New Hanover County Schools is the 12th largest school system in North Carolina and estimated to be the 113th largest in the United States. Located in beautiful coastal southeastern North Carolina, New Hanover County Schools operates 42 schools in New Hanover County, which includes the cities and towns of Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach, Ogden, and Castle Hayne. New Hanover County is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Cape Fear River to the west. Our 2 Pre-K Centers, 25 Elementary Schools, 8 Middle Schools, 4 High Schools, 1 Performance Learning Center, and 2 Early College High Schools provide a wide variety of educational opportunities to our diverse population of over 26,000 students.