For the 2024-25 school year, there are 45 public schools serving 22,577 students in Catawba County, NC (there are 17 private schools, serving 2,237 private students). 91% of all K-12 students in Catawba County, NC are educated in public schools (compared to the NC state average of 92%).
The top ranked public schools in Catawba County, NC are Bandys High School, Sherrills Ford Elementary School and Fred T Foard High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Catawba County, NC public schools have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the North Carolina public school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 50% statewide average). Schools in Catawba County have an average ranking of 7/10, which is in the top 50% of North Carolina public schools.
Minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best Public Schools in Catawba County (2024-25)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Bandys High School
Magnet School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
5040 E Bandys Road
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-1471
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-1471
Grades: 9-12
| 864 students
Rank: #22.
Sherrills Ford Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
8103 Sherrills Ford Road
Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
(828) 478-2662
Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
(828) 478-2662
Grades: K-6
| 517 students
Rank: #33.
Fred T Foard High School
Magnet School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3407 Plateau Road
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1496
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1496
Grades: 9-12
| 956 students
Rank: #44.
Shuford Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
810 Hunsucker Drive
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-1973
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-1973
Grades: PK-5
| 421 students
Rank: #5 - 75. - 7.
Mountain View Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
5911 Dwayne Starnes Road
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 294-2020
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 294-2020
Grades: K-6
| 686 students
Rank: #5 - 75. - 7.
Oakwood Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
366 4th Street Nw
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 322-1340
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 322-1340
Grades: PK-5
| 341 students
Rank: #5 - 75. - 7.
W M Jenkins Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3750 N Center Street
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-3491
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-3491
Grades: K-5
| 261 students
Rank: #88.
Maiden High School
Magnet School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
600 West Main Street
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8197
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8197
Grades: 9-12
| 870 students
Rank: #99.
Saint Stephens High School
Magnet School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3205 34th Street Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9841
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9841
Grades: 9-12
| 1,265 students
Rank: #1010.
Clyde Campbell Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2121 35th Avenue Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2769
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2769
Grades: PK-6
| 479 students
Rank: #1111.
Bunker Hill High School
Magnet School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4675 Oxford School Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-3355
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-3355
Grades: 9-12
| 828 students
Rank: #1212.
Snow Creek Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3238 Snow Creek Rd
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2335
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2335
Grades: PK-6
| 589 students
Rank: #1313.
Challenger Early College High School
Magnet School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥95%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2550 Hwy 70 Se
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-2980
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-2980
Grades: 9-12
| 352 students
Rank: #1414.
Discovery High School
Magnet School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥90%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
301 West 18th St
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 466-5581
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 466-5581
Grades: 9-12
| 193 students
Rank: #1515.
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School
Magnet School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: 80-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
409 8th Avenue Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 328-6738
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 328-6738
Grades: 9-12
| 229 students
Rank: #1616.
Jacobs Fork Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3431 Plateau Road
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1827
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1827
Grades: 7-8
| 440 students
Rank: #1717.
Balls Creek Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2620 Balls Creek Road
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-4766
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-4766
Grades: PK-6
| 679 students
Rank: #1818.
Mill Creek Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1041 Shiloh Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-1494
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-1494
Grades: 7-8
| 412 students
Rank: #1919.
Maiden Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
518 North C Avenue
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-2326
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-2326
Grades: 7-8
| 421 students
Rank: #2020.
Hickory High School
Magnet School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1234 3rd Street Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 322-5860
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 322-5860
Grades: 9-12
| 1,014 students
Rank: #2121.
Startown Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4119 Startown Road
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-1257
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-1257
Grades: PK-6
| 529 students
Rank: #2222.
Blackburn Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4377 W Nc 10 Hwy
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1344
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1344
Grades: K-6
| 527 students
Rank: #2323.
Northview Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 51% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
302 28th Avenue Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-6300
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-6300
Grades: 6-8
| 480 students
Rank: #2424.
Harry M Arndt Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
3350 34th Street Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9545
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9545
Grades: 7-8
| 631 students
Rank: #2525.
Newton-conover High School
Magnet School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
338 W 15th Street
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 465-0920
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 465-0920
Grades: 9-12
| 758 students
Rank: #2626.
North Newton Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
221 West 26th St
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-2631
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-2631
Grades: PK-5
| 445 students
Rank: #2727.
Charles H Tuttle Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
2872 Water Plant Road
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-3080
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-3080
Grades: K-6
| 412 students
Rank: #2828.
Maiden Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
201 N Main Avenue
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8769
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8769
Grades: PK-6
| 499 students
Rank: #2929.
Ray Childers Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1183 Cape Hickory Road
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-1340
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-1340
Grades: PK-5
| 457 students
Rank: #3030.
Claremont Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
3384 E Main Street
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7921
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7921
Grades: PK-6
| 429 students
Rank: #3131.
Newton-conover Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
873 Northern Dr Nw
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-4221
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-4221
Grades: 6-8
| 603 students
Rank: #3232.
River Bend Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
4670 Oxford School Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-2754
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-2754
Grades: 7-8
| 475 students
Rank: #3333.
Longview Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
737 12th Street Sw
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-0975
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-0975
Grades: 3-5
| 318 students
Rank: #3434.
Catawba Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5415 Hudson Chapel Road
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-3131
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-3131
Grades: PK-6
| 404 students
Rank: #3535.
Grandview Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
451 Catawba Valley Boulevard
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 328-2289
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 328-2289
Grades: 6-8
| 400 students
Show 10 more public schools in Catawba County, NC (out of 45 total schools)
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Catawba County Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Grades
Students
Engelmann School Of Art And Sci (Closed 2007)
Charter School
2952 N Oxford Street
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-2051
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-2051
Grades: K-6
| 56 students
S Campus 420 North Center St
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 345-5807
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 345-5807
Grades: Inquire with school
| n/a students
2110 Main Avenue Se
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 327-3689
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 327-3689
Grades: PK-6
| 326 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public schools in Catawba County, NC?
The top ranked public schools in Catawba County, NC include Bandys High School, Sherrills Ford Elementary School and Fred T Foard High School.
How many public schools are located in Catawba County?
45 public schools are located in Catawba County.
What percentage of students in Catawba County go to public school?
91% of all K-12 students in Catawba County are educated in public schools (compared to the NC state average of 92%).
What is the racial composition of students in Catawba County?
Catawba County public schools minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public schools average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Which public schools in Catawba County are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public schools in Catawba County include: Grandview Middle School vs. Northview Middle School, Charles H Tuttle Elementary School vs. Maiden Elementary School, Northview Middle School vs. Grandview Middle School
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