Data / Rankings / High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over

Falls Church city had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 133 counties in 2021, at 97.3%. Buchanan County had the lowest, at 73.7%. The median was 88.9% and the figure for Virginia was 90.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest97.3Falls Church city
Lowest73.7Buchanan County
Median88.9133 counties
Virginia90.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 82.3 %Albemarle County: 93.3 %Alleghany County: 89.3 %Amelia County: 85.5 %Amherst County: 87.7 %Appomattox County: 88.9 %Arlington County: 94.9 %Augusta County: 89.4 %Bath County: 85.2 %Bedford County: 92.3 %Bland County: 88.9 %Botetourt County: 93.8 %Brunswick County: 78.4 %Buchanan County: 73.7 %Buckingham County: 80.8 %Campbell County: 89.4 %Caroline County: 88.7 %Carroll County: 81.6 %Charles City County: 82.9 %Charlotte County: 84.5 %Chesterfield County: 92.6 %Clarke County: 91.7 %Craig County: 88.6 %Culpeper County: 88.9 %Cumberland County: 88 %Dickenson County: 80 %Dinwiddie County: 88.7 %Essex County: 84.7 %Fairfax County: 93.4 %Fauquier County: 92.8 %Floyd County: 90.2 %Fluvanna County: 93.5 %Franklin County: 89.1 %Frederick County: 88.4 %Giles County: 89.9 %Gloucester County: 89.4 %Goochland County: 94 %Grayson County: 82.7 %Greene County: 88.4 %Greensville County: 77.2 %Halifax County: 82.7 %Hanover County: 93.8 %Henrico County: 92.7 %Henry County: 80.9 %Highland County: 92.1 %Isle of Wight County: 91 %James City County: 95.6 %King and Queen County: 88.3 %King George County: 92.3 %King William County: 92.6 %Lancaster County: 89.9 %Lee County: 79.8 %Loudoun County: 94.1 %Louisa County: 89.2 %Lunenburg County: 79.7 %Madison County: 87.6 %Mathews County: 92.6 %Mecklenburg County: 86.5 %Middlesex County: 88 %Montgomery County: 94.2 %Nelson County: 84.5 %New Kent County: 93.3 %Northampton County: 85.9 %Northumberland County: 90.4 %Nottoway County: 83.3 %Orange County: 89.6 %Page County: 83 %Patrick County: 83.2 %Pittsylvania County: 84.1 %Powhatan County: 91.4 %Prince Edward County: 85.7 %Prince George County: 88.7 %Prince William County: 89.6 %Pulaski County: 89.4 %Rappahannock County: 91.7 %Richmond County: 77.8 %Roanoke County: 93.5 %Rockbridge County: 89.2 %Rockingham County: 86.2 %Russell County: 81.8 %Scott County: 82 %Shenandoah County: 89 %Smyth County: 84.2 %Southampton County: 85.5 %Spotsylvania County: 91.6 %Stafford County: 93.2 %Surry County: 85.4 %Sussex County: 79.8 %Tazewell County: 84.8 %Warren County: 88.3 %Washington County: 87.9 %Westmoreland County: 83.4 %Wise County: 78.2 %Wythe County: 88.9 %York County: 95.2 %Alexandria city: 93.2 %Bristol city: 86.8 %Buena Vista city: 79.9 %Charlottesville city: 92.4 %Chesapeake city: 93.5 %Colonial Heights city: 91.6 %Covington city: 89 %Danville city: 84.2 %Emporia city: 74.6 %Fairfax city: 92.8 %Falls Church city: 97.3 %Franklin city: 83.8 %Fredericksburg city: 91.1 %Galax city: 78.7 %Hampton city: 92.6 %Harrisonburg city: 83.4 %Hopewell city: 85.2 %Lexington city: 96.5 %Lynchburg city: 89.8 %Manassas city: 85.8 %Manassas Park city: 79.6 %Martinsville city: 88.3 %Newport News city: 91.6 %Norfolk city: 88.9 %Norton city: 88.8 %Petersburg city: 84.9 %Poquoson city: 95.6 %Portsmouth city: 90.2 %Radford city: 92.2 %Richmond city: 87.7 %Roanoke city: 88.3 %Salem city: 93.2 %Staunton city: 91.7 %Suffolk city: 90.8 %Virginia Beach city: 94.5 %Waynesboro city: 87.7 %Williamsburg city: 93.4 %Winchester city: 87.3 %
  • Under 83
  • 83 to 86
  • 86 to 89
  • 89 to 90
  • 90 to 93
  • 93 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Falls Church city: 97.3 %Falls Church city97.3Lexington city: 96.5 %Lexington city96.5James City County: 95.6 %James City County95.6Poquoson city: 95.6 %Poquoson city95.6York County: 95.2 %York County95.2Arlington County: 94.9 %Arlington County94.9Virginia Beach city: 94.5 %Virginia Beach city94.5Montgomery County: 94.2 %Montgomery County94.2Loudoun County: 94.1 %Loudoun County94.1Goochland County: 94 %Goochland County94Botetourt County: 93.8 %Botetourt County93.8Hanover County: 93.8 %Hanover County93.8Roanoke County: 93.5 %Roanoke County93.5Chesapeake city: 93.5 %Chesapeake city93.5Fluvanna County: 93.5 %Fluvanna County93.5Fairfax County: 93.4 %Fairfax County93.4Williamsburg city: 93.4 %Williamsburg city93.4Albemarle County: 93.3 %Albemarle County93.3New Kent County: 93.3 %New Kent County93.3Salem city: 93.2 %Salem city93.2Stafford County: 93.2 %Stafford County93.2Alexandria city: 93.2 %Alexandria city93.2Fauquier County: 92.8 %Fauquier County92.8Fairfax city: 92.8 %Fairfax city92.8Henrico County: 92.7 %Henrico County92.7Mathews County: 92.6 %Mathews County92.6King William County: 92.6 %King William County92.6Chesterfield County: 92.6 %Chesterfield County92.6Hampton city: 92.6 %Hampton city92.6Charlottesville city: 92.4 %Charlottesville city92.4Bedford County: 92.3 %Bedford County92.3King George County: 92.3 %King George County92.3Radford city: 92.2 %Radford city92.2Highland County: 92.1 %Highland County92.1Rappahannock County: 91.7 %Rappahannock County91.7Clarke County: 91.7 %Clarke County91.7Staunton city: 91.7 %Staunton city91.7Colonial Heights city: 91.6 %Colonial Heights city91.6Spotsylvania County: 91.6 %Spotsylvania County91.6Newport News city: 91.6 %Newport News city91.6Falls Church city: 97.3 %Falls Church city97.3Lexington city: 96.5 %Lexington city96.5James City County: 95.6 %James City County95.6Poquoson city: 95.6 %Poquoson city95.6York County: 95.2 %York County95.2Arlington County: 94.9 %Arlington County94.9Virginia Beach city: 94.5 %Virginia Beach city94.5Montgomery County: 94.2 %Montgomery County94.2Loudoun County: 94.1 %Loudoun County94.1Goochland County: 94 %Goochland County94Botetourt County: 93.8 %Botetourt County93.8Hanover County: 93.8 %Hanover County93.8Roanoke County: 93.5 %Roanoke County93.5Chesapeake city: 93.5 %Chesapeake city93.5Fluvanna County: 93.5 %Fluvanna County93.5Fairfax County: 93.4 %Fairfax County93.4Williamsburg city: 93.4 %Williamsburg city93.4Albemarle County: 93.3 %Albemarle County93.3New Kent County: 93.3 %New Kent County93.3Salem city: 93.2 %Salem city93.2Stafford County: 93.2 %Stafford County93.2Alexandria city: 93.2 %Alexandria city93.2Fauquier County: 92.8 %Fauquier County92.8Fairfax city: 92.8 %Fairfax city92.8Henrico County: 92.7 %Henrico County92.7Mathews County: 92.6 %Mathews County92.6King William County: 92.6 %King William County92.6Chesterfield County: 92.6 %Chesterfield County92.6Hampton city: 92.6 %Hampton city92.6Charlottesville city: 92.4 %Charlottesville city92.4Bedford County: 92.3 %Bedford County92.3King George County: 92.3 %King George County92.3Radford city: 92.2 %Radford city92.2Highland County: 92.1 %Highland County92.1Rappahannock County: 91.7 %Rappahannock County91.7Clarke County: 91.7 %Clarke County91.7Staunton city: 91.7 %Staunton city91.7Colonial Heights city: 91.6 %Colonial Heights city91.6Spotsylvania County: 91.6 %Spotsylvania County91.6Newport News city: 91.6 %Newport News city91.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Falls Church city97.3
2Lexington city96.5
3James City County95.6
3Poquoson city95.6
5York County95.2
6Arlington County94.9
7Virginia Beach city94.5
8Montgomery County94.2
9Loudoun County94.1
10Goochland County94
11Botetourt County93.8
11Hanover County93.8
13Roanoke County93.5
14Chesapeake city93.5
15Fluvanna County93.5
16Fairfax County93.4
16Williamsburg city93.4
18Albemarle County93.3
19New Kent County93.3
20Salem city93.2
20Stafford County93.2
22Alexandria city93.2
23Fauquier County92.8
24Fairfax city92.8
25Henrico County92.7
26Mathews County92.6
27King William County92.6
28Chesterfield County92.6
29Hampton city92.6
30Charlottesville city92.4
31Bedford County92.3
32King George County92.3
33Radford city92.2
34Highland County92.1
35Rappahannock County91.7
36Clarke County91.7
37Staunton city91.7
38Colonial Heights city91.6
38Spotsylvania County91.6
40Newport News city91.6
41Powhatan County91.4
42Fredericksburg city91.1
43Isle of Wight County91
44Suffolk city90.8
45Northumberland County90.4
46Portsmouth city90.2
47Floyd County90.2
48Giles County89.9
48Lancaster County89.9
50Lynchburg city89.8
51Prince William County89.6
52Orange County89.6
53Augusta County89.4
54Campbell County89.4
54Gloucester County89.4
56Pulaski County89.4
57Alleghany County89.3
58Rockbridge County89.2
59Louisa County89.2
60Franklin County89.1
61Shenandoah County89
62Covington city89
63Bland County88.9
64Appomattox County88.9
65Culpeper County88.9
66Norfolk city88.9
67Wythe County88.9
68Norton city88.8
69Prince George County88.7
70Dinwiddie County88.7
71Caroline County88.7
72Craig County88.6
73Greene County88.4
74Frederick County88.4
75Martinsville city88.3
76Warren County88.3
77Roanoke city88.3
78King and Queen County88.3
79Cumberland County88
80Middlesex County88
81Washington County87.9
82Richmond city87.7
83Amherst County87.7
83Waynesboro city87.7
85Madison County87.6
86Winchester city87.3
87Bristol city86.8
88Mecklenburg County86.5
89Rockingham County86.2
90Northampton County85.9
91Manassas city85.8
92Prince Edward County85.7
93Southampton County85.5
94Amelia County85.5
95Surry County85.4
96Hopewell city85.2
97Bath County85.2
98Petersburg city84.9
99Tazewell County84.8
100Essex County84.7
101Charlotte County84.5
101Nelson County84.5
103Danville city84.2
104Smyth County84.2
105Pittsylvania County84.1
106Franklin city83.8
107Harrisonburg city83.4
108Westmoreland County83.4
109Nottoway County83.3
110Patrick County83.2
111Page County83
112Charles City County82.9
113Halifax County82.7
114Grayson County82.7
115Accomack County82.3
116Scott County82
117Russell County81.8
118Carroll County81.6
119Henry County80.9
120Buckingham County80.8
121Dickenson County80
122Buena Vista city79.9
123Sussex County79.8
124Lee County79.8
125Lunenburg County79.7
126Manassas Park city79.6
127Galax city78.7
128Brunswick County78.4
129Wise County78.2
130Richmond County77.8
131Greensville County77.2
132Emporia city74.6
133Buchanan County73.7

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over who hold a regular high school diploma, a GED or alternative credential, or any higher level of education, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Measures the adult population, not students: it is not the high school graduation rate of a class. Not comparable with the EU share below upper secondary education, which covers ages 25 to 64.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/virginia-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Falls Church city, with 97.3% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Buchanan County, with 73.7% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings