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6.3avg / 10

Best Schools in Lexington, North Carolina

30 schools · 15 Elementary · 4 Middle · 7 High · 4 Other

Public: 28
Private: 2
Districts: 3
Avg Rating: 6.3/10
Estimated Scores: 7%
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Lexington?

Use this page to compare every school in Lexington 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.

Southwood Elementary

8.0/10

Elementary · Davidson County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy

7.6/10

High · Davidson County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Northwest Elementary

7.5/10

Elementary · Davidson County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Lexington for 2026 are Southwood Elementary (8.0/10), Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy (7.6/10), and Northwest Elementary (7.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 26 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

30

28 public · 2 private

Avg Score

6.3

out of 10

Median Home

$192,600

home value · ACS

Districts

3

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Southwood Elementary

Rates 8.0/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 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 Lexington schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Silver Valley Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +16.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Lexington schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Lexington

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 26 rated schools; 30 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Southwood Elementary8.0 / 10
2Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy7.6 / 10
3Northwest Elementary7.5 / 10
4Reeds Elementary7.5 / 10
5Central Davidson Middle7.2 / 10
6Welcome Elementary7.1 / 10
7Southmont Elementary7.1 / 10
8Silver Valley Elementary6.9 / 10
9Lexington Middle School6.8 / 10
10North Davidson Middle6.6 / 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
6.3/10

28% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$59,957

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$192,600

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
18%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
25 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
71%

Of occupied housing units

How Lexington compares

North Carolina rank

#123 of 255

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.0

below North Carolina avg (6.3)

Median household income

$60k

88% of North Carolina median

Schools in this city

29

Davidson County Schools runs 71% of Lexington's public schools

Lexington touches 3 districts, but Davidson County Schools is the one most addresses actually attend.

Davidson County Schools accounts for 20 of 28 public schools (71%). The other 2 districts hold the remaining 8.

Among 26 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.3 to 8.0 — the spread is inside Lexington, not a citywide average.

About Schools in Lexington, North Carolina

Lexington, North Carolina has 27 ranked public schools, giving families a range of options across elementary, middle, and high school levels. The city's public school landscape skews toward the elementary tier, where the strongest performers are concentrated. The average school score across Lexington sits at 6.2 out of 10, which gives parents a useful baseline when evaluating individual campuses.

Performance varies meaningfully across the city. Only 4 schools — 15% of ranked public schools — score 7 or above out of 10, so high-performing options are real but limited. Southwood Elementary leads the city with an 8.5 out of 10, the top score among all ranked Lexington schools. Southwest Elementary Global Academy follows at 8.2, making these two campuses the clear standouts. Southmont Elementary and Charles England Elementary both score 7.2, and Silver Valley Elementary comes in at 6.9 — all sitting above the city average. Parents specifically focused on elementary-age children have the clearest set of strong choices.

Practically speaking, school quality in Lexington depends heavily on which campus a child is zoned for. The gap between the top schools and the city average is notable — Southwood Elementary scores more than two points above the 6.2 average. Families who have flexibility in where they live or can access open enrollment should treat school scores as a serious factor in that decision. The Global Academy designation at Southwest Elementary signals a specialized program focus, worth investigating directly with the school for admission details and curriculum structure.

Parents researching Lexington should start by confirming their zoned school using Davidson County Schools' enrollment tools, then compare that assignment against the top-performing campuses. If a child's zoned school falls near or below the 6.2 city average, exploring transfer options or nearby alternatives is worth the effort. With only 15% of schools scoring above 7 out of 10, Lexington rewards proactive research — the difference between a median and a top-tier assignment here is significant.

Filter by ZIP:27292(16)27295(13)

Elementary Schools

15 schools
#SchoolRating
1593 students · Pre-K–5th8.0
2607 students · Pre-K–5th7.5
3286 students · Pre-K–5th7.5
4639 students · Pre-K–5th7.1
5285 students · Pre-K–5th7.1
6235 students · Pre-K–5th6.9
7310 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten6.9
8370 students · 1st–5th6.4
9513 students · Pre-K–5th6.2
10400 students · Pre-K–5th5.8
Show all 15 elementary schools in Lexington

Middle Schools

4 schools
#SchoolRating
1662 students · 6th–8th7.2
2591 students · 6th–8th6.8
3714 students · 6th–8th6.6
4545 students · 6th–8th5.6

High Schools

7 schools
#SchoolRating
1168 students · 9th–UG7.6
2867 students · 9th–12th6.5
3904 students · 9th–12th6.5
4743 students · 9th–12th6.5
5929 students · 9th–12th6.5
6142 students · 9th–UG6.3
773 students · 6th–12th6.1

Other Schools

4 schools
#SchoolRating
197 students · Kindergarten–12th3.3
228 students · Kindergarten–12th—
Private Schools2 schools

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.

1239 students · Pre-K–12thNot Rated
2506 students · Kindergarten–12thNot Rated

Schools in Lexington

Lexington, North Carolina · 30 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes

Median Income

$59,957

Median Home Value

$192,600

Median Rent

$849/mo

Population

78,890

College Educated

18%

Homeownership

71%

Avg Commute

25 min

Poverty Rate

14.3%

Community Profile

Lexington has a median household income of $59,957. It is a community where 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $192,600, with a median rent of $849/month. The area has a poverty rate of 14.3%. The average commute for residents is 25 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

Elementary
15
Middle
4
High
7
Other
4

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Lexington, North Carolina

How many schools are in Lexington, North Carolina?

Lexington has 30 schools, including 28 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Lexington, North Carolina?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Lexington is 6.3 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 Lexington, North Carolina?

The top-ranked school in Lexington on MySchoolScout is Southwood Elementary with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What is the best elementary school in Lexington, North Carolina?

The top-ranked elementary school in Lexington on MySchoolScout is Southwood Elementary with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What is the best middle school in Lexington, North Carolina?

The top-ranked middle school in Lexington on MySchoolScout is Central Davidson Middle with a composite score of 7.2/10.

What is the best high school in Lexington, North Carolina?

The top-ranked high school in Lexington on MySchoolScout is Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy with a composite score of 7.6/10.

How many school districts serve Lexington, North Carolina?

Lexington is served by 3 school districts: Davidson Charter Academy, Davidson County Schools, Lexington City Schools.

What is the education level in Lexington, North Carolina?

According to Census data, 18% of adults in Lexington have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Lexington, North Carolina?

The median household income in Lexington is approximately $59,957 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Lexington, North Carolina?

Yes, Lexington has 2 private schools alongside 28 public schools. The top-rated private school is Sheets Memorial Christian School with a score of 7.9/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Lexington, North Carolina?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Lexington is 16.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Lexington, 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.