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Buncombe County Schools

Public school district · Asheville, NC · NCES 3700450

Official district website ↗Call (828) 232-4160Find a district school →

At a glance

Reported students

22,452

NCES CCD 2024–25

Open schools

45

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Student–teacher ratio

15.1:1

Calculated from NCES 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE

Spending per pupil

$13,585

Current expenditure · FY 2023 F-33

Instruction per pupil

$8,314

Calculated from FY 2023 F-33

Grades served

PK–13

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Historical enrollment and staffing · CRDC 2021–22

These older figures are kept separate from 2024–25 statistics and benchmarks. Agency figures aggregate matched current school records; they may not cover the complete historical district.

Students
22,047
Teachers (FTE)
1,216.36
Student–teacher ratio
18.1:1

What current records say about Buncombe County Schools

Buncombe County Schools operates 45 current public-school records serving grades PK–13 in Asheville, North Carolina. NCES reports 22,452 students and 1,488.7 classroom teacher FTE for 2024–25.

Within North Carolina agencies of the same NCES type, it ranks 15 of 121 with reported enrollment. That position describes scale only—it does not say whether individual schools are a good fit for a particular student.

FY 2023 finance records show $13,585 in current expenditure per pupil and $8,314 per pupil assigned to instruction. Within the same NCES agency type, this places reported current spending 57 of 119 in North Carolina. Local wages, transportation, special education, facilities, and agency responsibilities all affect this comparison.

Compare Buncombe County Schools with regular districts in the North Carolina rankings →

Reported needs and resources

English learners
8.8%
Students with disabilities (IDEA)
11.9%
Classroom teachers (FTE)
1,488.7
Current expenditure (FY 2023)
$300,114,000

Context measures describe who a district serves and its resources. They are not negative rating inputs.

Buncombe County Schools

Asheville, North Carolina

NCES EDGE 2024–25 · 35.6069, -82.5834

View office location on a map →

An office location does not show attendance boundaries. Ask the district to confirm the school assignment for a specific home address.

Enrollment questions to ask →

Student demographics

Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment

  • White63.4%
  • Hispanic22.4%
  • Black7.2%
  • Asian1.2%
  • American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
  • Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.4%
  • Multiracial5.2%

Race/ethnicity: NCES CCD 2024–25. English learner and disability context: CRDC 2021–22 matched schools. Totals can differ due to rounding or source privacy rules.

Schools by level

Medians use schools reporting 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE.

LevelSchoolsMedian studentsMedian ratioCharter
Elementary2339914.6:10
Middle1154514.8:10
High1077316.6:10
Combined / other129621.4:10

Explore schools in Buncombe County Schools

45 current directory entries

Search the full district by school name or level, or browse the alphabetical directory. Add schools to your comparison as you go.

Showing 1–24 of 45 schools · enrollment and ratios: NCES 2024–25. Scroll the table to see all columns.

Schools, grade spans, enrollment, and student–teacher ratios
SchoolLevel / gradesStudentsRatioCompare
Avery's Creek ElementaryElementaryPK–0455715.2:1
Barnardsville ElementaryElementaryPK–0412510.9:1
Bell ElementaryElementary01–0522412.4:1
Black Mountain ElementaryElementary04–0516315.3:1
Black Mountain PrimaryElementaryPK–0335113.9:1
Buncombe County Schools Virtual AcademyOtherKG–1229621.4:1
Candler ElementaryElementaryPK–0438113.8:1
Cane Creek MiddleMiddle06–0849914.9:1
Center for Career InnovationHigh09–134110.3:1
Community High SchoolHigh07–121276.6:1
Early CollegeHigh09–1327124.8:1
Eblen IntermediateMiddle05–0656614.9:1
Emma ElementaryElementaryPK–0427712.9:1
Enka HighHigh09–121,05116.5:1
Enka IntermediateMiddle05–0658514.8:1
Enka MiddleMiddle07–0858816.1:1
Erwin HighHigh09–121,01314.6:1
Erwin MiddleMiddle07–0854513.8:1
Estes ElementaryElementaryPK–0475414.3:1
Fairview ElementaryElementaryKG–0564616.8:1
Glen Arden ElementaryElementaryPK–0450513.6:1
Haw Creek ElementaryElementaryPK–0540212.4:1
Hominy Valley ElementaryElementaryKG–0439914.6:1
Johnston ElementaryElementaryPK–0421712.5:1

Cities served by Buncombe County Schools

Grouped by school mailing address. City pages also include schools run by other districts and charter agencies.

Frequently asked questions about Buncombe County Schools

How many schools are in Buncombe County Schools?

Buncombe County Schools has 45 open public schools in the NCES 2025–26 preliminary directory: 23 elementary, 11 middle, 10 high, 1 combined or other.

How many students attend Buncombe County Schools?

NCES reports 22,452 students for 2024–25, served by 1,488.7 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers. That is number 15 of 121 North Carolina agencies of the same type by enrollment. The 2021–22 civil-rights collection matched 22,047 students in schools that are still open.

What is the student–teacher ratio in Buncombe County Schools?

The district-wide ratio is 15.1:1, calculated from 2024–25 enrollment and classroom-teacher FTE. Ratios vary by school and are not the same as average class size; ask individual schools about class sizes by grade.

How much does Buncombe County Schools spend per student?

The FY 2023 federal finance survey reports $13,585 in current expenditure per pupil, including $8,314 for instruction. That ranks 57 of 119 comparable North Carolina agencies. Spending reflects local costs and student needs as well as priorities.

What is the largest high school in Buncombe County Schools?

Roberson High reported the largest high-school enrollment in the district, with 1,479 students in 2024–25. Size describes the campus, not its quality.

How do I find my assigned school in Buncombe County Schools?

Attendance zones are set by the district and can change. Use the district's official school locator or contact its enrollment office at (828) 232-4160 with your exact address. A mailing address or ZIP code alone does not determine school assignment.

Nearby school districts

Regular North Carolina districts with the closest central offices. Office distance is not a boundary comparison.