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New Hanover County Schools


At a glance
78thof 242 North Carolina districts▼ 8
Better than 67% of North Carolina districts
6410 Carolina Beach Road
Wilmington, NC 28412
·(910) 254-4200·All North Carolina district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2025
2025: better than 67.8% of districts
42
Schools
24,791
Students
9
5-star schools
Top rankedWrightsville Beach Elementary12th of 1,490 North Carolina elementary schools
Biggest riser
Sunset Park Elementary up 134 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC 10.2 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
5★
4★
3★
1★
0★
2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The New Hanover County Schools district in North Carolina encompasses 42 schools, including 26 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 9 high schools. The district exhibits a wide range of academic performance, with several standout high-performing schools as well as lower-performing institutions.

Among the top-performing schools in the district are Ogden Elementary, ranked 5th in the state, Masonboro Elementary, ranked 11th, and Wrightsville Beach Elementary, ranked 12th. These schools consistently achieve over 90% proficiency in math and reading. At the high school level, Wilmington Early College High and Isaac M. Bear Early College High stand out with exceptional performance on end-of-course exams.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities in academic achievement across the district. Schools with high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, such as New Hanover High and Myrtle Grove Middle, struggle with less than 50% proficiency in many subjects. Addressing these disparities and learning from the highest-performing schools could be crucial in improving educational outcomes for all students in the New Hanover County Schools district.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private





Districts nearby


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.





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