Best Schools in Rutherford County, NC
Rutherford County, NC has 41 public schools (10 high, 8 middle, 18 elementary) serving 18,279 students. On average they score 57% on state proficiency tests against a projected 53%, so schools in Rutherford County don't meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Rutherford County, NC
The top high schools in Rutherford County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Rutherford Early College High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 191 Students
2. Chase High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 660 Students
3. Robert L. Patton High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 752 Students
4. Polk County High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Polk County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 579 Students
5. East Rutherford High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 659 Students
6. Owen High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Buncombe County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 689 Students
7. Burns High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 934 Students
8. R-s Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 758 Students
9. Mcdowell High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1416 Students
10. Rutherford Opportunity Center
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 119 Students
Best Middle Schools in Rutherford County, NC
The top middle schools in Rutherford 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. Liberty Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 457 Students
3. Chase Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 501 Students
4. Burns Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 734 Students
5. R-s Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 574 Students
6. East Rutherford Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 552 Students
7. Owen Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Buncombe County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 418 Students
8. East Mcdowell Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcdowell County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 468 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Rutherford County, NC
The top elementary schools in Rutherford County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Casar Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cleveland County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 278 Students
2. Cliffside Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 213 Students
3. Ellenboro Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 595 Students
4. Harris Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 445 Students
5. Forest City-dunbar Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 479 Students
6. Sunshine Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 190 Students
7. Rutherfordton Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 390 Students
8. Mull Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Burke County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 258 Students
9. Mt. Vernon-ruth Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 235 Students
10. Pinnacle Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rutherford County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 234 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Rutherford County, NC
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Rutherford County, NC has a total population of 64,444 with 21% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 87%, and 21% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
19.45 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.68 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
15.77 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Rutherford County, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Rutherford County, NC
How many schools are in Rutherford County, NC?
Rutherford County, NC has 41 public schools: 10 high schools, 8 middle schools and 18 elementary schools, serving 18,279 students in total.
How do schools in Rutherford County perform on state tests?
On average, 41 schools in Rutherford County score 57% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 53%, so on average schools in Rutherford County don't meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 60%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 54%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 38%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 40%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 50%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Rutherford County
7 places in Rutherford County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (7)
- Forest City (7)
- Rutherfordton (4)
- Bostic (3)
- Spindale (2)
- Ellenboro (1)
- Lake Lure (1)
- Mooresboro (1)
School districts (1)
- Rutherford County Schools (18 schools)