Best Schools in Fayetteville, Georgia
25 schools · 11 Elementary · 4 Middle · 3 High · 7 Other
Choosing a school in Fayetteville?
Use this page to compare every school in Fayetteville by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Sara Harp Minter Elementary School
Elementary · Fayette County. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Peeples Elementary School
Elementary · Fayette County. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Whitewater Middle School
Middle · Fayette County. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Fayetteville for 2026 are Sara Harp Minter Elementary School (8.6/10), Peeples Elementary School (8.6/10), and Whitewater Middle School (8.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 14 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
25
14 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$358,300
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
25
14 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$358,300
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 8.6/10 despite 24% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 0.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Fayetteville schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +10.7 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Fayetteville schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Fayetteville
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 14 rated schools; 25 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sara Harp Minter Elementary School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 2 | Peeples Elementary School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Whitewater Middle School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Fayetteville Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Cleveland Elementary School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Inman Elementary | 7.9 / 10 |
| 7 | Spring Hill Elementary School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 8 | Rising Starr Middle School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 9 | River's Edge Elementary School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Fayette County High School | 7.6 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.1/10
- Median household income
- $101,787
- Median home value
- $358,300
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 41%
- Avg commute
- 35 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 83%
50% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Fayetteville compares
Georgia rank
#30 of 243
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.8
above Georgia avg (6.3)
Median household income
$102k
146% of Georgia median
Schools in this city
22
Fayette County runs Fayetteville's public schools
14 public schools. Fayette County is the dominant district on the page.
Every assigned public school in Fayetteville is a Fayette County school (13 of 14).
Among 14 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 6.4 to 8.6 — the spread is inside Fayetteville, not a citywide average.
- Fayette County13 public · 93%
- Clayton County1 public · 7%
About Schools in Fayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville sits in Fayette County, one of the Atlanta metro's consistently high-performing suburban districts. Parents researching the city will find 14 ranked public schools with an average score of 7.5 out of 10 — a figure that holds up well against most Georgia communities its size. More telling: 11 of those 14 schools, or 79%, score 7 or higher. That kind of concentration at the top of the range is a signal of district-wide consistency, not just a few outlier campuses pulling up the average.
The elementary tier is where Fayetteville stands out most. Peeples Elementary leads the city at 9.3 out of 10, the highest score among all ranked schools here. Cleveland Elementary follows at 9.0, and Fayetteville Elementary scores 8.2. Three of the city's top five schools are elementaries, which matters for families with younger children — strong foundational schools tend to reflect stable teaching staff, coherent curriculum, and community investment in early grades. The remaining two slots in the top five go to middle schools: Whitewater Middle at 9.1 and Bennett's Mill Middle at 8.2. Both scores suggest the district maintains academic momentum through the transition years, which is where many suburban districts show their first cracks.
The city's floor is worth noting too. With only three schools scoring below 7 out of 14 total, there are few weak outliers pulling families toward a complicated assignment lottery or difficult school-of-choice decisions. That narrows the stakes for families whose address lands them outside the top tier — a 6-something school in a district averaging 7.5 is a different situation than the same score in a district averaging 5.
For parents moving into the Fayetteville area, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Check your assigned school first — there's a good chance it scores above 7. If you have elementary-aged children, map your potential addresses against the Peeples and Cleveland zones specifically; both sit near the top of what Georgia suburban schools typically produce. Middle school options are comparably strong. The overall picture is a district where above-average is the norm, not the exception.
Elementary Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 737 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 | ||
| 2 | 686 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 | ||
| 3 | 492 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 | ||
| 4 | 403 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 | ||
| 5 | 677 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 | ||
| 6 | 645 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 | ||
| 7 | 692 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 | ||
| 8 | 592 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Rising Star MontessoriPrivate 34 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | The Academy at One ChurchPrivate 31 students · Pre-K–TK | Not Rated | ||
Show all 11 elementary schools in Fayetteville
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 849 students · 6th–8th | 8.5 | ||
| 2 | 958 students · 6th–8th | 7.9 | ||
| 3 | 877 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 19 students · 1st–5th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,359 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 2 | 1,347 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
| 3 | 1,361 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 |
Other Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Counterpane SchoolPrivate 33 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 2 | The Joseph Sams SchoolPrivate 71 students · UG–UG | Not Rated |
| 3 | 33 students · Pre-K–11th | Not Rated |
| 4 | Grace Christian AcademyPrivate 164 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 5 | Kulima MontessoriPrivate 73 students · Pre-K–11th | Not Rated |
| 6 | 141 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 7 | Genesis Preparatory AcademyPrivate 27 students · Pre-K–11th | Not Rated |
Schools in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Georgia · 25 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$101,787
Median Home Value
$358,300
Median Rent
$1,706/mo
Population
71,236
College Educated
41%
Homeownership
83%
Avg Commute
35 min
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Community Profile
Fayetteville has a median household income of $101,787. It is a well-educated community where 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $358,300, with a median rent of $1,706/month. The local poverty rate of 5.6% is relatively low. The average commute in the area is 35 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Georgia
- Elementary
- 11
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 3
- Other
- 7
Resources
Other Major Cities in Georgia
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Fayetteville, Georgia
How many schools are in Fayetteville, Georgia?
Fayetteville has 25 schools, including 14 public and 11 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Fayetteville is 7.1 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The top-ranked school in Fayetteville on MySchoolScout is Sara Harp Minter Elementary School with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best elementary school in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The top-ranked elementary school in Fayetteville on MySchoolScout is Sara Harp Minter Elementary School with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best middle school in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The top-ranked middle school in Fayetteville on MySchoolScout is Whitewater Middle School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best high school in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The top-ranked high school in Fayetteville on MySchoolScout is Fayette County High School with a composite score of 7.6/10.
How many school districts serve Fayetteville, Georgia?
Fayetteville is served by 2 school districts: Clayton County, Fayette County.
What is the education level in Fayetteville, Georgia?
According to Census data, 41% of adults in Fayetteville have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The median household income in Fayetteville is approximately $101,787 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Fayetteville, Georgia?
Yes, Fayetteville has 11 private schools alongside 14 public schools. The top-rated private school is Counterpane School with a score of 7.2/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Fayetteville, Georgia?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Fayetteville is 13.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Fayetteville, Georgia?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- The $1,700 Loophole: How the New Federal School Choice Tax Credit Lowers Private Tuition Billsschool choice
- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
- The New School Choice Map: Is Your State Participating in the Federal Tuition Tax Credit?data insights
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Georgia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.