Top Rankings
Buncombe County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 4,172 students in Buncombe County Schools. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Buncombe County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 48% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 35% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
45 Schools
873 Schools
# Students
22,402 Students
497,038 Students
# Teachers
1,477 Teachers
31,051 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Buncombe County Schools, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 314 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 90% has increased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#136 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)54%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
64%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)90%
86%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)26.3%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.55
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
22%
21%
% Black
7%
25%
% White
64%
43%
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,870 is higher than the state median of $11,170. The school district revenue/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,743 is higher than the state median of $11,594. The school district spending/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$288 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$286 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,870
$11,170
Spending / Student
$12,743
$11,594
Best Buncombe County Schools Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
North Buncombe Middle School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
51 N Buncombe School Road
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-7944
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-7944
Gr: 7-8 | 516 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Rank: #22.
Cane Creek Middle School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
570 Lower Brush Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
(828) 628-0824
Fletcher, NC 28732
(828) 628-0824
Gr: 6-8 | 499 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #33.
Valley Springs Middle School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
224 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1785
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1785
Gr: 5-8 | 654 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #44.
Enka Middle School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
390 Asbury Road
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 670-5010
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 670-5010
Gr: 7-8 | 588 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #55.
Community High School
Alternative School
(Math: 21-39% | Reading: ≥50%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
235 Old Us 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-7734
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-7734
Gr: 7-12 | 127 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #66.
Reynolds Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2 Rocket Drive
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 298-7484
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 298-7484
Gr: 6-8 | 490 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
Rank: #77.
Owen Middle School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
730 Old Us 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-7739
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-7739
Gr: 6-8 | 457 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #88.
Erwin Middle School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
20 Erwin Middle School Road
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 232-4264
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 232-4264
Gr: 7-8 | 545 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
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