There were 179,027 students enrolled in Wake County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 5.1% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Apex Friendship High School registered the highest enrollment among Wake County’s 225 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 2,708 students.
Despite steady enrollment, North Carolina schools continue to face significant funding challenges. The state’s per-student spending remains nearly $5,000 below the national average, limiting resources for teachers, classrooms, and student support programs. In fact, North Carolina ranks 48th out of 50 states in per-student funding (after adjusting for regional costs).
Staffing shortages have also become a growing concern, with teacher turnover rising to 11.5% in the most recent school year. Low salaries and high workloads make it difficult to retain experienced educators, potentially increasing class sizes and affecting learning quality.
Enrollment in Wake County Over 10 Years
Enrollment in Wake County Schools Compared to Previous Year
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High School | 2,712 | 2,708 | -0.1% |
| Panther Creek High School | 2,419 | 2,555 | 5.6% |
| Enloe High School | 2,426 | 2,485 | 2.4% |
| Leesville Road High School | 2,536 | 2,464 | -2.8% |
| Apex High School | 2,454 | 2,390 | -2.6% |
| Millbrook High School | 2,332 | 2,384 | 2.2% |
| Rolesville High School | 2,258 | 2,237 | -0.9% |
| Green Level High School | 2,038 | 2,143 | 5.2% |
| Green Hope High School | 1,987 | 2,119 | 6.6% |
| Cary High School | 2,070 | 2,087 | 0.8% |
| Holly Springs High School | 2,092 | 2,079 | -0.6% |
| Needham Broughton High School | 2,080 | 2,028 | -2.5% |
| Wakefield High School | 1,999 | 2,025 | 1.3% |
| Willow Spring High School | 1,465 | 2,022 | 38% |
| Wake Forest High School | 2,044 | 2,018 | -1.3% |
| Athens Drive High School | 1,990 | 1,969 | -1.1% |
| South Garner High School | 1,756 | 1,804 | 2.7% |
| Heritage High School | 1,779 | 1,776 | -0.2% |
| Fuquay-Varina High School | 1,875 | 1,701 | -9.3% |
| Knightdale High School | 1,658 | 1,676 | 1.1% |
| Franklin Academy | 1,634 | 1,639 | 0.3% |
| East Wake High School | 1,548 | 1,618 | 4.5% |
| Mills Park Middle School | 1,623 | 1,616 | -0.4% |
| Sanderson High School | 1,607 | 1,603 | -0.2% |
| Garner High School | 1,616 | 1,597 | -1.2% |
| Middle Creek High School | 1,586 | 1,582 | -0.3% |
| Alston Ridge Middle School | 1,504 | 1,561 | 3.8% |
| Southeast Raleigh High School | 1,362 | 1,440 | 5.7% |
| Apex Friendship Middle School | 1,384 | 1,382 | -0.1% |
| Triangle Math and Science Academy | 1,253 | 1,324 | 5.7% |
| Pine Springs Preparatory Academy | 1,236 | 1,260 | 1.9% |
| East Wake Academy | 1,209 | 1,231 | 1.8% |
| Herbert Akins Road Middle School | 864 | 1,218 | 41% |
| Oberlin Middle School | 1,081 | 1,117 | 3.3% |
| West Millbrook Middle School | 1,041 | 1,093 | 5% |
| East Garner Middle School | 1,174 | 1,089 | -7.2% |
| Alston Ridge Elementary School | 1,029 | 1,070 | 4% |
| Salem Middle School | 1,073 | 1,062 | -1% |
| Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy | – | 1,028 | – |
| Fuquay-Varina Middle School | 1,181 | 1,019 | -13.7% |
| Davis Drive Middle School | – | 1,009 | – |
| River Bend Middle School | 1,106 | 998 | -9.8% |
| Holly Ridge Middle School | 991 | 979 | -1.2% |
| Holly Grove Middle School | – | 967 | – |
| Oakview Elementary School | 933 | 967 | 3.6% |
| Lufkin Road Middle School | 1,001 | 966 | -3.5% |
| Herbert Akins Rd Elementary School | 938 | 963 | 2.7% |
| Martin Middle School | 952 | 961 | 0.9% |
| Rolesville Middle School | 1,039 | 959 | -7.7% |
| Apex Middle School | 921 | 958 | 4% |
| Olive Chapel Elementary School | 962 | 957 | -0.5% |
| Dillard Drive Middle School | 968 | 946 | -2.3% |
| Heritage Middle School | 1,004 | 936 | -6.8% |
| North Garner Middle School | 970 | 929 | -4.2% |
| Neuse River Middle School | 917 | 924 | 0.8% |
| Wake Forest Middle School | 963 | 923 | -4.2% |
| Holly Springs Elementary School | 909 | 909 | 0% |
| Ligon Middle School | – | 901 | – |
| West Cary Middle School | 869 | 901 | 3.7% |
| Holly Grove Elementary School | 907 | 896 | -1.2% |
| Buckhorn Creek Elementary School | 758 | 876 | 15.6% |
| Carnage Middle School | 833 | 876 | 5.2% |
| Carroll Middle School | 862 | 862 | 0% |
| Harris Creek Elementary School | 842 | 851 | 1.1% |
| Apex Friendship Elementary School | 773 | 848 | 9.7% |
| Wakefield Middle School | 898 | 838 | -6.7% |
| Davis Drive Elementary School | 848 | 831 | -2% |
| Willow Springs Elementary School | 690 | 823 | 19.3% |
| Parkside Elementary School | 837 | 816 | -2.5% |
| Pine Hollow Middle School | 867 | 809 | -6.7% |
| Leesville Road Middle School | 784 | 807 | 2.9% |
| Reedy Creek Middle School | 768 | 802 | 4.4% |
| Carolina Charter Academy | – | 799 | – |
| Cedar Fork Elementary School | 774 | 789 | 1.9% |
| Endeavor Charter School | 762 | 782 | 2.6% |
| Sycamore Creek Elementary School | 782 | 778 | -0.5% |
| White Oak Elementary School | 775 | 777 | 0.3% |
| Peak Charter Academy | 756 | 769 | 1.7% |
| Abbotts Creek Elementary School | 771 | 768 | -0.4% |
| Salem Elementary School | 723 | 764 | 5.7% |
| West Lake Middle School | 883 | 763 | -13.6% |
| Scotts Ridge Elementary School | 764 | 761 | -0.4% |
| Bryan Road Elementary School | 655 | 759 | 15.9% |
| South Lakes Elementary School | 826 | 752 | -9% |
| Turner Creek Elementary School | 668 | 747 | 11.8% |
| Envision Science Academy | 734 | 741 | 1% |
| Rolesville Charter Academy | 627 | 738 | 17.7% |
| East Millbrook Middle School | 757 | 737 | -2.6% |
| Holly Ridge Elementary School | 793 | 734 | -7.4% |
| Wake Forest Charter Academy | 664 | 732 | 10.2% |
| SCORE Academy | 621 | 728 | 17.2% |
| Weatherstone Elementary School | 697 | 722 | 3.6% |
| Wendell Middle School | 721 | 718 | -0.4% |
| Banks Road Elementary School | 655 | 714 | 9% |
| Rogers Lane Elementary School | 721 | 711 | -1.4% |
| Zebulon Middle School | 706 | 709 | 0.4% |
| Ballentine Elementary School | 694 | 706 | 1.7% |
| Highcroft Elementary School | 731 | 705 | -3.6% |
| Fuquay-Varina Elementary School | 600 | 702 | 17% |
| Cardinal Charter Academy | 703 | 701 | -0.3% |
| North Ridge Elementary School | 697 | 698 | 0.1% |
| Laurel Park Elementary School | 775 | 697 | -10.1% |
| Durant Road Middle School | 763 | 696 | -8.8% |
| PreEminent Charter | 698 | 690 | -1.1% |
| The Math and Science Academy of Apex | 605 | 683 | 12.9% |
| Carpenter Elementary School | 641 | 681 | 6.2% |
| Hortons Creek Elementary School | 691 | 680 | -1.6% |
| River Bend Elementary School | 670 | 677 | 1% |
| Lake Myra Elementary School | 636 | 676 | 6.3% |
| Morrisville Elementary School | 663 | 672 | 1.4% |
| Barwell Road Elementary School | 681 | 655 | -3.8% |
| Lacy Elementary School | 670 | 648 | -3.3% |
| Farmington Woods Elementary School | 630 | 645 | 2.4% |
| Middle Creek Elementary School | 642 | 643 | 0.2% |
| Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter School | 596 | 641 | 7.6% |
| Mills Park Elementary School | 690 | 641 | -7.1% |
| Adams Elementary School | 539 | 641 | 18.9% |
| Lincoln Heights Elementary School | 615 | 631 | 2.6% |
| Beaverdam Elementary School | 683 | 628 | -8.1% |
| Sterling Montessori Academy | 615 | 627 | 2% |
| Brassfield Elementary School | 602 | 627 | 4.2% |
| Apex Elementary School | 621 | 627 | 1% |
| Hunter Elementary School | 605 | 627 | 3.6% |
| Combs Elementary School | 609 | 625 | 2.6% |
| Heritage Elementary School | 622 | 625 | 0.5% |
| Sanford Creek Elementary School | 606 | 622 | 2.6% |
| Dillard Drive Elementary School | 683 | 621 | -9.1% |
| Wilburn Elementary School | 602 | 620 | 3% |
| East Cary Middle School | 623 | 617 | -1% |
| Baucom Elementary School | 505 | 616 | 22% |
| Northwoods Elementary School | 617 | 611 | -1% |
| Wakelon Elementary School | 564 | 603 | 6.9% |
| Green Hope Elementary School | 606 | 601 | -0.8% |
| Zebulon Elementary School | 549 | 595 | 8.4% |
| Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls | 720 | 588 | -18.3% |
| Moore Square Middle School | 591 | 588 | -0.5% |
| Reedy Creek Elementary School | 585 | 587 | 0.3% |
| Hilburn Drive Academy | 616 | 587 | -4.7% |
| Jones Dairy Elementary School | 583 | 585 | 0.3% |
| West Lake Elementary School | 617 | 574 | -7% |
| Brier Creek Elementary School | 579 | 568 | -1.9% |
| Durant Road Elementary School | 631 | 562 | -10.9% |
| Raleigh Charter High School | 559 | 554 | -0.9% |
| Creech Road Elementary School | – | 545 | – |
| Leesville Road Elementary School | 599 | 541 | -9.7% |
| Knightdale Elementary School | 542 | 541 | -0.2% |
| Wildwood Forest Elementary School | 511 | 540 | 5.7% |
| North Forest Pines Elementary School | 559 | 539 | -3.6% |
| Richland Creek Elementary School | – | 538 | – |
| Southern Wake Academy | 555 | 537 | -3.2% |
| Pleasant Union Elementary School | 551 | 535 | -2.9% |
| Oak Grove Elementary School | 595 | 534 | -10.3% |
| Conn Elementary School | 511 | 531 | 3.9% |
| Stough Elementary School | 511 | 531 | 3.9% |
| Green Elementary School | 540 | 530 | -1.9% |
| Vandora Springs Elementary School | 522 | 528 | 1.1% |
| Walnut Creek Elementary School | 490 | 522 | 6.5% |
| Douglas Elementary School | 524 | 521 | -0.6% |
| Jeffreys Grove Elementary School | 486 | 520 | 7% |
| Millbrook Elementary School | 504 | 514 | 2% |
| Forestville Road Elementary School | 484 | 513 | 6% |
| Yates Mill Elementary School | 485 | 510 | 5.2% |
| Smith Elementary School | 503 | 508 | 1% |
| Joyner Elementary School | 518 | 506 | -2.3% |
| Hodge Road Elementary School | 508 | 503 | -1% |
| Rolesville Elementary School | 498 | 502 | 0.8% |
| Barton Pond Elementary School | 412 | 502 | 21.8% |
| East Garner Elementary School | 477 | 498 | 4.4% |
| Penny Road Elementary School | 489 | 496 | 1.4% |
| Fuller Elementary School | 375 | 495 | 32% |
| Wakefield Elementary School | 486 | 488 | 0.4% |
| Forest Pines Drive Elementary School | 506 | 486 | -4% |
| Washington Elementary School | 491 | 483 | -1.6% |
| Pleasant Grove Elementary School | 576 | 481 | -16.5% |
| Lynn Road Elementary School | 471 | 476 | 1.1% |
| RISE Southeast Raleigh Charter | 467 | 470 | 0.6% |
| Centennial Campus Middle School | 512 | 464 | -9.4% |
| Root Elementary School | 443 | 461 | 4.1% |
| Doral Academy of North Carolina | 319 | 452 | 41.7% |
| Lockhart Elementary School | 452 | 444 | -1.8% |
| Cary Elementary School | 470 | 443 | -5.7% |
| Fox Road Elementary School | 462 | 442 | -4.3% |
| The Exploris School | 427 | 440 | 3% |
| York Elementary School | 420 | 439 | 4.5% |
| Briarcliff Elementary School | 426 | 435 | 2.1% |
| Central Carolina Academy | 264 | 430 | 62.9% |
| Carver Elementary School | 402 | 429 | 6.7% |
| Brooks Elementary School | 433 | 425 | -1.8% |
| Wendell Elementary School | 424 | 425 | 0.2% |
| Magellan Charter | 404 | 409 | 1.2% |
| Longleaf School of the Arts | 390 | 408 | 4.6% |
| Vance Elementary School | 369 | 405 | 9.8% |
| Kingswood Elementary School | 379 | 394 | 4% |
| Timber Drive Elementary School | 416 | 388 | -6.7% |
| Underwood Elementary School | 385 | 387 | 0.5% |
| Lead Mine Elementary School | – | 380 | – |
| Wiley Elementary School | 368 | 377 | 2.4% |
| Wake Forest Elementary School | 317 | 373 | 17.7% |
| Rand Road Elementary School | 370 | 370 | 0% |
| Brentwood Elementary School | 368 | 370 | 0.5% |
| Southeast Raleigh Elementary School | 357 | 370 | 3.6% |
| Baileywick Road Elementary School | 347 | 365 | 5.2% |
| North Wake College and Career Academy | 346 | 355 | 2.6% |
| Vernon Malone College and Career Academy | 340 | 354 | 4.1% |
| Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy | 344 | 352 | 2.3% |
| Swift Creek Elementary School | 385 | 339 | -11.9% |
| Wake Early College of Health and Science | 327 | 322 | -1.5% |
| Aversboro Elementary School | 352 | 315 | -10.5% |
| Wake STEM Early College High School | 259 | 277 | 6.9% |
| Partnership Elementary School | 271 | 277 | 2.2% |
| Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy | 268 | 272 | 1.5% |
| Raleigh Oak Charter | 286 | 269 | -5.9% |
| Poe Elementary School | 260 | 267 | 2.7% |
| Powell Elementary School | 270 | 267 | -1.1% |
| Central Wake High School | 210 | 263 | 25.2% |
| Bugg Elementary School | – | 256 | – |
| Olds Elementary School | 271 | 249 | -8.1% |
| Oak Hill Charter | 178 | 205 | 15.2% |
| Quest Academy | 142 | 144 | 1.4% |
| Crossroads FLEX | 136 | 142 | 4.4% |
| Phillips High School | 116 | 116 | 0% |
| Mount Vernon | 73 | 91 | 24.7% |
| Connections Academy | 60 | 48 | -20% |
| River Oaks Middle School | – | 46 | – |
| Longview | 26 | 19 | -26.9% |
