Total enrollment
174,475
-9,389 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
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.
7-year change in Fairfax County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
196
+1 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
36%
was 39%
% Hispanic
29%
was 26%
% Black
10%
was 10%
% Asian
18%
was 20%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
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
School enrollment
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%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology· 100.0%
- Haycock Elementary· 99.0%
- Langley High· 98.0%
- Sangster Elementary· 98.0%
- Colvin Run Elementary· 97.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Hutchison Elementary· 37.0%
- Dogwood Elementary· 39.0%
- Graham Road Elementary· 39.0%
- Lynbrook Elementary· 39.0%
- Braddock Elementary· 42.0%
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 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 5%: 183,864 students in SY 2017-18 versus 174,475 in SY 2024-25. Fairfax County now counts 196 public schools, up from 195 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 26% to 29% over the same window.
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
Fairfax County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data