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Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 28443

At a glance

Schools

1,589

Students

Top rankedTopsail Middle113^th of 773 North Carolina middle schools

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Biggest riser

Topsail Middle up 3 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

The zip code 28443 in North Carolina is home to two middle schools: Topsail Middle and Surf City Middle. Based on the available data, Topsail Middle appears to be the stronger-performing school, consistently outpacing Surf City Middle and the Pender County Schools and North Carolina state averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subject areas.

Topsail Middle has a higher statewide ranking, with a position of 113 out of 773 North Carolina middle schools, compared to Surf City Middle's ranking of 146. Additionally, Topsail Middle has a lower student-teacher ratio of 19.5, compared to Surf City Middle's 20.9, which may contribute to its academic success. The spending per student at Topsail Middle is also higher, at $8,344 per student, compared to $6,848 per student at Surf City Middle.

While the free/reduced lunch rate at Topsail Middle is lower than Surf City Middle, indicating a more affluent student population, the data suggests that Topsail Middle's superior performance is not solely attributable to this factor. The school's consistently strong academic outcomes across multiple measures point to a higher-quality educational experience for its students.

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)				EOG Reading (2025)				EOG Science (2025)		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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Topsail Middle	Public	5-8	17445 US Hwy 17	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-2612	837	45	18.6	20.1%	699 (83.5%)	21 (2.5%)	67 (8.0%)	8 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.5%)	82.5	113^th of 773 public middle schools	85.4%		82.1	116^th of 793 public middle schools	85.4%	3	83.7	73.4	74.3	64.3	68.3	67.2	66.0	68.3	86.2	76.1	$8,344	$489	$7,855
Surf City Middle	Public	6-8	12345-B Literacy Lane	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 928-0087	752	41	18.4	21.3%	621 (82.6%)	11 (1.5%)	61 (8.1%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (6.6%)	78.5	146^th of 773 public middle schools	81.1%		81.6	118^th of 793 public middle schools	85.1%	28		79.3	74.1	64.5		65.7	62.4	63.0		66.8	$6,848	$445	$6,403

Cities Near Zip Code 28443

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Hampstead	0.9 mi	7	42^nd
Wilmington	8.74 mi	45	220^th
Holly Ridge	12.45 mi	3	81^st
Castle Hayne	13.08 mi	5	74^th
Rocky Point	13.11 mi	5	329^th

See the top NC North Carolina 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.