St. Stephens: Schools & Education
St. Stephens schools: 20 public schools. Fred T Foard High is the largest at 956 students (grades 9-12). Total enrollment: 13,335 students.
- ~364 residents per school (vs North Carolina ~945).
K-12 Schools
26 K-12 schools serving the area — about 364 residents per school. 25.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. average ~35%).
Schools (26)
| School Districts · Districts | Hickory City Schools, Newton Conover City Schools |
|---|---|
| School Districts · Total count | 2 |
| School Districts · Nces Lea Ids | 3700690, 3703360 |
| School Statistics · Total Schools | 20 |
| School Statistics · Total Enrollment | 10,565 |
| School Statistics · Total Teachers | 684 |
| School Statistics · Student Teacher Ratio | 15.40 |
| School Statistics · Free Lunch Students | 5,902 |
| School Statistics · Free Lunch Pct | 55.9% |
| Schools Count | 20 |
Sources: NCES LEA assignment from schools in this city · NCES CCD 2022 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Higher Education
Colleges and universities within commuting range, plus IPEDS scorecard data on enrollment, completion, and net price.
| Colleges · Nearest | Catawba Valley Community College |
|---|---|
| Colleges · Nearest Distance Miles | 5.9 mi |
| Nearest College · Name | Catawba Valley Community College |
| Nearest College · City | Hickory |
| Nearest College · Phone | 8,283,277,000 |
| Nearest College · Distance | 5.9 mi |
Sources: NCES IPEDS 2022 — no colleges within 3 miles · NCES IPEDS 2022 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Early Childhood
Daycare and preschool capacity. Federal child-care data is sparse — counts reflect state-licensed providers only.
| Childcare Centers · County total | 4 |
|---|
Sources: HIFLD / IRS BMF
Libraries
Public libraries from IMLS Public Libraries Survey — visits, circulation, and service-area population.
| Nearest Library · Name | CATAWBA COUNTY LIBRARY |
|---|---|
| Nearest Library · Phone | 8,284,658,664 |
| Nearest Library · Address | 115 W C ST, NEWTON NC 28658 |
| Nearest Library · Distance | 5.9 mi |
Other
Libraries (1)
| Pct Bachelors Plus | 25.7% |
|---|
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12