📊 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 →
Massachusetts: 139 Rated Districts
MCAS 2024–25 · percentile among Massachusetts districts
| Rank in MA | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Carlisle School District | Carlisle | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Hopkinton School District | Hopkinton | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Lexington Public Schools | Lexington | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Lincoln-Sudbury School District | Sudbury | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #5 | Weston Public Schools | Weston | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #6 | Wayland School District | Wayland | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #7 | Wellesley School District | Wellesley | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #8 | Hingham School District | Hingham | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #9 | Needham Public Schools | Needham | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #10 | Winchester School District | Winchester | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #11 | Medfield School District | Medfield | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #12 | Sudbury School District | Sudbury | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #13 | Westwood School District | Westwood | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #14 | Cohasset School District | Cohasset | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #15 | Concord School District | Concord | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #16 | Dover-Sherborn School District | Dover | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #17 | Dover School District | Dover | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #18 | North Reading School District | North Reading | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #19 | Arlington School District | Arlington | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #20 | Belmont Public Schools | Belmont | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #21 | Brookline School District | Brookline | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #22 | Sherborn School District | Dover | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #23 | Acton-Boxborough Regional School District | Acton | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #24 | Norwell School District | Norwell | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #25 | Sharon School District | Sharon | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #26 | Bedford School District | Bedford | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #27 | Newton School District | Newtonville | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #28 | Andover School District | Andover | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #29 | Duxbury School District | Duxbury | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #30 | Natick Public Schools | Natick | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #31 | Reading School District | Reading | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #32 | Hamilton-Wenham School District | Wenham | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #33 | Lynnfield School District | Lynnfield | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #34 | Mattapoisett School District | Mattapoisett | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #35 | Milton School District | Milton | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #36 | Norfolk School District | Norfolk | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #37 | Littleton School District | Littleton | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #38 | Melrose School District | Melrose | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #39 | Scituate School District | Scituate | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #40 | Walpole School District | Walpole | 9/10 Excellent | 83rd |
| #41 | Canton School District | Canton | 9/10 Excellent | 82nd |
| #42 | Medway School District | Medway | 9/10 Excellent | 82nd |
| #43 | Groton-Dunstable School District | Groton | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #44 | Manchester Essex Regional School District | Manchester | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #45 | Marblehead School District | Marblehead | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #46 | Franklin School District | Franklin | 8/10 Good | 79th |
| #47 | Holliston School District | Holliston | 8/10 Good | 79th |
| #48 | Halifax School District | Kingston | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #49 | Topsfield School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #50 | Wrentham School District | Wrentham | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #51 | Cambridge Public Schools | Cambridge | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #52 | Hanover School District | Hanover | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #53 | Ipswich School District | Ipswich | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #54 | Lincoln School District | Lincoln | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #55 | Boxford School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #56 | Foxborough School District | Foxborough | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #57 | Plympton School District | Kingston | 8/10 Good | 74th |
| #58 | Ashland School District | Ashland | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #59 | Braintree School District | Braintree | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #60 | Wakefield School District | Wakefield | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #61 | Marshfield School District | Marshfield | 8/10 Good | 72nd |
| #62 | Chelmsford School District | Chelmsford | 8/10 Good | 71st |
| #63 | Burlington School District | Burlington | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #64 | Masconomet School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #65 | Rochester School District | Mattapoisett | 7/10 Good | 69th |
| #66 | Newburyport School District | Newburyport | 7/10 Good | 67th |
| #67 | King Philip School District | Norfolk | 7/10 Good | 66th |
| #68 | Middleton School District | Boxford | 7/10 Good | 66th |
| #69 | Triton School District | Byfield | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #70 | Wilmington School District | Wilmington | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #71 | North Andover School District | North Andover | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #72 | Pentucket School District | West Newbury | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #73 | Hull School District | Hull | 7/10 Good | 62nd |
| #74 | Pembroke School District | Pembroke | 7/10 Good | 60th |
| #75 | Watertown School District | Watertown | 7/10 Good | 60th |
| #76 | Beverly School District | Beverly | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #77 | Plainville School District | Plainville | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #78 | Freetown-Lakeville School District | Lakeville | 6/10 Average | 58th |
| #79 | Silver Lake School District | Kingston | 6/10 Average | 57th |
| #80 | Swampscott School District | Swampscott | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #81 | Millis School District | Millis | 6/10 Average | 55th |
| #82 | Old Rochester School District | Mattapoisett | 6/10 Average | 55th |
| #83 | Dedham School District | Dedham | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #84 | Billerica School District | Billerica | 6/10 Average | 52nd |
| #85 | Kingston School District | Kingston | 6/10 Average | 51st |
| #86 | Marion School District | Mattapoisett | 6/10 Average | 51st |
| #87 | Stoneham School District | Stoneham | 6/10 Average | 50th |
| #88 | Quincy School District | Quincy | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #89 | Winthrop School District | Winthrop | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #90 | Plymouth School District | Plymouth | 5/10 Average | 48th |
| #91 | Tewksbury School District | Tewksbury | 5/10 Average | 48th |
| #92 | Rockport School District | Rockport | 5/10 Average | 45th |
| #93 | West Bridgewater School District | West Bridgewater | 5/10 Average | 44th |
| #94 | Weymouth School District | Weymouth | 5/10 Average | 43rd |
| #95 | Whitman-Hanson School District | Whitman | 5/10 Average | 43rd |
| #96 | Dracut School District | Dracut | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #97 | Georgetown School District | Georgetown | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #98 | Waltham School District | Waltham | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #99 | Ayer-Shirley School District | Ayer | 5/10 Average | 41st |
| #100 | Tyngsborough School District | Tyngsborough | 5/10 Average | 40th |
| #101 | Nahant School District | Nahant | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #102 | North Middlesex School District | Towsend | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #103 | Danvers School District | Danvers | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #104 | Medford School District | Medford | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #105 | Bridgewater-Raynham School District | Bridgewater | 4/10 Below Average | 36th |
| #106 | Norwood School District | Norwood | 4/10 Below Average | 35th |
| #107 | Stoughton School District | Stoughton | 4/10 Below Average | 35th |
| #108 | Abington School District | Abington | 4/10 Below Average | 34th |
| #109 | Maynard School District | Maynard | 4/10 Below Average | 34th |
| #110 | Rockland School District | Rockland | 4/10 Below Average | 34th |
| #111 | Somerville Public Schools | Somerville | 4/10 Below Average | 33rd |
| #112 | Carver School District | Carver | 4/10 Below Average | 32nd |
| #113 | Holbrook School District | Holbrook | 4/10 Below Average | 32nd |
| #114 | Amesbury School District | Amesbury | 4/10 Below Average | 31st |
| #115 | East Bridgewater School District | East Bridgewater | 3/10 Below Average | 29th |
| #116 | Malden School District | Malden | 3/10 Below Average | 29th |
| #117 | Middleborough School District | Middleborough | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #118 | Woburn School District | Woburn | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #119 | Hudson School District | Hudson | 3/10 Below Average | 25th |
| #120 | Gloucester School District | Gloucester | 3/10 Below Average | 24th |
| #121 | Bellingham School District | Bellingham | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #122 | Peabody School District | Peabody | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #123 | Saugus School District | Saugus | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #124 | Wareham School District | Wareham | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #125 | Avon School District | Avon | 3/10 Below Average | 20th |
| #126 | Lowell School District | Lowell | 2/10 Poor | 19th |
| #127 | Haverhill School District | Haverhill | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #128 | Methuen School District | Methuen | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #129 | Boston School District | Roxbury | 2/10 Poor | 17th |
| #130 | Salem School District | Salem | 2/10 Poor | 17th |
| #131 | Revere School District | Revere | 2/10 Poor | 11th |
| #132 | Marlborough School District | Marlborough | 2/10 Poor | 10th |
| #133 | Framingham School District | Framingham | 1/10 Poor | 8th |
| #134 | Randolph School District | Randolph | 1/10 Poor | 7th |
| #135 | Everett School District | Everett | 1/10 Poor | 5th |
| #136 | Brockton School District | Brockton | 1/10 Poor | 4th |
| #137 | Chelsea School District | Chelsea | 1/10 Poor | 3rd |
| #138 | Lawrence School District | Lawrence | 1/10 Poor | 2nd |
| #139 | Lynn School District | Lynn | 1/10 Poor | 1st |
New Hampshire: 17 Rated Districts
EDFacts 2021–22 · percentile among New Hampshire districts
| Rank in NH | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Windham School District | Windham | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #2 | Oyster River Cooperative School District | Durham | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #3 | Portsmouth School District | Portsmouth | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #4 | Exeter Regional Cooperative School District | Exeter | 9/10 Excellent | 83rd |
| #5 | Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Hampton | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #6 | Newmarket School District | Newmarket | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #7 | Londonderry School District | Londonderry | 8/10 Good | 74th |
| #8 | Salem School District | Salem | 8/10 Good | 71st |
| #9 | Timberlane Regional School District | Plaistow | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #10 | Epping School District | Epping | 6/10 Average | 55th |
| #11 | Dover School District | Dover | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #12 | Raymond School District | Raymond | 5/10 Average | 46th |
| #13 | Sanborn Regional School District | Kingston | 4/10 Below Average | 31st |
| #14 | Farmington School District | Farmington | 2/10 Poor | 19th |
| #15 | Somersworth School District | Somersworth | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #16 | Rochester School District | Rochester | 1/10 Poor | 9th |
| #17 | Milton School District | Milton | 1/10 Poor | 3rd |
Best School Districts in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area (2026)
This metro area crosses state lines, so it is shown as one table per state. Each state rates its districts on its own test, and a 9/10 in one state is not comparable with a 9/10 in another.
Counties are assigned to metropolitan areas using the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 delineation, and each district is placed in the county of its NCES directory listing. Ratings come from MCAS 2024–25 (Massachusetts); EDFacts 2021–22 (New Hampshire) and are percentile-ranked within the district's own state. Always confirm your assignment by address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in the Massachusetts part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area? ▼
Among the 139 rated districts in the Massachusetts part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, 5 share the top position at 10/10 (Excellent), 99th percentile of Massachusetts districts on MCAS 2024–25 reading and math proficiency: Carlisle School District (Carlisle); Hopkinton School District (Hopkinton); Lexington Public Schools (Lexington); Lincoln-Sudbury School District (Sudbury); Weston Public Schools (Weston).
What is the best-rated school district in the New Hampshire part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area? ▼
Among the 17 rated districts in the New Hampshire part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the highest-rated is Windham School District (Windham), rated 10/10 (Excellent) and in the 95th percentile of New Hampshire districts on EDFacts 2021–22 reading and math proficiency.
Can I compare districts across state lines here? ▼
No. Each state uses its own assessment, so ratings and percentiles are only comparable among districts in the same state. Full methodology here.