Best Schools in Gaston County, NC
Gaston County, NC has 75 public schools (15 high, 14 middle, 37 elementary) serving 41,734 students. On average they score 52% on state proficiency tests against a projected 43%, so schools in Gaston County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Gaston County, NC
The top high schools in Gaston County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Gaston Early College High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 230 Students
2. Highland Sch Of Technology
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 514 Students
3. Gaston Early College Of Medical Sciences
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 113 Students
4. South Point High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 955 Students
5. West Lincoln High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Lincoln County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 756 Students
6. Kings Mountain High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1236 Students
7. Cherryville High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 492 Students
8. Stuart W Cramer High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 964 Students
9. Forestview High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1081 Students
10. East Gaston High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 883 Students
Best Middle Schools in Gaston County, NC
The top middle schools in Gaston County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Cramerton Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 909 Students
2. Belmont Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 742 Students
3. Stanley Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 670 Students
4. Kings Mountain Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 6 • 627 Students
5. West Lincoln Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Lincoln County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 554 Students
6. Mount Holly Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 557 Students
7. John Chavis Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 413 Students
8. Kings Mountain Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 712 Students
9. York Chester Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 431 Students
10. Holbrook Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 777 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Gaston County, NC
The top elementary schools in Gaston County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Hawks Nest Steam Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 347 Students
2. New Hope Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 520 Students
3. Belmont Central Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades 2 - 5 • 689 Students
4. North Belmont Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 327 Students
5. W A Bess Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 622 Students
6. Pinewood Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 485 Students
7. Mcadenville Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 180 Students
8. North Brook Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Lincoln County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 364 Students
9. Ida Rankin Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 507 Students
10. Lowell Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gaston County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 409 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Gaston County, NC
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Gaston County, NC has a total population of 227,943 with 23% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 88%, and 26% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Gaston 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 Gaston County, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
22.75 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
4.00 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
18.76 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Gaston County, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Gaston 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 Gaston County, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Gaston County, NC
How many schools are in Gaston County, NC?
Gaston County, NC has 75 public schools: 15 high schools, 14 middle schools and 37 elementary schools, serving 41,734 students in total.
How do schools in Gaston County perform on state tests?
On average, 75 schools in Gaston County score 52% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 43%, so on average schools in Gaston County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Gaston 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 Gaston County, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 57%
- Projected: 42%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 60%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 54%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 47%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 38%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 65%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 53%
- Projected: 37%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Gaston County
10 places in Gaston County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (10)
- Gastonia (24)
- Belmont (7)
- Bessemer City (5)
- Dallas (5)
- Cherryville (4)
- Mount Holly (4)
- Stanley (4)
- Lowell (2)
- Cramerton (1)
- Mcadenville (1)
School districts (1)
- Gaston County Schools (56 schools)