📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (MCAS 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
All 29 Rated Districts in Essex County, MA
Sorted by rating, then state percentile
| County Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Andover School District | Andover | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #2 | Hamilton-Wenham School District | Wenham | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #3 | Lynnfield School District | Lynnfield | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #4 | Manchester Essex Regional School District | Manchester | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #5 | Marblehead School District | Marblehead | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #6 | Topsfield School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #7 | Ipswich School District | Ipswich | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #8 | Boxford School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #9 | Masconomet School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #10 | Newburyport School District | Newburyport | 7/10 Good | 67th |
| #11 | Middleton School District | Boxford | 7/10 Good | 66th |
| #12 | Triton School District | Byfield | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #13 | North Andover School District | North Andover | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #14 | Pentucket School District | West Newbury | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #15 | Beverly School District | Beverly | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #16 | Swampscott School District | Swampscott | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #17 | Rockport School District | Rockport | 5/10 Average | 45th |
| #18 | Georgetown School District | Georgetown | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #19 | Nahant School District | Nahant | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #20 | Danvers School District | Danvers | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #21 | Amesbury School District | Amesbury | 4/10 Below Average | 31st |
| #22 | Gloucester School District | Gloucester | 3/10 Below Average | 24th |
| #23 | Peabody School District | Peabody | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #24 | Saugus School District | Saugus | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #25 | Haverhill School District | Haverhill | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #26 | Methuen School District | Methuen | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #27 | Salem School District | Salem | 2/10 Poor | 17th |
| #28 | Lawrence School District | Lawrence | 1/10 Poor | 2nd |
| #29 | Lynn School District | Lynn | 1/10 Poor | 1st |
Best School Districts in Essex County, Massachusetts (2026)
This page lists the 29 public school districts headquartered in Essex County, Massachusetts that have a SchoolDistrictFinder rating, scored using MCAS 2024–25 state assessment data. The county rank is simply their order here; the state percentile compares each district with every rated district in Massachusetts, which is how the 1–10 rating is set. Ratings are not comparable with districts in other states.
Districts are placed in the county of their NCES directory listing. A district's boundaries can cross county lines, and a home in Essex County may be served by a district headquartered next door — search your address or zip code to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in Essex County, Massachusetts? ▼
Among the 29 rated districts in Essex County, Massachusetts, the highest-rated is Andover School District (Andover), rated 9/10 (Excellent) and in the 89th percentile of Massachusetts districts on MCAS 2024–25 reading and math proficiency.
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (MCAS 2024–25), percentile-ranked against all rated districts in Massachusetts and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.