Top Rankings
Lincoln County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 18 public elementary schools serving 7,892 students in Lincoln County Schools School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Lincoln County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 60% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 27% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
23 Schools
2,174 Schools
# Students
11,642 Students
1,091,007 Students
# Teachers
752 Teachers
73,903 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
District Rank
Lincoln County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 89% has decreased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#109 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
51%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
53%
50%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
73%
63%

Graduation Rate
89%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.45
0.72
# American Indian Students
22 Students
12,383 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
139 Students
47,310 Students
% Asian Students
1%
4%
# Hispanic Students
1,540 Students
227,576 Students
% Hispanic Students
13%
21%
# Black Students
775 Students
268,051 Students
% Black Students
7%
25%
# White Students
8,438 Students
465,086 Students
% White Students
73%
43%
# Hawaiian Students
6 Students
1,488 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
722 Students
69,126 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
240
23,192
# Students in K Grade:
786
109,971
# Students in 1st Grade:
834
114,331
# Students in 2nd Grade:
807
118,121
# Students in 3rd Grade:
846
111,941
# Students in 4th Grade:
869
114,493
# Students in 5th Grade:
873
115,565
# Students in 6th Grade:
880
116,023
# Students in 7th Grade:
860
113,393
# Students in 8th Grade:
877
115,504
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,018
11,612
# Students in 10th Grade:
975
10,182
# Students in 11th Grade:
939
8,704
# Students in 12th Grade:
838
7,975
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,033 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,752 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$117 MM
$17,307 MM

Spending
$114 MM
$17,964 MM

Revenue / Student
$10,033
$11,187

Spending / Student
$9,752
$11,612

Best Lincoln County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Rock Springs Elementary School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
3633 Hwy 16 N
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 483-2281
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 483-2281
Grades: PK-5
| 647 students
Rank: #22.
Catawba Springs Elementary School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
206 North Little Egypt Rd
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-1895
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-1895
Grades: PK-5
| 531 students
Rank: #33.
St. James Elementary School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1774 St James Church Road
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-1958
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-1958
Grades: PK-5
| 665 students
Rank: #44.
Union Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4875 Reepsville Rd
Vale, NC 28168
(704) 276-1493
Vale, NC 28168
(704) 276-1493
Grades: PK-5
| 323 students
Rank: #55.
North Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1503 Amity Church Road
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-0262
Denver, NC 28037
(704) 736-0262
Grades: 6-8
| 751 students
Rank: #66.
East Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4137 Hwy 73
Iron Station, NC 28080
(704) 732-0761
Iron Station, NC 28080
(704) 732-0761
Grades: 6-8
| 748 students
Rank: #77.
Ge Massey Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
130 Newbold St
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-2322
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-2322
Grades: PK-5
| 370 students
Rank: #88.
North Brook Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
642 Hwy 274
Vale, NC 28168
(704) 276-2479
Vale, NC 28168
(704) 276-2479
Grades: PK-5
| 351 students
Rank: #99.
Iron Station Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4207 Hwy 27 E
Iron Station, NC 28080
(704) 736-4292
Iron Station, NC 28080
(704) 736-4292
Grades: PK-5
| 362 students
Rank: #1010.
Asbury Academy
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
221 Salem Church Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-4766
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-4766
Grades: 6-12
| 29 students
Rank: #1111.
Childers Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2595 Rock Dam Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-9610
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-9610
Grades: PK-5
| 407 students
Rank: #1212.
West Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
260 Shoal Rd
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 276-1760
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 276-1760
Grades: 6-8
| 546 students
Rank: #1313.
Pumpkin Center Intermediate
(Math: 49% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
3980 King Wilkinson Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1504
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1504
Grades: 3-5
| 309 students
Rank: #1414.
S Ray Lowder Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
350 Kennedy Dr
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-2741
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-2741
Grades: PK-5
| 280 students
Rank: #1515.
Lincolnton Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2361 Startown Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-1120
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-1120
Grades: 6-8
| 563 students
Rank: #1616.
Love Memorial Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1463 Love Memorial Sch Rd
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-5649
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-5649
Grades: PK-5
| 291 students
Rank: #1717.
Battleground Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
301 Jeb Seagle Dr
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1626
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1626
Grades: PK-5
| 419 students
Rank: n/an/a
3970 King Wilkinson Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1394
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-1394
Grades: PK-2
| 300 students
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