Can I use Fairfax County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Fairfax County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Fairfax County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Fairfax County?

Start with the 222 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

How does Fairfax County compare with nearby school counties?

Fairfax County appears in the DC suburbs comparison with Loudoun County, VA and Montgomery County, MD. Use that regional guide to compare county school score, graduation rate, and spending before narrowing to individual districts and schools.

Fairfax County Schools & Education

Name: Fairfax County, Virginia Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Fairfax County, Virginia

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

School Score

65/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,788

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,941

School Score

65/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 54/100

State Score Position

#27

of 127 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Fairfax County

Measured School Summary

Fairfax County performs at an average level with a school score of 65/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.0%.

Funding Context

Fairfax County spends $10,788 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 20% above the Virginia average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 36% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Fairfax County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

222 public schools and 3 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

65/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #27 of 127 Virginia counties with school score data.

Completion

88.0%

1.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$10,788

$2,847 above the state average

School coverage

222

3 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Fairfax County has 222 public schools across 3 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Fairfax County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Fairfax County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 223 of 222 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#27

of 127 Virginia counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 88% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Fairfax County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

174,744 students

Elementary 139Middle 23High 27Other 29

218 listed schools in this county slice.

Northern Virginia Training Center

Other grade structure

0 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

TRANSITION SUPPORT RESOURCE CTR/FAIRFAX

Other grade structure

0 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Fairfax County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 223 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Fairfax County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Fairfax County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?

Comparison context

Compare Fairfax County With Nearby School Markets

Fairfax County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

DC suburbs

Fairfax County vs Loudoun County vs Montgomery County, MD Schools

This comparison is for families weighing DC-area suburbs where school reputation, commute, housing cost, and district boundaries all interact.

Compared with

Loudoun County, VA and Montgomery County, MD

Current leader

Loudoun County, VA at 90/100

Graduation-rate leader: Loudoun County, VA at 95.0%

Open regional guide Open interactive comparison

Education Overview

About Schools in Fairfax County, Virginia

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

One of the Nation's Largest Systems

Fairfax County manages a massive infrastructure of 222 public schools, including 140 elementary and 27 high schools. Over 175,000 students are enrolled, making it one of the largest and most complex districts in the United States. The system includes 13 alternative schools and 8 special education facilities to serve every learner.

The Power of Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County Public Schools is the primary district, managing nearly 180,000 students and 223 total schools. There are currently zero charter schools in the county, as the traditional district provides a wide range of specialized programs. Two other smaller districts provide specialized training services with no traditional student enrollment.

School Overview

Total Schools

222

in Fairfax County

Reported Enrollment

175,205

196 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary140

Middle23

High27

Other32

3 School Districts in Fairfax County

Fairfax County Public Schools

Northern Virginia Training Center

1 school

0 students

TRANSITION SUPPORT RESOURCE CTR/FAIRFAX

1 school

0 students

222 Public Schools in Fairfax County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 42 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 222 matching schools

Public schools in Fairfax County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
LAKE BRADDOCK SECONDARY	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Burke, 22015Suburb: Large	7–12	High	4,377
ROBINSON SECONDARY	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Fairfax, 22032Suburb: Large	7–12	High	3,607
HAYFIELD SECONDARY	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Alexandria, 22315Suburb: Large	7–12	High	3,145
CHANTILLY HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Chantilly, 20151Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,937
WEST POTOMAC HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Alexandria, 22307Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,764
OAKTON HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Vienna, 22181Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,701
WESTFIELD HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Chantilly, 20151Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,686
WEST SPRINGFIELD HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Springfield, 22152Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,663
CENTREVILLE HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Clifton, 20124Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,623
SOUTH LAKES HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Reston, 20191City: Small	9–12	High	2,530
WOODSON HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Fairfax, 22031Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,478
MCLEAN HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	McLean, 22101Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,441
JUSTICE HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Falls Church, 22044Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,362
HERNDON HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Herndon, 20170Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,361
SOUTH COUNTY HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Lorton, 22079Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,273
EDISON HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Alexandria, 22310Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,267
ANNANDALE HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Annandale, 22003Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,182
MADISON HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Vienna, 22181Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,135
LANGLEY HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	McLean, 22101Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,123
FALLS CHURCH HIGH	Profile	Fairfax County Public Schools	Falls Church, 22042Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,118

LAKE BRADDOCK SECONDARY

Fairfax County Public Schools

Burke, 22015 / Suburb: Large

Profile7–12High4,377 students

ROBINSON SECONDARY

Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax, 22032 / Suburb: Large

Profile7–12High3,607 students

HAYFIELD SECONDARY

Fairfax County Public Schools

Alexandria, 22315 / Suburb: Large

Profile7–12High3,145 students

CHANTILLY HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Chantilly, 20151 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,937 students

WEST POTOMAC HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Alexandria, 22307 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,764 students

OAKTON HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Vienna, 22181 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,701 students

WESTFIELD HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Chantilly, 20151 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,686 students

WEST SPRINGFIELD HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Springfield, 22152 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,663 students

CENTREVILLE HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Clifton, 20124 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,623 students

SOUTH LAKES HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Reston, 20191 / City: Small

Profile9–12High2,530 students

WOODSON HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax, 22031 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,478 students

MCLEAN HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

McLean, 22101 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,441 students

JUSTICE HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Falls Church, 22044 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,362 students

HERNDON HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Herndon, 20170 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,361 students

SOUTH COUNTY HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Lorton, 22079 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,273 students

EDISON HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Alexandria, 22310 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,267 students

ANNANDALE HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Annandale, 22003 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,182 students

MADISON HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Vienna, 22181 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,135 students

LANGLEY HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

McLean, 22101 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,123 students

FALLS CHURCH HIGH

Fairfax County Public Schools

Falls Church, 22042 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,118 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

22 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,788

State avg $7,941

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Fairfax County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

How should I read the school score in Fairfax County?

Fairfax County has a school score of 65/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Fairfax County?

The high school graduation rate in Fairfax County is 88.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Fairfax County spend per student?

Fairfax County spends $10,788 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Fairfax County, Virginia — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Fairfax County, Virginia?

What are the major school districts in Fairfax County, Virginia?

Counties with Similar School Profile

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By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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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