Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28409

In zip code 28409 in Wilmington, North Carolina, there are three public elementary schools serving grades K-5 in New Hanover County Schools: Masonboro Elementary, Holly Tree Elementary, and Bradley Creek Elementary. The schools vary widely in size, poverty level, and academic performance, even though they are located near one another in the same district.

For parents looking for the strongest academics, Masonboro Elementary is the standout. It ranks #23 out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools in the 2025-26 state rankings, placing it in the 98th percentile with a 5-star rating. Masonboro posts about 92% math proficiency, 85% reading proficiency, and 95% science proficiency. Holly Tree Elementary is also a strong, consistent performer, ranking #191 in the 87th percentile with a 4-star rating and posting roughly 79% math and 70% reading proficiency, comfortably above district and state averages. In contrast, Bradley Creek Elementary trails both schools, with a rank of #682 in the 54th percentile, 3 stars, and overall EOG proficiency around 60%, below the district average and only near the state average.

A major factor in these differences appears to be poverty and attendance. At Bradley Creek Elementary, 98% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch, and the chronic absenteeism rate is 14.2%, roughly 75% higher than at Masonboro Elementary (8.0%) or Holly Tree Elementary (8.3%). Interestingly, Bradley Creek spends the most per student ($11,533) and has the smallest classes (12.1 students per teacher), while Masonboro spends the least ($9,518) and has larger classes (15.9), showing that extra funding and smaller class sizes alone do not automatically produce higher scores. There are some bright spots at Bradley Creek, especially in 5th-grade science, where proficiency jumped from 61.3% to 75.5% and now exceeds both district and state averages. Reading remains the weakest subject at all three schools, and Bradley Creek’s 3rd-grade reading proficiency is just 46.3%, making early literacy support an important area of focus.