Skip to main content

Very Good

#628 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 24% in state

Salem Middle

Middle School · Wake County Schools · Apex, NC

A Wake County Schools middle school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

6150 Old Jenks Road, Apex, NC 27523

  • Math 81% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 74% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.8Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.04 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.7Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency80.7% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency73.5% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+23.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+21.3 pts
Overall Proficiency77% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)71% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+6.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile80th
Resources & Environment6.2Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.4:1
District spending per student$11,691
Chronic Absenteeism13.3%

Students at Salem Middle score 77% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 71%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency81%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency74%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 77% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
96%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
86%
2011
Math
91%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
71%
2013
Math
69%
ELA
68%
2014
Math
66%
ELA
64%
2015
Math
69%
ELA
67%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
68%
2017
Math
68%
ELA
68%
2018
Math
61%
ELA
67%
2019
Math
61%
ELA
67%
2020*
Math
65%
ELA
71%
2021*
Math
65%
ELA
71%
2022
Math
75%
ELA
72%
2025
Math
81%
ELA
74%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

20.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Salem Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Raleigh map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 15Car-Dependent
  • Bike 40Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low115/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$122,401

Median home value

$585,900

Median rent

$1,805/mo

College educated

68%

Homeownership

69.1%

Poverty rate

7.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27523; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Davis Drive MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.76–81.4 mi997Compare →
Apex MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.86–82.2 mi938Compare →
Lufkin Road MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.26–82.8 mi957Compare →
Mariposa SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated2–122.9 mi21Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Wake County Schools

Schools in district
197
Rank in district
#76 of 194
District spending per student
$11,691NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Salem Middle is listed in Wake County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Salem Middle

Salem Middle is a public middle school in Apex, NC, part of Wake County Schools, serving approximately 1,042 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #628 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 73% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Salem Middle

What grades does Salem Middle serve?

Salem Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Salem Middle?

Salem Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,042 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Salem Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Salem Middle is 17.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Salem Middle rank in NC?

Salem Middle ranks #628 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Salem Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Salem Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Salem Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Salem Middle has 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 73% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Salem Middle a charter school?

No, Salem Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Salem Middle a Title I school?

No, Salem Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Salem Middle?

20.9% of students at Salem Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
1,042
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
60
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Wake County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.3%
Area population (ZIP 27523)
18,330
Area average commute
24.7 min
Area median age
39.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27523; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.