Carteret County Public Schools, NC

Original Research by School Decision on Carteret County Public Schools

Carteret County Public Schools is a coastal district in eastern North Carolina serving prekindergarten through grade 13. The enrollment spans the full grade band, with the district operating schools across multiple communities including Beaufort, Newport, Morehead City, and surrounding areas. The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic students forming the second-largest group and smaller populations of Black students, Asian students, and other backgrounds represented.

In state testing for grades three through eight, the district's math proficiency rate sits in the middle range, with a majority of students meeting the proficiency benchmark. English language arts proficiency is lower, with fewer than two-thirds of tested students demonstrating proficiency. Science proficiency is the strongest of the three tested subjects. Graduation rate data was not available. Free and reduced-price lunch data and English learner enrollment counts were not provided, making it difficult to assess economic disadvantage or multilingual learner support at the district level.

The district operates a mix of elementary schools, middle schools, and traditional high schools at East Carteret, West Carteret, and Croatan High. A Marine Science and Technology Early College High School was previously operational but has closed. Bridges School also operates within the district, serving a specialized population. The geographic spread of schools reflects the county's coastal character, with schools serving island and mainland communities.

Housing values in the district vary substantially by area. Parts of the county have seen modest appreciation in recent years, while other areas show slower growth. Rental availability is limited, concentrated in a few zip codes, and rents are high relative to incomes. The affordability landscape is tight; the ratio of home price to median household income and rent-to-income measures both exceed healthy thresholds, meaning families looking to buy or rent here face significant cost burdens. Unemployment is holding steady at a moderate level.

A major shift affecting the district is a school bond referendum approved by voters that has funded capital improvements over the past several years. Improvements include renovations and additions at West Carteret High School scheduled for completion by fall of 2025, a new classroom building at Broad Creek Middle School, a new gymnasium at White Oak Elementary, new athletic fields at East Carteret High, security upgrades, and four shelter-ready gymnasiums with built-in generators. The bond carries a property tax increase that will persist for families, a lasting financial change for residents.

The district has also adopted an early academic calendar starting in mid-August rather than following North Carolina's state requirement for a late-August start. The board aligned the calendar with Carteret Community College to facilitate dual enrollment, but this move has drawn civil action against the district. Parents should be aware that this represents both an opportunity for community college articulation and an area of ongoing legal challenge.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

8,035

Grades

PK–13

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 11%

Black 5%

White 77%

Asian 1%

Two+ 6%

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

44%

63%

Gr 4

54%

77%

Gr 5

52%

72%

Gr 6

49%

71%

Gr 7

50%

73%

Gr 8

43%

72%

Gr 38

49%

71%

Math

Gr 3

65%

83%

Gr 4

52%

75%

Gr 5

63%

82%

Gr 6

59%

79%

Gr 7

54%

82%

Gr 8

44%

69%

Gr 38

56%

78%

Science

Gr 5

66%

84%

Gr 8

56%

80%

Gr 38

61%

82%

Schools in this District

18 schools are officially reported under this district.

Harkers Island Elementary

Morehead City Middle

Newport Elementary

Down East Middle and Smyrna Elementary

West Carteret High

White Oak Elementary

Morehead Elem at Camp Glenn

Morehead City Primary

Broad Creek Middle

Bogue Sound Elementary

Croatan High

Newport Middle

Bridges School

Marine Sci. and Tech. Early College HS

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

1 grade reported

69%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

62%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

74%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$357,886

Year-over-year change+4.0%

Range across 17 ZIP codes$188K to $753K

vs. state typical1.06x

vs. national typical0.97x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (17 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
28570	Newport	$350K	+2.7%	30.7%
28516	Beaufort	$425K	+4.1%	25.9%
28520		$288K	+6.7%	18.9%
28584		$402K	+2.3%	5.0%
28579	Marshallberg	$288K	+4.6%	3.6%
28577		$188K	+5.3%	3.5%
28557	Morehead City	$415K	+0.3%	2.9%
28581	Stacy	$252K	+9.4%	1.9%
28511	Atlantic	$231K	+1.1%	1.7%
28512		$607K	+1.6%	1.3%

Showing top 10 of 17 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$14,415/mo

Year-over-year change+4.9%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,659 to $27,865/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
28570	Newport	$27,865	—	30.7%
28516	Beaufort	$2,333	—	25.9%
28584		$2,042	—	5.0%
28557	Morehead City	$1,659	+4.9%	2.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,806/mo

Home price / national median income4.3x

Annual rent / national median income206.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$12,609/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.