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Best Public Schools in Caldwell County, NC

New rankings! North Carolina test scores for the 2025-26 school year were just released — SchoolDigger posted updated rankings this week.

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At a glance

Schools

10,920

Students

Districts

Top rankedCaldwell Early College102^nd of 662 North Carolina high schools

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Biggest riser

Collettsville School up 403 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Kings Creek Elementary 13.5 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1★

0★

3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

See the top-ranked North Carolina schools →

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Oak Hill Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	4603 Oak Hill School Rd.	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Oak Hill Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(828) 759-1383	253	17	15.3		213 (84.2%)	6 (2.4%)	13 (5.1%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.7%)	14.9	1364^th of 1492 public elementary schools	8.6%		24.9	1188^th of 1490 public elementary schools	20.3%	176					54.1	45.0	37.5	30.0	27.8	37.5	32.4	40.0	33.3	40.0	33.3	50.0	45.8	43.8
Baton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Baton School Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 728-9531	357	23	15.4	99.2%	303 (84.9%)	6 (1.7%)	29 (8.1%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.9%)	55	654^th of 1492 public elementary schools	56.2%		60	564^th of 1490 public elementary schools	62.1%	90					78.7	53.8	61.2				66.0	50.0	53.1				69.4		$9,953	$1,175	$8,778
Collettsville School	Public	PK, KG-8	4690 Collettsville School Rd	Collettsville	28611	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-6913	321	20	16.3	98.8%	299 (93.1%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	61.9	549^th of 1492 public elementary schools	63.2%		37.9	952^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	36.1%	403					73.3	72.7	53.8	65.1	50.0	58.3	56.7	72.7	50.0	58.1	55.3	69.4	65.4	75.0	$9,454	$800	$8,654
Davenport A+ School	Public	PK, KG-5	901 College Avenue SW	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-6941	429	25	17.4	99.3%	163 (38.0%)	56 (13.1%)	162 (37.8%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (10.3%)	31.8	1060^th of 1492 public elementary schools	29.0%		41.7	886^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.5%	174					44.3	45.9	59.2				41.4	45.9	52.1				63.4		$9,609	$958	$8,651
Dudley Shoals Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1500 Dudley Shoals Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-3457	433	26	16.4	99.3%	369 (85.2%)	6 (1.4%)	25 (5.8%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.5%)	39.7	910^th of 1492 public elementary schools	39.0%		49.5	751^st of 1490 public elementary schools	49.6%	159					47.1	48.5	63.4				39.7	60.6	46.5				71.8		$9,484	$1,010	$8,473
Gamewell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2904 Morganton Boulevard	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 758-1193	459	27	16.8	99.3%	320 (69.7%)	40 (8.7%)	49 (10.7%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (10.0%)	16.5	1343^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	10.0%		25.2	1179^th of 1490 public elementary schools	20.9%	164					42.9	45.8	27.5				38.6	54.2	33.8				37.5		$9,383	$1,070	$8,312
Gamewell Middle	Public	6-8	3210 Gamewell School Road	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-6204	457	30	15.3	98.5%	282 (61.7%)	47 (10.3%)	89 (19.5%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.7%)	19.7	652^nd of 778 public middle schools	16.2%		18.6	648^th of 773 public middle schools	16.2%	4								40.8	37.8	26.8				44.2	48.1	34.2		47.7	$8,743	$1,279	$7,464
Granite Falls Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	60 N Highland Avenue	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-2222	647	35	18.4	99.2%	506 (78.2%)	22 (3.4%)	84 (13.0%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.3%)	70.8	399^th of 1492 public elementary schools	73.3%		67.8	433^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	70.9%	34					69.0	75.2	68.8				60.9	70.9	59.1				73.1		$8,703	$796	$7,907
Granite Falls Middle	Public	6-8	4 West Highland Ave	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-2341	518	34	15.3	99.4%	402 (77.6%)	16 (3.1%)	65 (12.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.0%)	47.2	420^th of 778 public middle schools	46.0%		65.9	243^rd of 773 public middle schools	68.6%	177								58.6	42.1	53.5				49.7	53.9	63.0		61.8	$9,031	$920	$8,111
Happy Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	1350 Yadkin River Road	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-3496	234	13	18.5	97.9%	212 (90.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.1%)	21.8	1254^th of 1492 public elementary schools	16.0%		32.7	1042^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	30.1%	212					38.5	46.9	25.0	70.6	53.3	61.9	34.6	50.0	37.5	47.1	70.0	61.9	37.5	71.4	$10,168	$1,178	$8,990
Hibriten High	Public	9-12	1350 Panther Trail SE	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 758-7376	818	39	21.0	98.7%	538 (65.8%)	71 (8.7%)	147 (18.0%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (6.5%)	41.2	395^th of 662 public high schools	40.3%		39	383^rd of 641 public high schools	40.2%	12	50.0	55.9	42.5	71.9															$10,067	$942	$9,125
Hudson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Roy Coffey Drive	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 728-3712	665	34	19.4	97.0%	506 (76.1%)	17 (2.6%)	88 (13.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.5%)	60.1	573^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	61.6%		56.3	629^th of 1490 public elementary schools	57.8%	56					66.0	56.6	74.0				53.4	51.6	69.2				80.0		$9,567	$1,023	$8,544
Hudson Middle	Public	6-8	291 Pine Mountain Road	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 728-4281	551	33	16.6	98.9%	456 (82.8%)	6 (1.1%)	66 (12.0%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.6%)	55.2	350^th of 778 public middle schools	55.0%		47.8	407^th of 773 public middle schools	47.3%	57								56.3	50.5	59.3				59.9	49.2	61.0		75.6	$9,317	$1,021	$8,296
Kings Creek Elementary	Public	K-8	3680 Wilkesboro Boulevard	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-6039	153	11	13.5	98.0%	137 (89.5%)	1 (0.7%)	8 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.6%)	5.1	1464^th of 1492 public elementary schools	1.9%		15.9	1339^th of 1490 public elementary schools	10.1%	125					9.5	21.4	15.8	20.0	26.3	31.3	23.8	42.9	21.1	40.0	42.1	68.8	26.3	68.8	$11,461	$1,809	$9,651
Lower Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	630 Lower Creek Drive NE	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-4022	396	23	17.4	99.2%	280 (70.7%)	28 (7.1%)	44 (11.1%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (9.8%)	44.9	829^th of 1492 public elementary schools	44.4%		60.6	553^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	62.9%	276					52.5	52.2	53.0				54.1	61.2	57.6				65.2		$8,688	$857	$7,832
Sawmills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4436 Sawmills School Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-2610	351	20	17.2	99.1%	272 (77.5%)	7 (2.0%)	46 (13.1%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)	32.5	1049^th of 1492 public elementary schools	29.7%		36.5	973^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	34.7%	76					51.0	35.4	58.8				51.0	52.1	52.9				55.9		$11,245	$974	$10,271
South Caldwell High	Public	9-12	7035 Spartan Drive	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 396-2188	1,272	67	19.0	99.1%	1,030 (81.0%)	25 (2.0%)	151 (11.9%)	7 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (4.6%)	40.5	398^th of 662 public high schools	39.9%		51	288^th of 641 public high schools	55.1%	110	49.0	62.0	30.0	74.5															$9,486	$729	$8,757
Valmead Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	111 Elizabeth Drive NW	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 754-9612	305	18	16.7	97.4%	133 (43.6%)	62 (20.3%)	75 (24.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (11.1%)	8.2	1442^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	3.4%		17.2	1323^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	11.2%	119					39.0	34.1	26.5				34.1	34.1	28.6				49.0		$13,388	$1,976	$11,412
West Caldwell High	Public	9-12	300 W Caldwell Drive	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 758-5583	634	36	17.7	98.7%	364 (57.4%)	63 (9.9%)	147 (23.2%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	54 (8.5%)	14.8	584^th of 662 public high schools	11.8%		17.6	542^nd of 641 public high schools	15.4%	42	34.4	50.0	21.5	28.8															$11,229	$831	$10,398
Whitnel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1425 Berkley Street SW	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 728-6423	330	16	20.0	94.8%	196 (59.4%)	27 (8.2%)	79 (23.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.6%)	15.2	1360^th of 1492 public elementary schools	8.8%		26.5	1146^th of 1490 public elementary schools	23.1%	214					46.3	30.6	40.5				34.1	36.1	42.9				54.8		$11,973	$1,307	$10,666
William Lenoir Middle	Public	6-8	1366 Wildcat Trail	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 726-3910	512	30	17.1	98.8%	300 (58.6%)	60 (11.7%)	110 (21.5%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.8%)	39.4	484^th of 778 public middle schools	37.8%		50.9	381^st of 773 public middle schools	50.7%	103								43.6	49.2	51.3				46.4	53.1	51.9		63.3	$9,237	$791	$8,446
Gateway School	Public	6-12	1889 Dudley Shoals Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-8373	53	9	5.9	94.3%	33 (62.3%)	2 (3.8%)	9 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (15.1%)								(n/a)			11.1						9.1						45.5	10.5		26.3	$28,313	$1,830	$26,484
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy	Public	9-12	2857 Hickory Boulevard	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 759-4640	218	10	21.1	33.9%	173 (79.4%)	4 (1.8%)	25 (11.5%)	4 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.5%)	80.6	137^th of 662 public high schools	79.3%		84.4	113^th of 641 public high schools	82.4%	24	80.0	90.0	70.7	82.0															$8,388	$210	$8,178
Horizons Elementary	Public	K-5	332 Greenhaven Dr. NW	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 726-3855	29	13	2.3	89.7%	21 (72.4%)	3 (10.3%)	4 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.4%)								(n/a)																			$39,602	$516	$39,086
Caldwell Early College	Public	9-12	2859 Hickory Blvd SW	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 759-4636	387	16	24.9	39.0%	285 (73.6%)	8 (2.1%)	68 (17.6%)	8 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.7%)	85.6	102^nd of 662 public high schools	84.6%		87.2	95^th of 641 public high schools	85.2%	7	94.9	96.3	60.3	89.4															$7,027	$517	$6,510
Caldwell Online Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	4-12	332 Greenhaven Dr NW	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(828) 726-3855	138	2	73.7	52.9%	109 (79.0%)	1 (0.7%)	20 (14.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.8%)								(n/a)	50.0	52.9	8.3	46.7					54.5	25.0					72.7	65.0		70.0

SchoolDigger rankings lists for North Carolina:

Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Districts Cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.