The top reported proficiency rate is 94% in Science. The lowest is 83% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Masonboro Elementary
Masonboro Elementary sits on Masonboro Loop Road in the southeastern part of Wilmington, serving a compact enrollment across kindergarten through fifth grade. The school draws from a neighborhood that is predominantly white and relatively affluent, with a low share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is stable and mixed across the grade band, with roughly equal class sizes from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Academically, Masonboro performs well on North Carolina's End-of-Grade assessments. In mathematics, the school's proficiency rate is notably high, placing it among the stronger performers in core instruction. Science proficiency is also strong. English language arts proficiency is somewhat lower, running in the low-to-mid range compared to math and science, which may indicate an area where some students are still building skills or where instruction is less uniform. The sample sizes for science testing are smaller because science assessment focuses on selected grades, which is typical for elementary schools. State testing data was available only for grades three through five, so performance of younger students in the school cannot be measured through these assessments.
The school's enrollment includes a small Hispanic population, a handful of Asian and multiracial students, very few Black students, and one student identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. The vast majority of the student body is white. Limited data on English learner enrollment and special education enrollment was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support services and inclusive programs available for students with disabilities or those learning English as an additional language.
Masonboro's neighborhood is part of suburban Wilmington's wider growth context. The Wilmington area has experienced rapid population expansion, ranking among the fastest-growing metros in the United States in recent years. That growth, driven by healthcare, technology, defense, and education jobs, has pushed housing demand and prices upward substantially over the past decade. The median home price in the area is in the mid-to-high range, with median monthly rent around mid-range as well. The cost of housing relative to income suggests affordability pressure for the region as a whole, though the specific neighborhoods around Masonboro tend toward higher property values and owner-occupied single-family homes rather than rentals. If your family is considering this area, housing costs and the competitive real estate market are relevant factors.
The wider community of Wilmington is anchored by Novant Health, UNCW, GE Hitachi Nuclear, nCino (a fintech company), and other major employers. Downtown Wilmington has a genuine walkable core along the Cape Fear River with restaurants, galleries, and cultural offerings, though most daily life in the school's suburban area is car-dependent. The city has good public parks, a functioning library system, and transit options through Wave Transit, though personal transportation is the norm for school families.
New Hanover County Schools is undertaking major capital planning. A bond referendum is scheduled for November 2026 that would fund facility improvements across the district, including a new elementary school in the fast-growing Riverlights development area, replacements for aging middle and elementary schools, and upgrades to the high school. A major community endowment has pledged support contingent on voter passage, which would reduce the property-tax impact. Because every school in the county is slated to benefit in some way, the outcome will shape both facility conditions and tax bills for families in the district over the next several years. The board has also approved a stricter cell phone policy to reduce cyberbullying and added local African American history, including the Seabreeze Resort near Carolina Beach, into the curriculum.
Masonboro is a neighborhood elementary school in a stable, relatively resourced suburban area with solid academic performance in math and science, lower performance in language arts, and a homogeneous student body. It fits families who prioritize academic basics, seek a smaller-scale K-5 program, and are comfortable in a predominantly white, higher-income neighborhood context.
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