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, with one estimate claiming that low-income districts are underfunded by around $6,700 per pupil.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more due to the lasting impact of 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 $154 - $1,115 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
North Carolina has the 3rd 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.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category. Rank 1 on the “Expenditures Ranking” means highest expenditures and Rank 1 on “Income Ranking” means lowest income.
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 | 0.15 | $9,184 | $57,141 |
| 2 | Stokes County Schools | 0.16 | $10,375 | $51,668 |
| 3 | Lincoln County Schools | 0.32 | $8,631 | $59,592 |
| 4 | Caswell County Schools | 0.38 | $11,247 | $47,938 |
| 5 | Swain County Schools | 1.23 | $12,042 | $44,713 |
| 6 | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 1.29 | $9,836 | $53,583 |
| 7 | Stanly County Schools | 1.40 | $9,710 | $54,104 |
| 8 | Avery County Schools | 1.46 | $12,507 | $42,695 |
| 9 | Jackson County Public Schools | 1.54 | $11,101 | $47,655 |
| 10 | Haywood County Schools | 1.74 | $10,231 | $51,548 |
| 11 | Madison County Schools | 1.96 | $11,375 | $46,190 |
| 12 | Greene County Schools | 1.97 | $11,946 | $43,563 |
| 13 | Alexander County Schools | 2.63 | $10,182 | $51,329 |
| 14 | Craven County Schools | 2.74 | $9,611 | $53,894 |
| 15 | Gates County Schools | 2.81 | $11,961 | $45,871 |
| 16 | Newton Conover City Schools | 3.14 | $9,815 | $52,757 |
| 17 | Mitchell County Schools | 3.30 | $11,366 | $48,841 |
| 18 | Jones County Schools | 3.39 | $13,669 | $38,324 |
| 19 | Rowan-Salisbury Schools | 3.41 | $10,079 | $51,412 |
| 20 | Graham County Schools | 3.91 | $12,879 | $42,207 |
| 21 | Mcdowell County Schools | 4.59 | $10,895 | $47,085 |
| 22 | Guilford County Schools | 5.28 | $10,283 | $54,794 |
| 23 | Elkin City Schools | 5.38 | $10,320 | $49,329 |
| 24 | Warren County Schools | 5.45 | $12,897 | $37,476 |
| 25 | Granville County Schools | 5.46 | $9,838 | $56,924 |
| 26 | Edenton-Chowan Schools | 5.84 | $12,686 | $44,050 |
| 27 | Henderson County Schools | 6.05 | $9,465 | $58,928 |
| 28 | Montgomery County Schools | 6.09 | $11,155 | $45,147 |
| 29 | Cherokee County Schools | 6.41 | $12,070 | $40,793 |
| 30 | Kannapolis City Schools | 6.42 | $10,932 | $46,005 |
| 31 | Beaufort County Schools | 6.52 | $10,475 | $48,051 |
| 32 | Perquimans County Schools | 7.00 | $11,289 | $51,036 |
| 33 | Yancey County Schools | 7.14 | $11,171 | $44,554 |
| 34 | Gaston County Schools | 7.15 | $9,225 | $53,474 |
| 35 | Iredell-Statesville Schools | 7.29 | $8,875 | $62,250 |
| 36 | Harnett County Schools | 7.64 | $8,934 | $54,565 |
| 37 | Halifax County Schools | 7.67 | $13,970 | $31,447 |
| 38 | Davidson County Schools | 7.68 | $8,573 | $56,203 |
| 39 | Hertford County Schools | 7.90 | $11,517 | $42,588 |
| 40 | Onslow County Schools | 7.94 | $9,375 | $52,394 |
| 41 | Watauga County Schools | 8.10 | $10,653 | $46,453 |
| 42 | Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools | 8.25 | $10,682 | $54,439 |
| 43 | Lee County Schools | 8.25 | $9,363 | $52,294 |
| 44 | Martin County Schools | 8.31 | $12,057 | $39,909 |
| 45 | Buncombe County Schools | 8.64 | $10,663 | $54,720 |
| 46 | Johnston County Public Schools | 8.99 | $9,156 | $61,806 |
| 47 | Pender County Schools | 9.15 | $9,558 | $60,044 |
| 48 | Franklin County Schools | 9.24 | $9,976 | $58,172 |
| 49 | Ashe County Schools | 9.27 | $11,272 | $43,030 |
| 50 | Hoke County Schools | 9.28 | $9,495 | $51,177 |
| 51 | Edgecombe County Public Schools | 9.56 | $11,134 | $43,521 |
| 52 | Washington County Schools | 9.58 | $13,874 | $30,941 |
| 53 | Alamance-Burlington Schools | 9.96 | $9,334 | $51,580 |
| 54 | Clay County Schools | 10.16 | $11,365 | $42,160 |
| 55 | Pitt County Schools | 10.53 | $9,761 | $49,337 |
| 56 | Weldon City Schools | 10.53 | $14,947 | $36,010 |
| 57 | Transylvania County Schools | 10.87 | $11,604 | $51,509 |
| 58 | Surry County Schools | 11.43 | $10,284 | $46,491 |
| 59 | Rutherford County Schools | 11.48 | $11,000 | $43,183 |
| 60 | Bertie County Schools | 11.48 | $12,774 | $35,042 |
| 61 | Randolph County School System | 11.54 | $9,132 | $51,721 |
| 62 | Macon County Schools | 12.32 | $10,359 | $45,703 |
| 63 | Davie County Schools | 12.33 | $9,469 | $62,028 |
| 64 | New Hanover County Schools | 12.33 | $10,633 | $56,689 |
| 65 | Yadkin County Schools | 12.67 | $10,049 | $46,954 |
| 66 | Cumberland County Schools | 13.20 | $9,677 | $48,397 |
| 67 | Polk County Schools | 13.86 | $11,794 | $52,125 |
| 68 | Person County Schools | 14.10 | $10,687 | $57,323 |
| 69 | Vance County Schools | 14.45 | $10,974 | $41,827 |
| 70 | Alleghany County Schools | 15.54 | $11,873 | $37,158 |
| 71 | Wayne County Public Schools | 16.04 | $9,625 | $47,221 |
| 72 | Thomasville City Schools | 16.16 | $12,256 | $35,097 |
| 73 | Nash County Public Schools | 16.28 | $9,594 | $47,247 |
| 74 | Moore County Schools | 16.86 | $9,678 | $63,324 |
| 75 | Carteret County Public Schools | 16.91 | $10,872 | $57,871 |
| 76 | Caldwell County Schools | 16.99 | $9,768 | $46,094 |
| 77 | Brunswick County Schools | 17.84 | $10,560 | $59,763 |
| 78 | Anson County Schools | 18.21 | $11,009 | $39,799 |
| 79 | Cleveland County Schools | 18.39 | $10,180 | $43,512 |
| 80 | Wilkes County Schools | 18.86 | $9,809 | $44,980 |
| 81 | Scotland County Schools | 19.09 | $11,755 | $35,936 |
| 82 | Rockingham County Schools | 19.24 | $9,611 | $45,697 |
| 83 | Mooresville Graded School District | 19.58 | $9,726 | $64,450 |
| 84 | Roanoke Rapids City Schools | 20.31 | $9,572 | $45,347 |
| 85 | Bladen County Schools | 20.52 | $11,327 | $37,188 |
| 86 | Tyrrell County Schools | 21.29 | $15,623 | $38,250 |
| 87 | Wilson County Schools | 22.16 | $9,535 | $44,594 |
| 88 | Hickory City Schools | 22.24 | $9,275 | $45,749 |
| 89 | Sampson County Schools | 22.60 | $9,542 | $44,344 |
| 90 | Asheboro City Schools | 22.76 | $10,416 | $40,257 |
| 91 | Camden County Schools | 23.98 | $10,337 | $63,834 |
| 92 | Burke County Schools | 24.72 | $9,406 | $43,915 |
| 93 | Pamlico County Schools | 24.97 | $13,780 | $48,531 |
| 94 | Northampton County Schools | 25.26 | $15,896 | $38,969 |
| 95 | Whiteville City Schools | 26.95 | $10,429 | $38,114 |
| 96 | Columbus County Schools | 28.14 | $10,183 | $38,655 |
| 97 | Richmond County Schools | 28.30 | $10,079 | $39,051 |
| 98 | Clinton City Schools | 28.77 | $9,749 | $40,333 |
| 99 | Mount Airy City Schools | 29.04 | $10,935 | $34,756 |
| 100 | Duplin County Schools | 29.99 | $8,943 | $43,422 |
| 101 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | 30.01 | $9,812 | $69,240 |
| 102 | Lenoir County Public Schools | 30.17 | $9,686 | $39,923 |
| 103 | Durham Public Schools | 34.90 | $11,742 | $62,812 |
| 104 | Cabarrus County Schools | 36.14 | $9,095 | $75,570 |
| 105 | Dare County Schools | 37.62 | $11,468 | $65,420 |
| 106 | Chatham County Schools | 39.42 | $10,709 | $69,799 |
| 107 | Public Schools Of Robeson County | 41.40 | $9,465 | $35,362 |
| 108 | Asheville City Schools | 41.72 | $13,544 | $57,937 |
| 109 | Currituck County Schools | 42.50 | $10,183 | $73,741 |
| 110 | Lexington City Schools | 44.57 | $10,255 | $30,161 |
| 111 | Union County Public Schools | 52.17 | $9,308 | $82,557 |
| 112 | Orange County Schools | 56.80 | $11,668 | $74,030 |
| 113 | Wake County Schools | 56.99 | $9,610 | $83,567 |
| 114 | Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 72.14 | $13,078 | $75,181 |
| 115 | Hyde County Schools | 86.64 | $20,865 | $46,667 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,876 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 of the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.