Best Schools in Asheville, North Carolina
54 schools · 26 Elementary · 9 Middle · 11 High · 8 Other
Choosing a school in Asheville?
Use this page to compare every school in Asheville by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
West Buncombe Elementary
Elementary · Buncombe County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Bell Elementary
Elementary · Buncombe County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Nesbitt Discovery Academy
High · Buncombe County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Asheville for 2026 are West Buncombe Elementary (8.7/10), Bell Elementary (8.5/10), and Nesbitt Discovery Academy (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 47 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
54
34 public · 20 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$422,980
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Schools
54
34 public · 20 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$422,980
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Rates 8.7/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Asheville schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Asheville
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (47 of 54). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Buncombe Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Bell Elementary | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Nesbitt Discovery Academy | 8.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Rainbow Community School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Asheville High | 8.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Montford North Star Academy | 8.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Asheville Waldorf School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 8 | Early College | 8.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Asheville Catholic School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Reynolds High | 7.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.5/10
- Median household income
- $65,700
- Median home value
- $422,980
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 51%
- Avg commute
- 19 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
44% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Asheville compares
North Carolina rank
#90 of 253
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.3
above North Carolina avg (6.2)
Median household income
$66k
97% of North Carolina median
Schools in this city
48
About Schools in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina has 34 ranked public schools, giving families a meaningful range of options across the city. The district's average school score is 6.0 out of 10, and 21 percent of schools — seven in total — score 7 or higher. That spread matters: it means strong options exist, but school quality varies considerably depending on where you live or where you choose to enroll.
Elementary schools lead Asheville's performance picture. Bell Elementary sits at the top of the city with a 9.0 out of 10, making it the highest-rated public school in the area. West Buncombe Elementary (8.7) and Haw Creek Elementary (8.3) follow closely, with Claxton Elementary (8.0) and Lucy S. Herring Elementary (7.8) rounding out the top five. All five clear the 7-point threshold that only 21 percent of Asheville schools reach. Parents targeting elementary-age children have several well-performing options to consider, though these schools draw from specific attendance zones and may require address verification or a transfer request.
The city's 6.0 average reflects a school system with genuine high points but also schools performing closer to the middle of the scale. Families should treat the average as a baseline — useful for context, but not a substitute for looking up the specific score for the school tied to their address. A home in one part of Asheville can mean a very different school assignment than a home a few miles away.
For parents actively comparing schools, Asheville rewards research. Start with Bell Elementary and the other high-scoring elementaries if you have young children and flexibility in where you live. If you're already in a specific neighborhood, pull the score for your assigned school and compare it against the city's 6.0 average and the 7-plus threshold. School ratings on MySchoolScout combine academic performance data into a single comparable score, making side-by-side comparisons faster. Asheville's top-performing schools cluster at the elementary level, so families with middle or high school students should look carefully at individual school pages for the most current data on those grade bands.
Elementary Schools
26 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 578 students · Kindergarten–4th | 8.7 |
| 2 | 204 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 394 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 4 | 290 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 5 | 388 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
| 6 | 375 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 7 | 168 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.8 |
| 8 | 270 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.6 |
| 9 | 437 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.1 |
| 10 | 193 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.0 |
Show all 26 elementary schools in Asheville
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 217 students · 6th–8th | 8.3 | ||
| 2 | 680 students · 5th–6th | 7.0 | ||
| 3 | 543 students · 6th–8th | 6.2 | ||
| 4 | 490 students · 6th–8th | 5.8 | ||
| 5 | 550 students · 5th–6th | 5.8 | ||
| 6 | 536 students · 7th–8th | 4.6 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 69 students · 6th–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 72 students · 6th–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Hanger Hall SchoolPrivate 84 students · 6th–8th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 379 students · 9th–12th | 8.4 | ||
| 2 | 1,165 students · 9th–12th | 8.3 | ||
| 3 | 276 students · 9th–UG | 8.0 | ||
| 4 | 1,156 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 | ||
| 5 | 1,495 students · 9th–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 6 | 38 students · 10th–UG | 7.4 | ||
| 7 | 352 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 8 | 706 students · 5th–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 9 | 1,052 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Asheville SchoolPrivate 296 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 11 high schools in Asheville
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,218 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.3 | ||
| 2 | 280 students · Kindergarten–12th | 2.7 | ||
Private Schools6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Odyssey Community SchoolPrivate 141 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 168 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Carolina Day SchoolPrivate 566 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Canterbury Classical SchoolPrivate 123 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | Temple Baptist SchoolPrivate 171 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | Eliada AcademyPrivate 12 students · 1st–11th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina · 54 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$65,700
Median Home Value
$422,980
Median Rent
$1,281/mo
Population
139,361
College Educated
51%
Homeownership
56%
Avg Commute
19 min
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Community Profile
Asheville has a median household income of $65,700. It is a well-educated community where 51% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $422,980, with a median rent of $1,281/month. The area has a poverty rate of 15.2%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 19 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- North Carolina
- Elementary
- 26
- Middle
- 9
- High
- 11
- Other
- 8
Resources
School Districts (7)
Francine Delany New School
1 school · 193 students
Evergreen Community Charter
1 school · 437 students
Asheville City Schools
9 schools · 3,977 students
The Franklin School of Innovation
1 school · 706 students
Invest Collegiate - Imagine
1 school · 1,218 students
Buncombe County Schools
45 schools · 22,172 students
Asheville PEAK Academy
1 school · 168 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in North Carolina
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Asheville, North Carolina
How many schools are in Asheville, North Carolina?
Asheville has 54 schools, including 34 public and 20 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Asheville, North Carolina?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Asheville is 6.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Asheville, North Carolina?
The top-ranked school in Asheville on MySchoolScout is West Buncombe Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Asheville, North Carolina?
The top-ranked elementary school in Asheville on MySchoolScout is West Buncombe Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Asheville, North Carolina?
The top-ranked middle school in Asheville on MySchoolScout is Montford North Star Academy with a composite score of 8.3/10.
What is the best high school in Asheville, North Carolina?
The top-ranked high school in Asheville on MySchoolScout is Nesbitt Discovery Academy with a composite score of 8.4/10.
How many school districts serve Asheville, North Carolina?
Asheville is served by 7 school districts: Francine Delany New School, Evergreen Community Charter, Asheville City Schools, The Franklin School of Innovation, Invest Collegiate - Imagine, Buncombe County Schools, Asheville Peak Academy.
What is the education level in Asheville, North Carolina?
According to Census data, 51% of adults in Asheville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Asheville, North Carolina?
The median household income in Asheville is approximately $65,700 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Asheville, North Carolina?
Yes, Asheville has 20 private schools alongside 34 public schools. The top-rated private school is Rainbow Community School with a score of 8.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Asheville, North Carolina?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Asheville is 11.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Asheville, North Carolina?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.