Best Schools in Dumfries, Virginia
11 schools · 7 Elementary · 2 Middle · 2 High
Choosing a school in Dumfries?
Use this page to compare every school in Dumfries 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.
John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary
Elementary · Prince William County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Covington-harper Elementary
Elementary · Prince William County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Montclair Elementary
Elementary · Prince William County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Dumfries for 2026 are John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary (7.8/10), Covington-harper Elementary (7.6/10), and Montclair Elementary (6.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 11 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
11
10 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$467,000
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
11
10 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$467,000
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 7.8/10 despite 52% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.5 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 Dumfries schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Dumfries
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (11 of 11). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary | 7.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Covington-harper Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Montclair Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 4 | A. Henderson Elementary | 6.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Swans Creek Elementary | 6.1 / 10 |
| 6 | St John Paul the Great Catholic High School | 6.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Potomac High | 5.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Mary Williams Elementary | 5.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Potomac Shores Middle | 5.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Potomac Middle | 4.5 / 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
- 6.0/10
- Median household income
- $125,235
- Median home value
- $467,000
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 47%
- Avg commute
- 40 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 79%
18% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Dumfries compares
Virginia rank
#115 of 182
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.2
below Virginia avg (6.2)
Median household income
$125k
143% of Virginia median
Schools in this city
11
About Schools in Dumfries, Virginia
Dumfries, Virginia offers parents 10 ranked public schools across elementary and middle grade levels, all operating within Prince William County Public Schools. The city's average school score of 6.3 out of 10 sits in solid mid-range territory, and while most schools cluster near that average, two standouts — 20% of the ranked schools — score 7 or higher, giving families clear high-performance targets to pursue.
At the top of the local rankings, John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary earns a 7.7 out of 10, making it the strongest-performing school in Dumfries. For parents with elementary-age children, Pattie is the benchmark. Potomac Shores Middle follows closely at 7.4, which is notable: middle schools frequently lag behind elementary counterparts in many peer cities, so Dumfries families with middle schoolers have a genuinely strong option. Potomac Middle rounds out the upper tier at 6.9, matching Covington-Harper Elementary and giving the city three schools effectively tied just below the top two.
The elementary landscape is particularly dense. Three of the five named top schools are elementary programs — Pattie, Covington-Harper (6.9), and A. Henderson (6.3) — which means parents can find meaningful performance differences even within a single grade band. If school selection or attendance-boundary research matters to your family, the gap between Pattie (7.7) and Henderson (6.3) is real and worth factoring into any home search.
Practically, Dumfries is not a city where one or two elite schools sit far above an otherwise struggling system. The range from top to average is relatively tight, and the city's 6.3 average reflects a consistently functional district baseline. Families prioritizing the strongest possible academic environment should target Pattie at the elementary level and Potomac Shores for middle school. Those more focused on neighborhood convenience will find that most Dumfries schools perform near or above the citywide average, making the entire city a reasonable starting point for school-aged families in the Northern Virginia corridor.
Elementary Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 895 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 2 | 948 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 602 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.6 |
| 4 | 819 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.4 |
| 5 | 629 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.1 |
| 6 | 697 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.6 |
| 7 | 467 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.2 |
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,226 students · 6th–8th | 5.5 |
| 2 | 984 students · 6th–8th | 4.5 |
High Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,173 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 621 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 | ||
Schools in Dumfries
Dumfries, Virginia · 11 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$125,235
Median Home Value
$467,000
Median Rent
$2,004/mo
Population
39,959
College Educated
47%
Homeownership
79%
Avg Commute
40 min
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Community Profile
Dumfries has a median household income of $125,235. It is a well-educated community where 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $467,000, with a median rent of $2,004/month. The local poverty rate of 5.9% is relatively low. The average commute in the area is 40 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Virginia
- Elementary
- 7
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 2
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Virginia
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 Dumfries, Virginia
How many schools are in Dumfries, Virginia?
Dumfries has 11 schools, including 10 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Dumfries, Virginia?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Dumfries is 6.0 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 Dumfries, Virginia?
The top-ranked school in Dumfries on MySchoolScout is John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Dumfries, Virginia?
The top-ranked elementary school in Dumfries on MySchoolScout is John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Dumfries, Virginia?
The top-ranked middle school in Dumfries on MySchoolScout is Potomac Shores Middle with a composite score of 5.5/10.
What is the best high school in Dumfries, Virginia?
The top-ranked high school in Dumfries on MySchoolScout is St John Paul the Great Catholic High School with a composite score of 6.0/10.
How many school districts serve Dumfries, Virginia?
Dumfries is served by 1 school district: Prince William County Public Schools.
What is the education level in Dumfries, Virginia?
According to Census data, 47% of adults in Dumfries have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Dumfries, Virginia?
The median household income in Dumfries is approximately $125,235 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Dumfries, Virginia?
Yes, Dumfries has 1 private school alongside 10 public schools. The top-rated private school is St John Paul the Great Catholic High School with a score of 6.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Dumfries, Virginia?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Dumfries is 16.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Dumfries, Virginia?
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.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Virginia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.