While the U.S. is one of the most educated countries in the world, it doesn’t provide the same quality elementary school or secondary school education to all students. In many states, more affluent school districts receive a greater amount of funding per student than poorer districts.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income students have suffered the greatest “learning loss” due to partial or total remote learning. One contributing factor is that people in low-income districts are less likely to have the technological resources they need.
States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers. The difference is dramatic: College graduates have $524 - $1,112 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
North Carolina has the 2nd most equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 115 districts in North Carolina based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil. Read on for the district ranking and a complete description of our methodology.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category.
Most & Least Equitable School Districts in North Carolina
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expeditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catawba County Schools | 0.07 | $9,143 | $55,133 |
| 2 | Warren County Schools | 0.34 | $13,336 | $36,466 |
| 3 | Elkin City Schools | 0.43 | $10,342 | $49,981 |
| 4 | Haywood County Schools | 0.59 | $9,860 | $51,659 |
| 5 | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 0.59 | $9,880 | $51,569 |
| 6 | Halifax County Schools | 0.59 | $14,162 | $32,870 |
| 7 | Lincoln County Schools | 0.75 | $8,536 | $57,536 |
| 8 | Jackson County Public Schools | 1.06 | $10,805 | $48,202 |
| 9 | Craven County Schools | 1.61 | $9,867 | $52,687 |
| 10 | Cherokee County Schools | 1.89 | $11,992 | $41,438 |
| 11 | Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools | 1.93 | $10,374 | $50,558 |
| 12 | Graham County Schools | 1.96 | $12,820 | $39,571 |
| 13 | Mitchell County Schools | 2.39 | $11,414 | $46,103 |
| 14 | Watauga County Schools | 2.70 | $10,552 | $47,526 |
| 15 | Madison County Schools | 2.76 | $10,913 | $45,873 |
| 16 | Caswell County Schools | 2.98 | $10,921 | $45,733 |
| 17 | Rowan-Salisbury Schools | 3.82 | $9,813 | $50,316 |
| 18 | Avery County Schools | 3.86 | $12,026 | $40,340 |
| 19 | Franklin County Schools | 3.94 | $9,559 | $55,193 |
| 20 | Martin County Schools | 4.11 | $12,054 | $40,090 |
| 21 | Stokes County Schools | 4.16 | $10,279 | $48,054 |
| 22 | Henderson County Schools | 4.25 | $9,425 | $55,945 |
| 23 | Stanly County Schools | 4.46 | $9,231 | $52,623 |
| 24 | Gaston County Schools | 4.48 | $9,182 | $52,835 |
| 25 | Guilford County Schools | 4.95 | $10,096 | $53,261 |
| 26 | Davidson County Schools | 5.03 | $8,594 | $55,213 |
| 27 | Newton Conover City Schools | 5.76 | $9,608 | $50,302 |
| 28 | Clay County Schools | 5.83 | $11,397 | $42,222 |
| 29 | Perquimans County Schools | 5.85 | $11,548 | $47,162 |
| 30 | Alexander County Schools | 6.33 | $9,891 | $48,756 |
| 31 | Washington County Schools | 6.72 | $14,127 | $35,979 |
| 32 | Granville County Schools | 6.76 | $9,713 | $55,856 |
| 33 | Pender County Schools | 6.79 | $9,409 | $57,240 |
| 34 | Harnett County Schools | 6.87 | $8,766 | $53,554 |
| 35 | Jones County Schools | 6.93 | $13,665 | $38,158 |
| 36 | Montgomery County Schools | 7.08 | $10,835 | $44,146 |
| 37 | Person County Schools | 7.30 | $10,846 | $51,020 |
| 38 | Buncombe County Schools | 7.34 | $10,631 | $52,006 |
| 39 | Hertford County Schools | 7.65 | $11,467 | $41,028 |
| 40 | Iredell-Statesville Schools | 7.72 | $8,784 | $60,499 |
| 41 | Lee County Schools | 8.17 | $9,419 | $49,994 |
| 42 | Alleghany County Schools | 8.56 | $12,081 | $37,830 |
| 43 | Yancey County Schools | 8.66 | $11,094 | $42,222 |
| 44 | Beaufort County Schools | 9.01 | $10,392 | $45,212 |
| 45 | Randolph County School System | 9.26 | $9,204 | $50,435 |
| 46 | Mcdowell County Schools | 9.32 | $10,706 | $43,646 |
| 47 | Johnston County Public Schools | 9.40 | $9,105 | $59,865 |
| 48 | Greene County Schools | 10.16 | $11,463 | $39,837 |
| 49 | Onslow County Schools | 10.34 | $8,947 | $51,070 |
| 50 | Ashe County Schools | 10.55 | $11,171 | $40,962 |
| 51 | Kannapolis City Schools | 10.58 | $10,240 | $45,138 |
| 52 | Alamance-Burlington Schools | 10.80 | $9,205 | $49,688 |
| 53 | Rutherford County Schools | 10.86 | $10,772 | $42,608 |
| 54 | Pitt County Schools | 10.96 | $9,688 | $47,437 |
| 55 | Macon County Schools | 11.16 | $10,096 | $45,507 |
| 56 | Weldon City Schools | 11.29 | $14,731 | $35,463 |
| 57 | Hoke County Schools | 11.37 | $9,503 | $48,072 |
| 58 | Anson County Schools | 11.59 | $11,227 | $40,213 |
| 59 | Nash-Rocky Mount Schools | 11.69 | $9,752 | $46,797 |
| 60 | Edenton-Chowan Schools | 11.86 | $12,335 | $46,519 |
| 61 | Transylvania County Schools | 12.04 | $11,533 | $50,212 |
| 62 | Cumberland County Schools | 12.31 | $9,588 | $47,236 |
| 63 | Scotland County Schools | 13.11 | $11,725 | $37,238 |
| 64 | Gates County Schools | 13.18 | $11,536 | $50,750 |
| 65 | Tyrrell County Schools | 13.44 | $14,998 | $35,300 |
| 66 | Swain County Schools | 13.49 | $11,291 | $39,009 |
| 67 | Caldwell County Schools | 13.91 | $10,023 | $44,511 |
| 68 | Polk County Schools | 13.91 | $12,050 | $48,787 |
| 69 | Bertie County Schools | 14.14 | $11,995 | $35,527 |
| 70 | Vance County Schools | 14.27 | $10,870 | $40,529 |
| 71 | Moore County Schools | 14.86 | $9,667 | $59,963 |
| 72 | Mount Airy City Schools | 15.15 | $10,699 | $40,870 |
| 73 | New Hanover County Schools | 15.31 | $10,843 | $54,891 |
| 74 | Davie County Schools | 15.50 | $9,631 | $60,434 |
| 75 | Northampton County Schools | 15.58 | $14,816 | $37,146 |
| 76 | Yadkin County Schools | 16.64 | $9,693 | $44,682 |
| 77 | Wilkes County Schools | 17.65 | $9,712 | $44,107 |
| 78 | Surry County Schools | 17.81 | $9,844 | $43,437 |
| 79 | Wayne County Public Schools | 17.82 | $9,626 | $44,416 |
| 80 | Edgecombe County Public Schools | 18.11 | $10,660 | $39,624 |
| 81 | Brunswick County Schools | 18.34 | $10,424 | $58,236 |
| 82 | Mooresville Graded School District | 18.38 | $9,350 | $63,086 |
| 83 | Asheboro City Schools | 18.82 | $10,371 | $40,582 |
| 84 | Thomasville City Schools | 18.89 | $11,514 | $35,407 |
| 85 | Wilson County Schools | 19.41 | $9,575 | $43,877 |
| 86 | Burke County Schools | 20.15 | $9,345 | $44,557 |
| 87 | Sampson County Schools | 20.17 | $9,588 | $43,455 |
| 88 | Duplin County Schools | 20.26 | $9,954 | $41,764 |
| 89 | Cleveland County Schools | 20.36 | $9,836 | $42,247 |
| 90 | Hickory City Schools | 21.41 | $9,196 | $44,620 |
| 91 | Rockingham County Schools | 23.13 | $9,243 | $43,579 |
| 92 | Whiteville City Schools | 23.52 | $10,239 | $38,910 |
| 93 | Roanoke Rapids City Schools | 23.57 | $9,230 | $43,427 |
| 94 | Bladen County Schools | 24.40 | $10,754 | $36,173 |
| 95 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | 26.83 | $9,464 | $66,641 |
| 96 | Columbus County Schools | 27.66 | $10,141 | $37,357 |
| 97 | Camden County Schools | 27.71 | $10,018 | $64,572 |
| 98 | Lenoir County Public Schools | 27.96 | $9,655 | $39,402 |
| 99 | Carteret County Public Schools | 28.73 | $11,767 | $57,194 |
| 100 | Clinton City Schools | 28.83 | $9,897 | $37,891 |
| 101 | Asheville City Schools | 30.58 | $12,838 | $53,267 |
| 102 | Cabarrus County Schools | 30.72 | $8,871 | $71,181 |
| 103 | Richmond County Schools | 31.52 | $9,997 | $36,148 |
| 104 | Pamlico County Schools | 32.00 | $14,444 | $46,728 |
| 105 | Public Schools Of Robeson County | 34.12 | $9,979 | $34,976 |
| 106 | Dare County Schools | 34.51 | $11,900 | $59,381 |
| 107 | Durham Public Schools | 36.54 | $11,767 | $60,958 |
| 108 | Lexington City Schools | 37.95 | $10,854 | $29,195 |
| 109 | Currituck County Schools | 40.84 | $10,225 | $69,964 |
| 110 | Chatham County Schools | 41.28 | $10,924 | $67,031 |
| 111 | Hyde County Schools | 51.62 | $18,114 | $39,663 |
| 112 | Union County Public Schools | 55.03 | $9,506 | $80,033 |
| 113 | Wake County Schools | 55.16 | $9,395 | $80,591 |
| 114 | Orange County Schools | 56.23 | $11,598 | $71,197 |
| 115 | Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 71.65 | $13,044 | $72,115 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,927 school districts throughout the U.S. based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
For expenditures, for each 1 percent above the state's average we removed 1 point from a base score of 50 points for each district. For household income, for each 1 percent above the state's average we added 1 point to a base score of 50 points for each district. The inverse was true for each 1 percent below the state's average.
The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.