Best Schools in Caldwell County, NC
Caldwell County, NC has 37 public schools (9 high, 8 middle, 19 elementary) serving 17,043 students. On average they score 50% on state proficiency tests against a projected 45%, so schools in Caldwell County don't meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Caldwell County, NC
The top high schools in Caldwell County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Caldwell Early College
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 396 Students
2. Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 214 Students
3. South Caldwell High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1317 Students
4. Wilkes Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wilkes County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 752 Students
5. Hibriten High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 843 Students
6. Freedom High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1414 Students
7. Avery County High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Avery County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 613 Students
8. West Caldwell High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 753 Students
9. Gateway School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 58 Students
Best Middle Schools in Caldwell County, NC
The top middle schools in Caldwell County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Granite Falls Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 537 Students
2. Central Wilkes Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wilkes County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 576 Students
3. William Lenoir Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 509 Students
4. Hudson Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 581 Students
5. Table Rock Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 502 Students
6. Walter R Johnson Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 465 Students
7. Avery Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Avery County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 230 Students
8. Gamewell Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 506 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Caldwell County, NC
The top elementary schools in Caldwell County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Granite Falls Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 582 Students
2. Baton Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 368 Students
3. Hudson Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 654 Students
4. Lower Creek Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 392 Students
5. Dudley Shoals Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 437 Students
6. Collettsville School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 334 Students
7. Boomer-ferguson Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wilkes County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 128 Students
8. Davenport A+ School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 464 Students
9. Sawmills Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Caldwell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 331 Students
10. Oak Hill Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 327 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Caldwell County, NC
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Caldwell County, NC has a total population of 80,652 with 20% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 83%, and 19% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Caldwell County, NC
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Caldwell County, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
18.48 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.49 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
14.99 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Caldwell County, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Caldwell County, NC.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Caldwell County, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Caldwell County, NC
How many schools are in Caldwell County, NC?
Caldwell County, NC has 37 public schools: 9 high schools, 8 middle schools and 19 elementary schools, serving 17,043 students in total.
How do schools in Caldwell County perform on state tests?
On average, 37 schools in Caldwell County score 50% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 45%, so on average schools in Caldwell County don't meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Caldwell County?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Caldwell County, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 62%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 57%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 47%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Caldwell County
4 places in Caldwell County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (4)
- Lenoir (12)
- Granite Falls (6)
- Hudson (5)
- Collettsville (1)
School districts (1)
- Caldwell County Schools (24 schools)