Schools in Cary
Cary's schools are part of the Wake County Public School System, which Niche rates an overall A district for its Cary-area schools -- a real, broadly positive picture, though (as with any large district) individual school quality varies by specific attendance zone.
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Learn moreNiche's district-level read: a solid A
The Wake County Public School District serving Cary carries an overall Niche grade of A, based on 664 user reviews averaging 3.9 stars, across the district's 197 total schools and 163,325 students. State test-score data cited alongside that rating shows 65% of students at least proficient in math and 63% in reading.
Individual standout schools within Cary
Specific Cary-area elementary schools cited with top marks include Mills Park Elementary School and Davis Drive Elementary School, both rated an "A" by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's own grading system and given a 10-star rating by GreatSchools -- real, concrete examples of top-performing schools within the district rather than a district-wide average standing in for every individual school.
A large, county-wide district -- confirm your specific zoned school
Wake County Public School System serves 197 schools and more than 163,000 students across the entire county, not just Cary -- meaning individual school quality and specific attendance-zone assignment vary meaningfully by address even within Cary itself. Confirm a property's exact zoned elementary, middle, and high school directly with WCPSS before buying or leasing rather than assuming the district-wide A grade applies uniformly to every Cary address.
Key takeaways
- The Wake County Public School District serving Cary carries an overall Niche grade of A (3.9 stars, 664 reviews) across its 197 schools and 163,325 students; state test data shows 65% math and 63% reading proficiency.
- Standout Cary-area schools include Mills Park Elementary and Davis Drive Elementary, both rated "A" by the NC Department of Public Instruction and given 10-star GreatSchools ratings.
- WCPSS is a large, county-wide district (197 schools, 163,000+ students) -- individual school quality and zoning vary meaningfully by specific address even within Cary, so confirm a property's exact zoned schools directly with WCPSS.
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