Alexander County Schools, NC

Original Research by School Decision on Alexander County Schools

Alexander County Schools serves a small district across three towns in the foothills: Hiddenite, Stony Point, and Taylorsville. The enrollment spans prekindergarten through grade twelve, with the high school and two middle schools anchoring a system of six elementary schools and an early college program.

The district is predominantly white, with a growing Hispanic population that represents a modest but meaningful share of enrollment. Asian students and students of two or more races each account for a small portion of the roll. The district does not report free-or-reduced-price-lunch counts or English learner enrollment, so a parent seeking that detail should contact the schools directly.

On state end-of-grade testing, Alexander County sits below the state midline. In mathematics for grades three through eight, proficiency stands at roughly three in five students. English language arts is lower, at just above half. Science proficiency, tested at selected grades, lands in the upper fifties. These numbers reflect a district where many students meet grade-level benchmarks but where a material share fall short, particularly in reading. State testing data for high school end-of-course exams was not available in the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the high school directly about student performance in that band.

Housing in and around the district is affordable relative to state and national medians. The weighted median home value sits below state average. A recent property reappraisal completed in 2023, the first in more than two decades, drove substantial increases in assessed property values countywide, with median home values jumping significantly year over year. That reappraisal affects both school funding and homeowner property tax bills, making it a lasting cost-of-living shift families should understand when choosing to move into the area.

The district operates Alexander Early College, a dual-credit pathway for high school students, which sits alongside the traditional high school program at Alexander Central High. Program details and career pathway offerings beyond that were not in the data provided.

A consequential governance change is underway. Voters approved a 2024 referendum converting the school board from nonpartisan elections to partisan elections with seven single-member districts, effective in the 2026 election cycle. The board's voting districts are being redrawn to align with the 2020 census. This shift changes who can run for office, how candidates are nominated, and which voters elect each seat, making it a durable change in school governance that parents weighing the district should know about.

The district was without a graduation rate figure in the data provided, so a parent seeking that metric should request it from the superintendent's office or visit the district's website directly.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,365

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 12%

Black 4%

White 76%

Asian 2%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

32%

52%

Gr 4

57%

56%

Gr 5

44%

57%

Gr 6

52%

62%

Gr 7

55%

69%

Gr 8

53%

66%

Gr 38

49%

61%

Math

Gr 3

52%

80%

Gr 4

52%

59%

Gr 5

51%

63%

Gr 6

55%

71%

Gr 7

59%

79%

Gr 8

37%

65%

Gr 38

51%

70%

Science

Gr 5

50%

70%

Gr 8

56%

62%

Gr 38

53%

66%

Schools in this District

12 schools are officially reported under this district.

Alexander Central High

Bethlehem Elementary

Taylorsville Elementary

Hiddenite Elementary

Ellendale Elementary

Stony Point Elementary

Sugar Loaf Elementary

West Alexander Middle

Wittenburg Elementary

East Alexander Middle

Alexander Early College

Alexander Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

61%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

55%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

60%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$258,773

Year-over-year change+7.3%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$232K to $349K

vs. state typical0.77x

vs. national typical0.70x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
28681	Taylorsville	$262K	+8.3%	64.5%
28636	Hiddenite	$232K	+6.2%	20.8%
28678	Stony Point	$271K	+4.5%	7.6%
28601	Hickory	$306K	+2.2%	2.3%
28654	Moravian Falls	$236K	+5.5%	1.8%
28689	Union Grove	$349K	+9.1%	1.5%
28625	Statesville	$309K	+3.5%	1.2%
28630	Granite Falls	$259K	+1.4%	0.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,574/mo

Year-over-year change+1.5%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,395 to $1,932/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
28601	Hickory	$1,395	+1.9%	2.3%
28625	Statesville	$1,932	+0.7%	1.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,306/mo

Home price / national median income3.1x

Annual rent / national median income22.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$268/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$337,273 (-0.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.