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East Cary Middle

Q: Is East Cary Middle a good school?

East Cary Middle ranks 123 rd of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

123^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 84% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

East Cary Middle in Cary, NC, is a grades 6–8 school serving 597 students as part of the larger Wake County Schools district. This school has earned a strong statewide reputation, ranking #123 out of 778 North Carolina middle schools in the 2025–2026 school year (84th percentile) and receiving a 4-star rating—a solid rebound from the post-pandemic dip and part of a multi-year upward trend. Academically, East Cary Middle outpaces state averages across most subjects and grades, with particularly impressive reading proficiency (around 71% versus 54–56% statewide) and science scores (80.6% proficient versus 68.6% statewide).

For parents looking at nearby options, East Cary offers some notable advantages. Its student-teacher ratio of 13.2 is far lower than most neighbors like West Cary Middle (17.1) or Davis Drive Middle (17.4), and its smaller enrollment of 597 students creates a more intimate environment compared to schools like Lufkin Road (1,035) or Salem (1,057). Chronic absenteeism has dropped dramatically from 28.5% in 2021–2022 to 19.4% in 2024–2025, now below both district and state rates. While East Cary outranks several local peers such as Apex Middle and Lufkin Road, it trails the elite cluster of West Cary, Davis Drive, and Salem—though it actually matches or beats several of them in reading proficiency, making it a strong choice for literacy-focused families.

Despite its overall strengths, there are areas to watch. Math scores have shown unusual volatility, especially an 8th-grade dip in 2023–2024 (47.5% proficient) followed by a strong rebound to 67.3% by 2025–2026. More concerning is the recent widening of achievement gaps: subgroups such as English Language Learners, Asian students, and students with disabilities saw sharp ranking declines in 2025–2026 compared to prior years. East Cary also spends more per student than many higher-ranked neighboring schools, suggesting resources aren't the only factor in performance differences. For parents, this is a well-staffed school with excellent reading and science outcomes and improving attendance, but families with children in ELL, special education, or other specific subgroups may want to ask how the school supports those students.

597

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

36.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1111 SE Maynard Road
Cary, NC 27511

(919) 466-4377

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend East Cary Middle usually attend:

High:	Wake Early College of Health and Science
	Wake STEM Early College High School
	Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
	Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

Feeder schools for East Cary Middle:

Elementary:

Adams Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.3%

Hispanic:

24.1%

African American:

12.7%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare East Cary Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 88th percentile in 2016 → 84th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (72% vs 58% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 16% of North Carolina middle schools

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg68%

North Carolina avg58%

123^rd of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 16%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From top 12% (2016) to top 16% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

60^th of 246Wake 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	80.7	123 of 778	84.2%	★★★★☆
2025	82.2	115 of 773	85.1%	★★★★☆
2024	80.9	123 of 793	84.5%	★★★★☆
2023	80.8	134 of 784	82.9%	★★★★☆
2022	67.0	226 of 786	71.2%	★★★★☆
2021	59.3	268 of 741	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.8	246 of 737	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	74.2	155 of 691	77.6%	★★★★☆
2017	85.0	72 of 694	89.6%	★★★★☆
2016	83.8	81 of 692	88.3%	★★★★☆
2015	77.2	140 of 705	80.1%	★★★★☆
2014	79.1	121 of 627	80.7%	★★★★☆
2013	81.9	95 of 673	85.9%	★★★★☆
2012	78.3	107 of 662	83.8%	★★★★☆
2011	78.7	102 of 648	84.3%	★★★★☆
2010	77.9	114 of 640	82.2%	★★★★☆
2009	82.9	64 of 630	89.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.8	152 of 553	72.5%	★★★★☆
2025	62.7	153 of 546	72.0%	★★★★☆
2024	80.0	74 of 560	86.8%	★★★★☆
2023	73.0	95 of 559	83.0%	★★★★☆
2022	56.5	181 of 550	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.9	244 of 533	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.0	168 of 519	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.1	87 of 494	82.4%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.6	91 of 121	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.1	75 of 111	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	64.4	54 of 110	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.6	59 of 109	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.5	57 of 102	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	55.6	50 of 95	47.4%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	59.1	102 of 449	77.3%	★★★★☆
2021	40.2	276 of 478	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.6	160 of 504	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.0	79 of 475	83.4%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	267 of 363	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	49.7	143 of 371	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.9	145 of 356	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.0	132 of 318	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.7	135 of 312	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.3	119 of 236	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.9	56 of 211	73.5%	★★★★☆
2018	48.5	51 of 151	66.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	79.1	128 of 731	82.5%	★★★★☆
2025	81.9	105 of 733	85.7%	★★★★☆
2024	80.2	125 of 738	83.1%	★★★★☆
2023	75.8	149 of 731	79.6%	★★★★☆
2022	59.9	263 of 733	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	57.2	274 of 706	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.9	221 of 684	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	76.3	136 of 656	79.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.9	128 of 465	72.5%	★★★★☆
2025	69.6	98 of 458	78.6%	★★★★☆
2024	68.6	103 of 461	77.7%	★★★★☆
2023	70.3	92 of 452	79.6%	★★★★☆
2022	60.1	200 of 450	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	72.1	91 of 448	79.7%	★★★★☆
2019	61.0	180 of 416	56.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.3	282 of 566	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.8	168 of 562	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	47.3	289 of 564	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.6	282 of 553	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.9	431 of 541	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.0	409 of 522	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.2	438 of 493	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.8	315 of 472	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.5	321 of 725	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	72.5	129 of 729	82.3%	★★★★☆
2024	70.9	147 of 743	80.2%	★★★★☆
2023	68.8	163 of 735	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	51.4	296 of 689	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	38.4	384 of 633	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.0	494 of 639	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.6	414 of 604	31.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	80.3	113 of 736	84.6%	★★★★☆
2025	80.8	117 of 733	84.0%	★★★★☆
2024	79.6	128 of 751	83.0%	★★★★☆
2023	82.9	110 of 747	85.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.0	183 of 748	75.5%	★★★★☆
2021	59.7	252 of 711	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.8	266 of 697	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.2	173 of 665	74.0%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	85.1	34 of 328	89.6%	★★★★☆
2024	78.9	44 of 306	85.6%	★★★★☆
2023	84.4	30 of 302	90.1%	★★★★★
2022	48.7	136 of 283	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	85.4	19 of 237	92.0%	★★★★★
2018	79.8	35 of 221	84.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	50.7	166 of 500	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.5	64 of 478	86.6%	★★★★☆
2024	64.3	86 of 473	81.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	86.7	65 of 644	89.9%	★★★★★
2025	87.0	69 of 649	89.4%	★★★★☆
2024	85.2	81 of 652	87.6%	★★★★☆
2023	86.1	73 of 656	88.9%	★★★★☆
2022	78.3	131 of 658	80.1%	★★★★☆
2021	77.9	115 of 632	81.8%	★★★★☆
2019	75.2	136 of 624	78.2%	★★★★☆
2018	83.0	78 of 596	86.9%	★★★★☆

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)

White (2026)90th percentile+6 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)90th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)85th percentile~ school

Female (2026)82nd percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)77th percentile+6 vs school

African American (2026)73rd percentile-12 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)72nd percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2026)67th percentile-17 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)56th percentile-28 vs school

Hispanic (2026)50th percentile-34 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)26th percentile-58 vs school

Asian (2026)25th percentile-59 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science81%+12 vs state

Reading72%+16 vs state

Mathematics69%+13 vs state

2.4

5 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★1

2★1

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, November 18, 2021

November 17, 2021
There is a strong concern related to students' safety within East Cary Middle School. There has been an increasing in bullying and physical fighting on school property. Instead of being completely transparent with the parents, each case is hidden from the parents. We are not asking for details of who the kids are but noticed it a tread within a certain groups of kids. very concerning about how they response of ISS or suspense and no mediation or parents involvement. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, January 14, 2019

Lots of room for improvement. Seems to be going downhill fast. Enrollment is low and there seems to be a huge gap in achievement between white students and students of color. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, August 10, 2018

Disappointed that ECMS has such ineffective leadership, it's almost invisible. No sign of principal during morning carpool and if it's an after school event, you may find her standing at the entry way texting on her phone. Her new hires are hit or miss (a very clear "miss" in the music program, sadly). Frustrated at lack of response from email queries (I get a response half of the time). Equally frustrated when having to deal with some teachers that manipulate their authority around students - creating an environment of "fear". Is it safe to ask a question, approach a teacher for help? Depends on how the teacher feels that day. Good day or bad...there should always be consistency in what a student can expect FROM the teacher. Close Quote

Schools Near East Cary Middle

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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)				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	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
East Cary Middle	Public	6-8	1111 SE Maynard Road	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 466-4377	597	45	13.2	36.2%	318 (53.3%)	76 (12.7%)	144 (24.1%)	32 (5.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (4.0%)	80.7	123^rd of 778 public middle schools	84.2%		82.2	115^th of 773 public middle schools	85.1%	8	73.6	65.7	67.3	71.6	71.9	71.1	80.6	$10,391	$516	$9,875
Connections Academy	Public	6-8	1280 Buck Jones Rd	Cary	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 694-8910	8	12	.6		3 (37.5%)	2 (25.0%)	3 (37.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)								$38,998	$1,698	$37,300
West Cary Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Evans Road	Cary	27513	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3528	824	48	17.1	30.0%	258 (31.3%)	130 (15.8%)	142 (17.2%)	265 (32.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.2%)	87	78^th of 778 public middle schools	90.0%		86.4	82^nd of 773 public middle schools	89.4%	4	74.6	73.9	78.6	71.9	71.1	76.5	88.3	$7,509	$324	$7,185
Reedy Creek Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	930 Reedy Creek Road	Cary	27513	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 460-3504	805	54	14.9	37.1%	326 (40.5%)	159 (19.8%)	166 (20.6%)	126 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.4%)	66.8	230^th of 778 public middle schools	70.4%		69.5	211^th of 773 public middle schools	72.7%	19	70.4	64.1	56.6	62.5	66.5	60.7	65.6	$9,572	$485	$9,087
Dillard Drive Middle	Public	6-8	5200 Dillard Drive	Raleigh	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 233-4228	977	66	14.7	50.5%	381 (39.0%)	241 (24.7%)	278 (28.5%)	45 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (3.2%)	46	429^th of 778 public middle schools	44.9%		46.6	423^rd of 773 public middle schools	45.3%	6	59.3	45.0	46.2	53.6	51.2	52.7	70.6	$8,594	$467	$8,126
Centennial Campus Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1900 Main Campus Drive	Raleigh	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 233-4217	477	37	12.9	99.4%	69 (14.5%)	231 (48.4%)	150 (31.4%)	14 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.7%)	22.4	631^st of 778 public middle schools	18.9%		17.5	667^th of 773 public middle schools	13.7%	36	41.7	44.4	33.3	40.6	46.4	37.8	48.9	$11,386	$725	$10,660
Davis Drive Middle	Public	6-8	2101 Davis Drive	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-3033	992	57	17.4	13.3%	372 (37.5%)	44 (4.4%)	113 (11.4%)	419 (42.2%)	1 (0.1%)	7 (0.7%)	36 (3.6%)	96	23^rd of 778 public middle schools	97.0%		97	19^th of 773 public middle schools	97.5%	4	92.9	91.4	88.7	84.1	84.7	83.8	92.8	$7,994	$391	$7,602
Salem Middle	Public	6-8	6150 Old Jenks Road	Apex	27523	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 363-1870	1,057	60	17.7	19.2%	545 (51.6%)	78 (7.4%)	159 (15.0%)	217 (20.5%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (5.0%)	89.2	61^st of 778 public middle schools	92.2%		91.2	50^th of 773 public middle schools	93.5%	11	82.4	78.7	83.2	69.0	78.3	77.9	83.9	$9,372	$511	$8,861
Martin Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1701 Ridge Rd	Raleigh	27607	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 881-4970	1,011	61	16.6	29.6%	454 (44.9%)	174 (17.2%)	150 (14.8%)	205 (20.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (2.5%)	85	92^nd of 778 public middle schools	88.2%		84.8	96^th of 773 public middle schools	87.6%	4	76.6	77.8	65.8	73.4	78.7	73.6	79.3	$9,504	$524	$8,981
Lufkin Road Middle	Public	6-8	1002 Lufkin Road	Apex	27539	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-4465	1,035	62	16.8	33.5%	499 (48.2%)	117 (11.3%)	228 (22.0%)	159 (15.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	29 (2.8%)	73.6	187^th of 778 public middle schools	76.0%		70.2	200^th of 773 public middle schools	74.1%	13	65.8	66.1	62.4	66.8	70.4	65.5	75.1	$9,106	$406	$8,700

Frequently Asked Questions about East Cary Middle

Is East Cary Middle a good school?

East Cary Middle ranks 123^rd of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend East Cary Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 597 students attended East Cary Middle.

What is the racial makeup of East Cary Middle?

Students at East Cary Middle are 53% White, 24% Hispanic, 13% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

What district is East Cary Middle in?

Wake County Schools

What high school do graduates of East Cary Middle attend?

Students who attend East Cary Middle usually go on to attend Wake Early College of Health and Science

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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.