Best High Schools in Zip Code 28610

Zip code 28610 is home to just one high school, Bunker Hill High, which serves grades 9–12 in Claremont, NC, and enrolls about 845 students. The school belongs to Catawba County Schools, a district ranked in the 65th percentile statewide. Bunker Hill stands out as an extremely high-poverty school, with 99.64% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Compared to the district, it has a higher student-to-teacher ratio (21.1) and higher chronic absenteeism (23.9% vs. the district's 18.0%), though its chronic absenteeism is essentially even with the state average of 24.2%. Its graduation rate of 88.8% exactly matches the state average, and it trails the district by just 3 points despite the high poverty level.

Bunker Hill’s overall state ranking has fallen sharply over the past two reported school years, from the 41st percentile to the 22nd, and its star rating dropped from 2 stars to 1 star. Academic results are mixed. On 2025–2026 End-of-Course exams, the school is below both district and state averages in every subject. English II is its strongest subject at 53.8% proficiency, while Math III is the biggest concern at 44.9% proficiency — nearly 24 points below the state average. The year-over-year picture is encouraging in some areas: English II proficiency jumped 10.2 points and Math I surged 14.4 points, closing most of the gap to the state. However, Math III proficiency collapsed by 14.5 points, and Biology proficiency improved only slightly while the state improved more, causing Bunker Hill’s gap with the state to double to roughly 16 points.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Bunker Hill High serves a nearly universally economically disadvantaged student body, yet still manages to match the state average graduation rate. Attendance is a local challenge relative to the district, with nearly one in four students chronically absent. The school’s falling statewide rank is driven largely by weak science and higher-level math scores, even as English II and Math I show real progress. The most immediate red flag is the sharp drop in Math III proficiency, which suggests a need for targeted support in advanced math. While the English gains are promising, reversing the overall downward trajectory will likely require raising achievement in science and math while also addressing chronic absenteeism.