Total enrollment
5,779
+237 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Wise County
Virginia · Public K-12
Public K-12 enrollment in Wise County totals about 5,779 students across 14 schools, an average of 413 per school. Wise County Public Schools is the largest district. That works out to 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.
4-year change in Wise County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Wise County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Virginia | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 87.3% | #2 of 115 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,779 | #40 of 118 | #1,189 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 11 | #47 of 118 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.1:1 | #47 of 118 | #972 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 91.2% | #31 of 107 | #259 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 16.8% | #111 of 115 | #2,276 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.
Wise County school rankings
Residents
35,448
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
14
2 districts
Enrollment
5,779
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$52,943
Below Virginia avg
Free/reduced lunch
91.2%
Above Virginia avg
Elementary
8
2,869 students
Middle
3
1,252 students
High
3
1,658 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Wise County Public Schools
5,779 students · 2 districts in Wise County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Wise 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+
15.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
8.2%
civilian labor
Median age
42
19.1% under 18
Test scores in Wise County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 11 schools ranked. Virginia state average: 74.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- St. Paul Elementary· 96.0%
- Central High· 92.0%
- J.W. Adams Combined· 90.0%
- Union High· 90.0%
- L.F. Addington Middle· 89.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Union Middle· 83.0%
- Coeburn Middle· 84.0%
- Coeburn Primary· 85.0%
- Eastside High· 87.0%
- L.F. Addington Middle· 89.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Primary | Big Stone Gap | Elementary | PK-04 | 809 | · |
| Central High | Norton | High | 09-12 | 676 | · |
| Wise Primary | Wise | Elementary | PK-04 | 603 | · |
| Union High | Big Stone Gap | High | 09-12 | 564 | · |
| Union Middle | Big Stone Gap | Middle | 05-08 | 561 | · |
| J.W. Adams Combined | Pound | Elementary | PK-08 | 523 | · |
| St. Paul Elementary | St Paul | Elementary | PK-08 | 514 | · |
| Coeburn Primary | Coeburn | Elementary | PK-04 | 420 | · |
| Eastside High | Coeburn | High | 09-12 | 418 | · |
| L.F. Addington Middle | Wise | Middle | 05-08 | 387 | · |
| Coeburn Middle | Coeburn | Middle | 05-08 | 304 | · |
| Regional Learning Academy/Wise Co | Wise | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
| Wise Co. Alternative Ed. Ctr. | Wise | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
| Wise County Career-Technical Center | Wise | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
Cities in Wise County
About Wise County
Wise County is a rural-scale county of about 35,448 residents in Virginia. Its public-school system educates approximately 5,779 students across 14 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $52,943, roughly 16% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 31% below the Virginia median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Wise County covers 8 elementary schools (2,869 students), 3 middle schools (1,252), and 3 high schools (1,658).
Wise County Public Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 5,779 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Wise County has increased 4% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 5,542 students to 5,779.
On this page, the community for Wise 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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data