Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Swain County Middle School

Q: Is Swain County Middle School a good school?

Swain County Middle School ranks 458 th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

458^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 41% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

Swain County Middle School is a public middle school in Bryson City, NC, serving 453 students in grades 6 through 8 in the rural mountains of western North Carolina. The school holds a 2-star rating and ranks 458th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools, placing it at the 41st percentile statewide — notably stronger than its home district, Swain County Schools, which ranks in the bottom fifth of all districts. In fact, Swain County Middle essentially ties nearby Macon Middle School (457th) even though Macon County Schools is a much stronger district overall, and Swain posts higher proficiency rates than Macon Middle in 7th-grade math, 7th-grade reading, 8th-grade reading, and 8th-grade science.

Like neighboring traditional schools, Swain County Middle serves a student body that is almost entirely low-income: about 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Still, the school shows genuine strengths with some historically underserved groups. Economically disadvantaged students rank in the 61st percentile versus their peers statewide, special education students rank at a strong 83rd percentile after a sharp jump this year, and Native American students consistently rank at the 71st percentile. The school also improved in nearly every subject in the latest year, lifting its overall rank from the 34th to the 41st percentile. Nearby Catamount School posts higher overall scores, but it is a very different kind of place — a small, university-affiliated lab school with just 64 students.

The biggest concern for families is chronic absenteeism, which affects 32.4% of Swain students — well above the state rate of 24.2% and much higher than nearby Mountain View Intermediate (27.6%) or Macon Middle School (22.8%). Academically, 8th-grade math is the most visible weak spot, sitting about 10.8 points behind Macon Middle, while 7th-grade math and reading are closest to state averages. Swain also spends more per student ($12,023) than nearby traditional schools, likely reflecting the fixed costs of a smaller rural district rather than a direct classroom advantage.

453

Students ?

16.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

135 Arlington Ave
Bryson City, NC 28713

(828) 488-3480

District: Swain County Schools

Students who attend Swain County Middle School usually attend:

High:

Swain County High School

Feeder schools for Swain County Middle School:

Elementary:	Swain County East Elementary
	Swain County West Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.4%

American Indian:

19.4%

Two or more races:

11.3%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare Swain County Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 48th percentile in 2016 → 41st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (52% vs 58% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (32% vs 24% North Carolina)

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg52%

North Carolina avg58%

458^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 41%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 48% (2016) to bottom 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

205^th of 246Swain County Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.5	458 of 778	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.4	513 of 773	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.4	368 of 793	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.7	387 of 784	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.3	439 of 786	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.9	310 of 741	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.4	335 of 737	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.0	375 of 691	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	52.6	344 of 694	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	49.8	357 of 692	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.4	376 of 705	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2014	35.7	398 of 627	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	47.6	345 of 673	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	63.2	275 of 662	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.9	320 of 648	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	60.6	301 of 640	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2009	63.9	247 of 630	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	58.3	281 of 620	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	61.9	253 of 606	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	61.8	239 of 598	60.0%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	35.8	268 of 449	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.8	75 of 478	84.3%	★★★★☆
2019	49.6	211 of 504	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.6	266 of 475	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	34.9	491 of 731	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.8	507 of 733	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.9	343 of 738	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.6	357 of 731	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.9	433 of 733	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	52.1	321 of 706	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.5	279 of 684	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.9	313 of 656	52.3%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.5	228 of 465	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	44.5	351 of 458	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	58.4	224 of 461	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.2	335 of 452	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	54.8	252 of 450	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.8	247 of 448	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	66.9	113 of 416	72.8%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.9	490 of 566	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.3	281 of 725	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	42.1	418 of 729	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	58.7	271 of 743	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.8	293 of 735	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.7	383 of 689	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	68.4	131 of 633	79.3%	★★★★☆
2019	59.8	211 of 639	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.8	245 of 604	59.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.6	392 of 736	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.8	482 of 733	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.9	365 of 751	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.5	399 of 747	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.0	425 of 748	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.2	281 of 711	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.1	368 of 697	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.2	421 of 665	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.3	287 of 333	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.4	258 of 328	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.9	201 of 306	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.0	229 of 302	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.3	255 of 283	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	67.2	6 of 21	71.4%	★★★★☆
2025	68.4	4 of 21	81.0%	★★★★☆
2024	71.9	4 of 21	81.0%	★★★★☆
2023	68.8	5 of 18	72.2%	★★★★☆
2022	77.6	2 of 20	90.0%	★★★★★
2021	84.0	1 of 23	95.7%	★★★★★
2019	67.5	7 of 24	70.8%	★★★★☆
2018	58.6	9 of 23	60.9%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.9	86 of 500	82.8%	★★★★☆
2025	53.5	133 of 478	72.2%	★★★★☆
2024	42.6	228 of 473	51.8%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	463 of 644	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.1	569 of 649	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.6	470 of 652	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.4	447 of 656	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.0	522 of 658	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	44.3	341 of 632	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.4	402 of 624	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.8	455 of 596	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile+42 vs school

Native American (2026)71st percentile+30 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)61st percentile+20 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)51st percentile+10 vs school

Male (2026)47th percentile+6 vs school

Disabled (2022)40th percentile-4 vs school

Female (2026)33rd percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)28th percentile-13 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)14th percentile-27 vs school

Hispanic (2026)13th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science64%-4 vs state

Reading51%-4 vs state

Mathematics50%-7 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Swain County Middle School and help other families decide.

Rate Swain County Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Swain County Middle School

Load more schools when map is moved

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)				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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th 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
Swain County Middle School	Public	6-8	135 Arlington Ave	Bryson City	28713	Swain County	Swain County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 488-3480	453	27	16.5	—	278 (61.4%)	2 (0.4%)	32 (7.1%)	2 (0.4%)	88 (19.4%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (11.3%)	42.5	458^th of 778 public middle schools	41.1%		34.4	513^th of 773 public middle schools	33.6%	55		48.7	55.8	44.4		51.3	54.6	48.0		64.5	$12,023	$1,993	$10,030
Catamount School	Public	6-8	1 University Drive Reid 100	Cullowhee	28723	Jackson County	Catamount School	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 227-7500	64	6	10.1	37.5%	53 (82.8%)	1 (1.6%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.3%)	66.7	231^st of 778 public middle schools	70.3%		67	232^nd of 773 public middle schools	70.0%	1		64.0	61.9	60.0		48.0	61.9	76.0		80.0
Mountain View Intermediate	Public	5-6	161 Clarks Chapel Road	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 349-1325	614	37	16.5	—	460 (74.9%)	3 (0.5%)	127 (20.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.3%)								(n/a)	57.8	46.3			48.5	45.7			59.7		$8,190	$1,131	$7,059
Macon Middle School	Public	7-8	1345 Wells Grove Rd	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 524-3766	576	41	13.9	—	402 (69.8%)	6 (1.0%)	149 (25.9%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)	42.5	457^th of 778 public middle schools	41.3%		47.3	411^th of 773 public middle schools	46.8%	46			49.8	55.2			51.2	45.1		64.1	$9,141	$985	$8,156

Frequently Asked Questions about Swain County Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Swain County Middle School?

Students at Swain County Middle School are 61% White, 19% American Indian, 11% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Swain County Middle School attend?

Students who attend Swain County Middle School usually go on to attend Swain County High School

Is Swain County Middle School a good school?

Swain County Middle School ranks 458^th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Swain County Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 453 students attended Swain County Middle School.

What district is Swain County Middle School in?

Swain County Schools

Rate Swain County Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Middle School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Bryson City, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Swain County Middle School!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.