For the 2025 school year, there are 40 public schools serving 21,683 students in Orange County, NC (there are 7 private schools, serving 1,066 private students). 95% of all K-12 students in Orange County, NC are educated in public schools (compared to the NC state average of 92%). Orange County has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in North Carolina.
The top ranked public schools in Orange County, NC are Chapel Hill High School, East Chapel Hill High School and Carrboro High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Orange County, NC public schools have an average math proficiency score of 63% (versus the North Carolina public school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 63% (versus the 50% statewide average). Schools in Orange County have an average ranking of 10/10, which is in the top 5% of North Carolina public schools.
Minority enrollment is 49% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best Public Schools in Orange County (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Chapel Hill High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
9217 Seawell School Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-2106
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-2106
Grades: 9-12
| 1,638 students
Rank: #22.
East Chapel Hill High School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 86%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
500 Weaver Dairy Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 969-2482
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 969-2482
Grades: 9-12
| 1,411 students
Rank: #33.
Carrboro High School
(Math: 80-89% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
201 Rock Haven Rd
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 918-2200
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 918-2200
Grades: 9-12
| 877 students
Rank: #44.
The Expedition School
Charter School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
437 Dimmocks Mill Rd Ste 33
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-8432
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-8432
Grades: K-8
| 361 students
Rank: #55.
Woods Charter
Charter School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
160 Woodland Grove Ln
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 960-8353
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 960-8353
Grades: K-12
| 512 students
Rank: #66.
Eno River Academy
Charter School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
1212 Nc Highway 57 North
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-6272
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-6272
Grades: K-12
| 810 students
Rank: #77.
Seawell Elementary School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 78%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
9115 Seawell School Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 967-4343
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 967-4343
Grades: PK-5
| 442 students
Rank: #88.
Morris Grove Elementary School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 74%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
215 Eubanks Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-4800
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-4800
Grades: K-5
| 396 students
Rank: #99.
Glenwood Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
2 Prestwick Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 968-3473
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 968-3473
Grades: K-5
| 408 students
Rank: #1010.
Cedar Ridge High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
1125 New Grady Brown Sch Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-4000
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-4000
Grades: 9-12
| 1,118 students
Rank: #1111.
Hillsborough Elementary School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
402 North Nash Street
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6137
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6137
Grades: PK-5
| 434 students
Rank: #1212.
Smith Middle School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
9201 Seawell School Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2145
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2145
Grades: 6-8
| 749 students
Rank: #1313.
Mcdougle Elementary School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
890 Old Fayetteville Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-2435
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-2435
Grades: PK-5
| 483 students
Rank: #1414.
Estes Hills Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
500 N Estes Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-4753
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-4753
Grades: PK-5
| 349 students
Rank: #1515.
Scroggs Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
501 Kildaire Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-7165
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-7165
Grades: PK-5
| 397 students
Rank: #1616.
Margaret B. Pollard Middle School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
185 Granite Mill Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-0070
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-0070
Grades: 6-8
| 742 students
Rank: #1717.
Ephesus Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1495 Ephesus Church Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 929-8715
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 929-8715
Grades: PK-5
| 389 students
Rank: #1818.
Phillips Middle School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
606 N Estes Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 929-2188
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 929-2188
Grades: 6-8
| 572 students
Rank: #1919.
Carrboro Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
400 Shelton St
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 968-3652
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 968-3652
Grades: PK-5
| 506 students
Rank: #2020.
North Chatham Elementary School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3380 Lystra Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 967-3094
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 967-3094
Grades: PK-5
| 623 students
Rank: #2121.
Orange High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
500 Orange High Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6133
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6133
Grades: 9-12
| 1,220 students
Rank: #2222.
Mcdougle Middle School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
900 Old Fayetteville Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 933-1556
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 933-1556
Grades: 6-8
| 705 students
Rank: #2323.
Culbreth Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
225 Culbreth Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-7161
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-7161
Grades: 6-8
| 664 students
Rank: #2424.
Rashkis Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
601 Meadowmont Ln
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 918-2160
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 918-2160
Grades: PK-5
| 433 students
Rank: #2525.
Fpg Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
101 Smith Level Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-6491
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-6491
Grades: PK-5
| 517 students
Rank: #2626.
River Park Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
240 St. Mary's Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9326
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9326
Grades: PK-5
| 555 students
Rank: #2727.
Phoenix Academy High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
750 S Merritt Mill Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2300
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2300
Grades: 8-12
| 21 students
Rank: #2828.
Orange Middle School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
308 Orange High Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6121
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6121
Grades: 6-8
| 529 students
Rank: #2929.
Partnership Academy
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
920 Corporate Drive
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-4030
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-4030
Grades: 9-12
| 43 students
Rank: #3030.
Northside Elementary School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
350 Caldwell St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2220
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2220
Grades: PK-5
| 390 students
Rank: #3131.
Pathways Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
431 Strouds Creek Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9136
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9136
Grades: PK-5
| 352 students
Rank: #3232.
Orange County Schools Online Academy
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
920 Corporate Dr
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-8126
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-8126
Grades: K-12
| 182 students
Rank: #3333.
A L Stanback Middle School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
3700 Nc 86 South
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-3200
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-3200
Grades: 6-8
| 625 students
Rank: #3434.
New Hope Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1900 New Hope Church Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-9696
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-9696
Grades: PK-5
| 538 students
Rank: #3535.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
154 Hayes St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-3622
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-3622
Grades: PK-5
| 287 students
Show 5 more public schools in Orange County, NC (out of 40 total schools)
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Orange County Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Grades
Students
1713 Legion Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 537-0740
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 537-0740
Grades: K-8
| 80 students
New Century Charter High School (Closed 2005)
Charter School
1315-a New Hope Trace
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-7722
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-7722
Grades: 9-12
| 106 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public schools in Orange County, NC?
The top ranked public schools in Orange County, NC include Chapel Hill High School, East Chapel Hill High School and Carrboro High School. Orange County has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in North Carolina.
How many public schools are located in Orange County?
40 public schools are located in Orange County.
What percentage of students in Orange County go to public school?
95% of all K-12 students in Orange County are educated in public schools (compared to the NC state average of 92%).
What is the racial composition of students in Orange County?
Orange County public schools minority enrollment is 49% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public schools average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Which public schools in Orange County are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public schools in Orange County include: Orange High School vs. Cedar Ridge High School, Cedar Ridge High School vs. Orange High School, East Chapel Hill High School vs. Chapel Hill High School
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