Best Schools in Winchester, Virginia
27 schools · 15 Elementary · 5 Middle · 3 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in Winchester?
Use this page to compare every school in Winchester 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.
James Wood High
High · Frederick County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Millbrook High
High · Frederick County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Garland R. Quarles Elementary
Elementary · Winchester City Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Winchester for 2026 are James Wood High (7.4/10), Millbrook High (7.1/10), and Garland R. Quarles Elementary (6.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 20 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
27
20 public · 7 private
Avg Score
5.6
out of 10
Median Home
$335,067
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
27
20 public · 7 private
Avg Score
5.6
out of 10
Median Home
$335,067
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 7.4/10 despite 34% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 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 Winchester schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Winchester
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 20 rated schools; 27 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Wood High | 7.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Millbrook High | 7.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Garland R. Quarles Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Frederick Douglass Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Armel Elementary | 5.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Greenwood Mill Elementary | 5.8 / 10 |
| 7 | John Handley High | 5.6 / 10 |
| 8 | Indian Hollow Elementary | 5.5 / 10 |
| 9 | Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle | 5.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Frederick County Middle | 5.4 / 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
- 5.6/10
- Median household income
- $81,779
- Median home value
- $335,067
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 30%
- Avg commute
- 28 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 65%
12% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Winchester compares
Virginia rank
#139 of 185
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.7
below Virginia avg (6.2)
Median household income
$82k
93% of Virginia median
Schools in this city
25
Frederick County Public Schools runs 65% of Winchester's public schools
Winchester touches 2 districts, but Frederick County Public Schools is the one most addresses actually attend.
Frederick County Public Schools accounts for 13 of 20 public schools (65%). The other 1 district holds the remaining 7.
Among 20 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.5 to 7.4 — the spread is inside Winchester, not a citywide average.
- Frederick County Public Schools13 public · 65%
- Winchester City Public Schools7 public · 35%
About Schools in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia has 20 ranked public schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels. The city-wide average score is 5.5 out of 10 — a middle-tier result that masks real variation in school quality across the city. Four schools, 20% of the ranked pool, clear the 7-point mark. One clears it by a wide margin.
Frederick Douglass Elementary leads the city with an 8.5, the highest score among Winchester's ranked schools. Two other elementary schools join it in the top tier: Indian Hollow Elementary at 7.1 and Armel Elementary at 6.8. That cluster of strong elementary options gives families with younger children real choices before the middle school transition. Winchester's elementary layer, at its top end, performs well above what the city-wide average alone suggests.
At the secondary level, Millbrook High scores 7.6 — above the city average and above the 7-point threshold that separates Winchester's top fifth from the rest. James Wood Middle connects those elementary options to Millbrook at 7.1, forming a coherent higher-performing pathway: Frederick Douglass or Indian Hollow to James Wood to Millbrook. All three rank in Winchester's top five and each exceeds the city average by at least 1.6 points.
For parents comparing schools across Winchester, the 5.5 city average is a useful anchor. Most of the city's schools sit at or below that mark, so where a family lives relative to attendance boundaries matters more than it would in a city with more evenly distributed school quality. The gap between Winchester's strongest and weakest performers is wide. Confirm current attendance zones before committing to a neighborhood. Any school above 7.0 puts a student in Winchester's top 20% — and three of those schools form a connected K–12 track.
Elementary Schools
15 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 388 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.6 |
| 2 | 286 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.3 |
| 3 | 598 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 |
| 4 | 582 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 |
| 5 | 383 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.5 |
| 6 | 449 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.1 |
| 7 | 427 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.0 |
| 8 | 604 students · Pre-K–4th | 5.0 |
| 9 | 414 students · Pre-K–4th | 4.8 |
| 10 | 596 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.7 |
Show all 15 elementary schools in Winchester
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 808 students · 6th–8th | 5.5 |
| 2 | 751 students · 6th–8th | 5.4 |
| 3 | 589 students · 7th–8th | 4.8 |
| 4 | 834 students · 6th–8th | 4.6 |
| 5 | 600 students · 5th–6th | 3.5 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,463 students · 9th–12th | 7.4 |
| 2 | 1,573 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 3 | 1,355 students · 9th–12th | 5.6 |
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grafton-Ruth Birch CampusPrivate 83 students · 2nd–12th | Not Rated |
| 2 | 53 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated |
| 3 | Lighthouse Baptist AcademyPrivate 86 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 4 | 220 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated |
Schools in Winchester
Winchester, Virginia · 27 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$81,779
Median Home Value
$335,067
Median Rent
$1,459/mo
Population
79,309
College Educated
30%
Homeownership
65%
Avg Commute
28 min
Poverty Rate
11.3%
Community Profile
Winchester has a median household income of $81,779. It is an area where 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $335,067, with a median rent of $1,459/month. The area has a poverty rate of 11.3%. The average commute for residents is 28 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Virginia
- Elementary
- 15
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 3
- Other
- 4
Resources
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 Winchester, Virginia
How many schools are in Winchester, Virginia?
Winchester has 27 schools, including 20 public and 7 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Winchester, Virginia?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Winchester is 5.6 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 Winchester, Virginia?
The top-ranked school in Winchester on MySchoolScout is James Wood High with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What is the best elementary school in Winchester, Virginia?
The top-ranked elementary school in Winchester on MySchoolScout is Garland R. Quarles Elementary with a composite score of 6.6/10.
What is the best middle school in Winchester, Virginia?
The top-ranked middle school in Winchester on MySchoolScout is Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle with a composite score of 5.5/10.
What is the best high school in Winchester, Virginia?
The top-ranked high school in Winchester on MySchoolScout is James Wood High with a composite score of 7.4/10.
How many school districts serve Winchester, Virginia?
Winchester is served by 2 school districts: Frederick County Public Schools, Winchester City Public Schools.
What is the education level in Winchester, Virginia?
According to Census data, 30% of adults in Winchester have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Winchester, Virginia?
The median household income in Winchester is approximately $81,779 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Winchester, Virginia?
Yes, Winchester has 7 private schools alongside 20 public schools. The top-rated private school is Grafton-Ruth Birch Campus with a score of 7.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Winchester, Virginia?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Winchester is 13.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Winchester, 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.