Best Schools in Polk County, NC
Polk County, NC has 20 public schools (6 high, 5 middle, 9 elementary) serving 10,222 students. On average they score 60% on state proficiency tests against a projected 54%, so schools in Polk County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Polk County, NC
The top high schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Polk County Early College
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 84 Students
2. North Henderson High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1146 Students
3. Chase High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 660 Students
4. Polk County High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 579 Students
5. East Henderson High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 965 Students
6. R-s Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 758 Students
Best Middle Schools in Polk County, NC
The top middle schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Polk County Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 475 Students
2. Chase Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 501 Students
3. R-s Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 574 Students
4. Apple Valley Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 825 Students
5. Flat Rock Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 706 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Polk County, NC
The top elementary schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Saluda Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 146 Students
2. Harris Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 445 Students
3. Rutherfordton Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 390 Students
4. Pinnacle Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 234 Students
5. Tryon Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 407 Students
6. Sunny View Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 134 Students
7. Polk Central Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 341 Students
8. Edneyville Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 439 Students
9. Upward Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Henderson County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 413 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Polk County, NC
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Polk County, NC has a total population of 19,328 with 17% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 90%, and 31% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Polk 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 Polk County, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
13.06 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.84 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
10.22 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Polk County, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Polk 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 Polk County, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Polk County, NC
How many schools are in Polk County, NC?
Polk County, NC has 20 public schools: 6 high schools, 5 middle schools and 9 elementary schools, serving 10,222 students in total.
How do schools in Polk County perform on state tests?
On average, 20 schools in Polk County score 60% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 54%, so on average schools in Polk County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Polk 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 Polk County, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 57%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 40%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 43%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 38%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 54%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 44%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Polk County
4 places in Polk County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (4)
- Mill Spring (3)
- Columbus (2)
- Saluda (1)
- Tryon (1)
School districts (1)
- Polk County Schools (7 schools)