Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28546

Zip code 28546 in Jacksonville, NC, is home to 10 public schools in Onslow County Schools — 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools enrolling about 7,237 students in a district ranked 136th of 246 in North Carolina. Onslow Early College is the clear academic powerhouse, ranked in the 98th percentile with perfect Biology and Math III scores, while Carolina Forest Elementary is the most consistent elementary performer at the 72nd percentile. At the other extreme, Jacksonville Commons Elementary and Hunters Creek Elementary sit in the bottom quarter of elementary schools statewide.

Comparing the traditional high schools, Northside High beats the larger White Oak High despite higher poverty (54.8% vs. 48.4%), posting a 93.7% graduation rate and stronger English II and Math III scores; White Oak’s 30% chronic absenteeism is the highest in the zip and likely drags down its results. In middle school, Hunters Creek Middle clearly outpaces Jacksonville Commons Middle, whose 6th-grade math proficiency has fallen to 28.9% — nearly 30 points below the state — and whose overall rank has sunk to the 17th percentile. Stateside Elementary is the most improved school in the area, rising from the 34th to 67th percentile in two years, and Morton Elementary shows poverty is not destiny: despite nearly 60% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, it earns a 3-star rating.

Chronic absenteeism emerges as a clear risk indicator: the lowest-performing schools all exceed 26% absenteeism, while top performers like Carolina Forest and Stateside stay below 18%. Higher spending does not guarantee success — Jacksonville Commons and Hunters Creek Elementary spend the most per pupil yet rank lowest. The zip code’s biggest systemic weakness is middle-school math, which undermines later high school performance in Math III, and early reading gains in 3rd grade often fade by 5th grade, so parents should watch both trends closely.