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Best Schools in Marion, NC
Marion, NC has 31 public schools (8 high, 7 middle, 15 elementary) serving 12,324 students. On average they score 55% on state proficiency tests against a projected 54%, so schools in Marion underperform expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Marion, NC
The top high schools in Marion, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Mcdowell Academy For Innovation
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 113 Students
2. Mcdowell Early College
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 225 Students
3. Mountain Heritage High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Yancey County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 639 Students
4. R-s Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 758 Students
5. Freedom High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1414 Students
6. Mcdowell High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1416 Students
7. Mitchell High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mitchell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 497 Students
8. Mcdowell Virtual Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 140 Students
Best Middle Schools in Marion, NC
The top middle schools in Marion, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Foothills Community School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 188 Students
2. East Yancey Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Yancey County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 255 Students
3. Table Rock Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 502 Students
4. R-s Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 574 Students
5. West Mcdowell Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 605 Students
6. East Mcdowell Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 468 Students
7. Avery Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Avery County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 230 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Marion, NC
The top elementary schools in Marion, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Old Fort Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 316 Students
2. Glen Alpine Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 279 Students
3. Pinnacle Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 234 Students
4. Crossnore Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Avery County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 199 Students
5. Eastfield Global Magnet School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 266 Students
6. Marion Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 355 Students
7. Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 304 Students
8. South Toe Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Yancey County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 108 Students
9. Nebo Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 339 Students
10. West Marion Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 377 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Marion, NC
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Marion, NC has a total population of 25,503 with 22% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 86%, and 17% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Marion, 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 Marion, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
19.19 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.62 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
15.57 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Marion, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Marion, 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 Marion, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Marion, NC
How many schools are in Marion, NC?
Marion, NC has 31 public schools: 8 high schools, 7 middle schools and 15 elementary schools, serving 12,324 students in total.
How do schools in Marion perform on state tests?
On average, 31 schools in Marion score 55% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 54%, so on average schools in Marion underperform expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Marion?
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 Marion, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 48%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 56%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 48%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 54%
- Projected: 56%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 48%
- Projected: 56%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 53%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
Every school in Marion
12 of 13 schools in Marion carry a SchoolGrade (1 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
A: 3B: 3C: 2D: 4
All 13 public schools we grade in Marion. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (1)
Middle and junior high schools (2)
Elementary and primary schools (6)
- Glenwood Elementary School
- Marion Elementary School
- Mcdowell Early College
- North Cove Elementary School
- Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
- West Marion Elementary School
Other schools and academies (4)
- Eastfield Global Magnet School
- Foothills Community School
- Mcdowell Academy For Innovation
- Mcdowell Virtual Academy
Private schools (1)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.