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Best High Schools in Zip Code 28601

At a glance

Schools

2,493

Students

Districts

Top rankedSaint Stephens High243^rd of 641 North Carolina high schools

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Biggest riser

Saint Stephens High up 54 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

The 28601 zip code area in North Carolina is home to three high schools: Saint Stephens High, Hickory High, and Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School. These schools serve students in the Catawba County Schools and Hickory City Schools districts.

Among the three schools, Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School stands out as the top performer, with a 3-star statewide ranking, the highest test scores, and a low student-teacher ratio of 11.2. However, this school also serves a high-need student population, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. In contrast, Saint Stephens High maintains a consistent 3-star rating and solid test scores, while serving a more diverse student population with a moderate free/reduced lunch rate of 56.86%.

The data also reveals that the two Hickory City Schools, Hickory High and Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School, have significantly lower test scores compared to the state averages, despite similar graduation rates. This suggests potential areas for improvement within the Hickory City Schools district. Overall, the analysis of this school data set provides a nuanced understanding of the educational landscape in the 28601 zip code area, highlighting the importance of considering multiple factors when evaluating school performance.

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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)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Saint Stephens High	Public	9-12	3205 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9841	1,268	57	22.0	99.8%	560 (44.2%)	109 (8.6%)	442 (34.9%)	62 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (7.5%)	58	243^rd of 641 public high schools	62.1%		50.2	297^th of 640 public high schools	53.6%	54	52.3	58.1	52.4	74.7	$8,502	$740	$7,761
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,024	38	26.6	99.7%	358 (35.0%)	196 (19.1%)	297 (29.0%)	47 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.6%)	120 (11.7%)	26.1	486^th of 641 public high schools	24.2%		37.8	390^th of 640 public high schools	39.1%	96	23.9	49.0	25.6	57.9	$8,704	$694	$8,010
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	201	13	15.2	98.5%	107 (53.2%)	22 (10.9%)	45 (22.4%)	6 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.4%)	56.6	253^rd of 641 public high schools	60.5%		61.7	224^th of 640 public high schools	65.0%	29	47.4	78.4	22.2	80.4	$15,342	$1,043	$14,299

Cities Near Zip Code 28601

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Hickory	0.49 mi	17	200^th
Conover	3.23 mi	5	293^rd
Taylorsville	5.81 mi	9	188^th
Hildebran	6.29 mi	1	216^th
Granite Falls	7.1 mi	6	184^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.