Virginia Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 133 counties.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Avg Graduation Rate

89.0%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$7,941

Avg School Score

54/100

Total Schools

2,130

210 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Virginia

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

Virginia Outperforms National Graduation Averages with Lean Spending

Virginia’s 89.0% average graduation rate exceeds the national average of 87.0%. Despite this success, the state spends significantly less than the $13,000 national benchmark, averaging just $7,941 per pupil.

Wide Performance Gaps Across 126 Reporting Districts

Education quality varies sharply across Virginia’s 126 districts, where graduation rates range from 97.0% in Alleghany County to 67.0% in Richmond city. While the state average score is 54.8, local outcomes fluctuate significantly across the Commonwealth.

State Score Context

How Virginia Counties Are Distributed

127 of 133 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

95%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Best school counties

Best Counties for Public School Research in Virginia

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Virginia, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.

Short answer for Virginia

Falls Church city is the strongest county-level starting point in Virginia by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 94/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

127 of 133 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.

State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $7,941.

Top measured county school signals

Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.

1Falls Church cityGraduation 97.0% · Spending $11,06294/100 2Surry CountyGraduation 95.0% · Spending $12,49091/100 3Loudoun CountyGraduation 95.0% · Spending $11,28190/100 4Rappahannock CountyGraduation 95.0% · Spending $10,71589/100 5Bath CountyGraduation 95.0% · Spending $9,91687/100 6Northumberland CountyGraduation 97.0% · Spending $8,72386/100 7Westmoreland CountyGraduation 96.5% · Spending $8,63084/100

Graduation-focused starting point

Falls Church city

97.0%

Falls Church city has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Virginia. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.

Funding context to inspect

Surry County

$12,490

Surry County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.

Counties to research carefully

Buena Vista city

19/100

Buena Vista city has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Virginia. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.

District research

Compare Virginia public school districts before narrowing by address

Virginia has 210 public school district records and 2,130 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.

View District Rankings

Regional comparison guides

Compare Virginia Counties in Real Relocation Shortlists

These static guides connect Virginia county profiles to common metro-area school decisions. Each guide gives a direct answer, side-by-side NCES metrics, and links back into county profiles for deeper school and district research.

DC suburbs

How do Fairfax, Loudoun, and Montgomery County compare for public school research?

Compare three major DC-area school markets across Northern Virginia and Maryland using county-level school outcomes and spending.

Open guide

Custom comparison

Build a three-county school comparison

Compare any Virginia county with other county profiles using the same school score, graduation-rate, and spending fields.

Open compare tool

All Virginia Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Virginia.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Falls Church city Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $11,062	94/100	97.0%	$11,062
Surry County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $12,490	91/100	95.0%	$12,490
Loudoun County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $11,281	90/100	95.0%	$11,281
Rappahannock County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $10,715	89/100	95.0%	$10,715
Bath County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $9,916	87/100	95.0%	$9,916
Northumberland County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $8,723	86/100	97.0%	$8,723
Westmoreland County Graduation 96.5% Per pupil $8,630	84/100	96.5%	$8,630
Grayson County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $8,167	82/100	97.0%	$8,167
Lexington city Graduation — Per pupil $9,086	79/100	—	$9,086
Richmond County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,820	78/100	97.0%	$7,820
Clarke County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,771	78/100	97.0%	$7,771
King and Queen County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $8,229	78/100	95.0%	$8,229
Hanover County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $8,035	76/100	95.0%	$8,035
Botetourt County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $7,965	75/100	95.0%	$7,965
Cumberland County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $9,486	75/100	92.0%	$9,486
Emporia city Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $9,419	75/100	92.0%	$9,419
Alleghany County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,454	74/100	97.0%	$7,454
Charlottesville city Graduation 91.7% Per pupil $9,637	73/100	91.7%	$9,637
Essex County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $9,113	73/100	92.0%	$9,113
Floyd County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,263	71/100	97.0%	$7,263
Goochland County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $8,056	70/100	93.0%	$8,056
Fauquier County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $9,369	70/100	91.0%	$9,369
York County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $7,463	69/100	95.0%	$7,463
Page County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,062	69/100	97.0%	$7,062
Wise County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $7,319	67/100	95.0%	$7,319
Southampton County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $8,125	67/100	92.0%	$8,125
Fairfax County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $10,788	65/100	88.0%	$10,788
Bland County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $7,146	65/100	95.0%	$7,146
Martinsville city Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,940	65/100	92.0%	$7,940
Shenandoah County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,559	65/100	93.0%	$7,559
Stafford County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,551	65/100	93.0%	$7,551
Washington County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,529	64/100	93.0%	$7,529
Warren County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,516	64/100	93.0%	$7,516
Amherst County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,378	62/100	93.0%	$7,378
Roanoke County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,739	62/100	92.0%	$7,739
Madison County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,689	62/100	92.0%	$7,689
Brunswick County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,631	61/100	92.0%	$7,631
Arlington County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $11,425	60/100	86.0%	$11,425
Chesapeake city Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $8,313	60/100	90.0%	$8,313
Prince George County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,509	60/100	92.0%	$7,509
Northampton County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,473	59/100	92.0%	$7,473
Augusta County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,441	59/100	92.0%	$7,441
King George County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,436	59/100	92.0%	$7,436
Orange County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,120	59/100	93.0%	$7,120
Buckingham County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,380	58/100	92.0%	$7,380
Louisa County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $8,402	57/100	89.0%	$8,402
Mathews County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $9,321	57/100	87.0%	$9,321
Wythe County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,321	57/100	92.0%	$7,321
Winchester city Graduation 89.4% Per pupil $8,170	57/100	89.4%	$8,170
Carroll County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,279	57/100	92.0%	$7,279
Williamsburg city Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $8,663	57/100	88.0%	$8,663
Smyth County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,577	56/100	91.0%	$7,577
Dickenson County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,216	56/100	92.0%	$7,216
Nelson County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $8,977	56/100	87.0%	$8,977
Franklin County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,552	56/100	91.0%	$7,552
Staunton city Graduation 87.9% Per pupil $8,569	56/100	87.9%	$8,569
Galax city Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,186	55/100	92.0%	$7,186
Appomattox County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,172	55/100	92.0%	$7,172
Norton city Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,351	55/100	95.0%	$6,351
Virginia Beach city Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,511	55/100	91.0%	$7,511
Poquoson city Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,112	54/100	92.0%	$7,112
Powhatan County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,062	54/100	92.0%	$7,062
Harrisonburg city Graduation 89.4% Per pupil $7,859	53/100	89.4%	$7,859
Greene County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,364	53/100	91.0%	$7,364
Russell County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $7,022	53/100	92.0%	$7,022
Montgomery County Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $7,616	53/100	90.0%	$7,616
New Kent County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,992	53/100	92.0%	$6,992
Fluvanna County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,268	52/100	91.0%	$7,268
Pulaski County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,233	51/100	91.0%	$7,233
Charles City County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $9,391	51/100	84.0%	$9,391
Patrick County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,878	51/100	92.0%	$6,878
Gloucester County Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $7,440	51/100	90.0%	$7,440
Salem city Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $7,926	50/100	88.0%	$7,926
Highland County Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $12,429	50/100	75.0%	$12,429
Amelia County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,726	49/100	92.0%	$6,726
Colonial Heights city Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $8,929	49/100	84.0%	$8,929
Bristol city Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $9,544	49/100	82.0%	$9,544
King William County Graduation 88.4% Per pupil $7,629	48/100	88.4%	$7,629
Alexandria city Graduation 76.0% Per pupil $10,454	48/100	76.0%	$10,454
Lancaster County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,897	47/100	87.0%	$7,897
Campbell County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,192	47/100	93.0%	$6,192
Prince William County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $7,391	47/100	89.0%	$7,391
Rockbridge County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $7,610	47/100	88.0%	$7,610
Sussex County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $9,032	46/100	82.0%	$9,032
Middlesex County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,787	46/100	87.0%	$7,787
Isle of Wight County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $6,768	45/100	91.0%	$6,768
Buchanan County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $7,443	45/100	88.0%	$7,443
Hampton city Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $6,985	45/100	90.0%	$6,985
Portsmouth city Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $7,882	44/100	86.0%	$7,882
Spotsylvania County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $7,389	44/100	88.0%	$7,389
Newport News city Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $7,188	44/100	89.0%	$7,188
Franklin city Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,575	44/100	87.0%	$7,575
Scott County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $7,075	43/100	89.0%	$7,075
Fredericksburg city Graduation 77.0% Per pupil $9,009	42/100	77.0%	$9,009
Manassas city Graduation 72.0% Per pupil $9,391	42/100	72.0%	$9,391
Culpeper County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $7,029	42/100	89.0%	$7,029
Norfolk city Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $8,321	42/100	82.0%	$8,321
Waynesboro city Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $8,326	42/100	82.0%	$8,326
Giles County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,390	41/100	87.0%	$7,390
Lynchburg city Graduation 81.0% Per pupil $8,315	41/100	81.0%	$8,315
Suffolk city Graduation 83.0% Per pupil $8,028	41/100	83.0%	$8,028
Charlotte County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,257	40/100	87.0%	$7,257
Manassas Park city Graduation 81.0% Per pupil $8,177	40/100	81.0%	$8,177
Bedford County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $6,850	39/100	89.0%	$6,850
Nottoway County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,223	39/100	87.0%	$7,223
Chesterfield County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $6,786	39/100	89.0%	$6,786
Danville city Graduation 76.0% Per pupil $8,436	39/100	76.0%	$8,436
Halifax County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,191	39/100	87.0%	$7,191
Prince Edward County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $7,953	38/100	82.0%	$7,953
Mecklenburg County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,140	38/100	87.0%	$7,140
Radford city Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,696	38/100	92.0%	$5,696
Roanoke city Graduation 79.0% Per pupil $8,087	37/100	79.0%	$8,087
Pittsylvania County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,073	37/100	87.0%	$7,073
Henry County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $7,257	37/100	86.0%	$7,257
Accomack County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $7,248	37/100	86.0%	$7,248
Craig County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $7,527	36/100	84.0%	$7,527
Petersburg city Graduation 81.0% Per pupil $7,869	36/100	81.0%	$7,869
Dinwiddie County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $6,997	36/100	87.0%	$6,997
Hopewell city Graduation 77.0% Per pupil $8,010	35/100	77.0%	$8,010
Henrico County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $6,899	35/100	87.0%	$6,899
Caroline County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $6,580	33/100	88.0%	$6,580
Tazewell County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $6,473	32/100	88.0%	$6,473
Lee County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $7,195	32/100	84.0%	$7,195
Richmond city Graduation 67.0% Per pupil $7,961	32/100	67.0%	$7,961
Lunenburg County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $7,046	27/100	82.0%	$7,046
Covington city Graduation 77.0% Per pupil $6,793	20/100	77.0%	$6,793
Buena Vista city Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $6,413	19/100	82.0%	$6,413
Albemarle County Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—
Fairfax city Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—
Frederick County Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—
Greensville County Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—
James City County Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—
Rockingham County Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Virginia

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Virginia Schools

Which Virginia counties have the highest graduation rates?

Alleghany County (97.0%), Clarke County (97.0%), and Falls Church city (97.0%) currently lead Virginia among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Virginia?

Across Virginia counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,941. The highest current county values are Surry County ($12,490), Highland County ($12,429), and Arlington County ($11,425). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

Which regional school comparisons include Virginia counties?

DC suburbs include Virginia counties in curated regional school comparisons. Use these guides for broad county shortlists, then verify school assignment and district rules locally.

What are the best school counties in Virginia?

Falls Church city, Surry County, Loudoun County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in Virginia, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.

Which Virginia county has the strongest measured school score?

Falls Church city has the highest school score in Virginia with a score of 94/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Virginia?

The average high school graduation rate across Virginia counties is 89.0%, based on NCES data.

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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