Total enrollment
2,757
+87 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Staunton city
Virginia · Public K-12
For a Virginia county, Staunton city operates a compact public-school system: 11 schools and 2,780 students, broken out as 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high.
4-year change in Staunton city
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
-2 (-22%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Staunton city ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Virginia | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 76.7% | #24 of 115 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,780 | #83 of 118 | #1,923 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 9 | #56 of 118 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.6:1 | #9 of 118 | #428 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 83.3% | #44 of 107 | #448 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.3% | #53 of 115 | #661 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.
Staunton city school rankings
Residents
25,948
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
11
4 districts
Enrollment
2,780
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$65,581
Below Virginia avg
Free/reduced lunch
83.3%
Above Virginia avg
Elementary
5
1,350 students
Middle
2
599 students
High
1
766 students
Combined / other
3
65 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Staunton City Public Schools
2,692 students · 4 districts in Staunton city
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Staunton city 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+
37.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.3%
civilian labor
Median age
40
19.3% under 18
Test scores in Staunton city
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Virginia state average: 74.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Staunton High· 85.0%
- Thomas C. McSwain Elementary· 84.0%
- Arthur R. Ware Elementary· 74.0%
- Bessie Weller Elementary· 74.0%
- Shelburne Middle· 72.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton High | Staunton | High | 09-12 | 766 | · |
| Shelburne Middle | Staunton | Middle | 06-08 | 583 | · |
| Thomas C. McSwain Elementary | Staunton | Elementary | KG-05 | 449 | · |
| Bessie Weller Elementary | Staunton | Elementary | KG-05 | 373 | · |
| Arthur R. Ware Elementary | Staunton | Elementary | KG-05 | 372 | · |
| Staunton City School PreSchool Programs | Staunton | Elementary | PK-PK | 149 | · |
| Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind | Staunton | Combined | PK-12 | 65 | · |
| Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind Middle | Staunton | Middle | 06-08 | 16 | · |
| Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind Elementary | Staunton | Elementary | PK-05 | 7 | · |
| Commonwealth Ctr For Children & Adolescents | Staunton | Combined | PK-12 | · | · |
| Western St. Hosp. Ed. Pr. | Staunton | Combined | PK-12 | · | · |
Cities in Staunton city
About Staunton city
Across the low-population Virginia county of Staunton city of about 25,948 residents, the public-school footprint covers 11 schools and about 2,780 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $65,581, 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 14% meaningfully below the Virginia median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Staunton city is made up of 5 elementary schools (1,350 students), 2 middle schools (599), 1 high school (766), and 3 combined or other schools.
Staunton City Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,692 students across Staunton city.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment rose 3%: 2,670 students in SY 2020-21 versus 2,757 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Staunton city lost 2 schools, going from 9 to 7.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Staunton city discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data