NC; 28 are ranked here and 1 are listed as not ranked.