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Fairfax County

Virginia · Public K-12

Fairfax County runs 222 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with an average school size of about 786 students. The level mix is 169 elementary, 23 middle, and 27 high schools.

4-year change in Fairfax County

SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
174,475
-978 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
School count
196
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

How Fairfax County ranks

Among counties
MeasureThis countyIn VirginiaIn the US
State test proficiency
ranked highest first
74.6%#32 of 115N/A
Enrollment
ranked largest first
174,475#1 of 118#42 of 2,745
Number of schools
ranked most first
196#1 of 118N/A
Students per teacher
ranked fewest first
13.7:1#62 of 118#1,198 of 2,655
Free or reduced-price lunch share
ranked highest first
36.7%#96 of 107#2,227 of 2,526
Diversity index
ranked most diverse first
73.9%#4 of 115#28 of 2,707
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.

Fairfax County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
Residents
1,147,837
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
222
5 districts
Enrollment
174,475
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$153,637
Above Virginia avg
Free/reduced lunch
36.7%
Below Virginia avg
Elementary
169
90,040 students
Middle
23
23,540 students
High
27
60,795 students
Combined / other
3
100 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Fairfax County Public Schools
173,989 students · 5 districts in Fairfax County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Fairfax County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".

County residents
White
49%
Hispanic
18%
Black
10%
Asian
20%
Two or more
13%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
36%
Hispanic
29%
Black
10%
Asian
18%
Two or more
6%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
65.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.2%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.9% under 18

Test scores in Fairfax County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 183 schools ranked. Virginia state average: 74.2%.

See all 183 schools in Fairfax County ranked by score →

All schools (222)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Achievement Integrity And Maturity BryantAlexandriaElementaryN-N··
Achievement Integrity and Maturity Mountain ViewCentervilleElementaryN-N··
Burke SchoolBurkeElementaryN-N··
Cedar Lane SchoolViennaElementaryN-N··
Chantilly Governor's STEM AcademyChantillyElementaryN-N··
Chantilly High School AcademyChantillyElementaryN-N··
Clifford S. Hardison Governor's Health Sciences AcademyAlexanderElementaryN-N··
Community Based EducationFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Davis Career CenterFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Edison High School AcademyAlexandriaElementaryN-N··
Fairfax Juvenile Detention HomeFairfaxElementaryN-N··
Falls Church Governor's Health Sciences AcademyFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Falls Church High School AcademyFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Interagency Alternative Secondary CenterFairfaxElementaryN-N··
Marshall Governor's STEM AcademyFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Marshall High School AcademyFalls ChurchElementaryN-N··
Northern Va. Tr. Ctr. E.PFairfaxCombinedPK-12··
Plum Center For Lifelong LearningSpringfieldElementaryN-N··
Pulley Career CenterAlexandriaElementaryN-N··
Quander Road SchoolAlexandriaElementaryN-N··
Transition Support Resource Center/FairfaxAlexandriaElementaryN-N··
West Potomac High School AcademyAlexandriaElementaryN-N··

Cities in Fairfax County

Alexandria45 schoolsFalls Church28 schoolsSpringfield25 schoolsFairfax22 schoolsVienna16 schoolsHerndon14 schoolsCentreville12 schoolsReston10 schoolsAnnandale8 schoolsChantilly8 schoolsMclean8 schoolsBurke6 schoolsLorton5 schoolsClifton3 schoolsFairfax Station3 schoolsFort Belvoir2 schoolsGreat Falls2 schoolsOakton2 schoolsAlexander1 schoolCenterville1 schoolDunn Loring1 school

About Fairfax County

Across the wide-reaching Virginia county of Fairfax County of about 1,147,837 residents, the public-school footprint covers 222 schools and about 174,475 students.

Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $153,637, about 65% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 4%. That income level is 101% higher than the Virginia median.

On the level-by-level breakdown, Fairfax County comprises 169 elementary schools (90,040 students), 23 middle schools (23,540), 27 high schools (60,795), and 3 combined or other schools.

Fairfax County Public Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 173,989 students on its own.

Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 175,453 students in SY 2020-21 versus 174,475 in SY 2024-25.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Fairfax County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Fairfax County?
There are 222 public K-12 schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, with a combined enrollment of about 174,475.
How many high schools are in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County, Virginia has 27 public high schools, serving approximately 60,795 students.
How many middle schools are in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County, Virginia has 23 public middle schools, serving approximately 23,540 students.
How many elementary schools are in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County, Virginia has 169 public elementary schools, serving approximately 90,040 students.
What is the largest school district in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County Public Schools is the largest school district in Fairfax County, serving approximately 173,989 students. The county contains 5 school districts overall.
How many people live in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County has roughly 1,147,837 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Fairfax County?
Median household income in Fairfax County is $153,637, above the Virginia average of $76,527. About 4.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Fairfax County?
Approximately 65.0% of adults 25 and older in Fairfax County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Fairfax County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 36.7% of students in Fairfax County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Virginia county average of 75.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Fairfax County schools?
Across Fairfax County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 14.1 to 1.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data