📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts New Hampshire
Sorted by rating — highest first
| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Dresden School District | Etna | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Bedford School District | Bedford | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #3 | Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District | Brookline | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #4 | Windham School District | Windham | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #5 | Oyster River Cooperative School District | Durham | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #6 | Portsmouth School District | Portsmouth | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #7 | Waterville Valley School District | Waterville Valley | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #8 | Sunapee School District | Georges Mills | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #9 | Hopkinton School District | Contoocook | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #10 | Lebanon School District | Lebanon | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #11 | Profile School District | Bethlehem | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #12 | Bow School District | Bow | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #13 | Exeter Regional Cooperative School District | East Kingston | 9/10 Excellent | 83th |
| #14 | Souhegan Cooperative School District | Amherst | 9/10 Excellent | 82th |
| #15 | Gilford School District | Gilford | 9/10 Excellent | 81th |
| #16 | Goffstown School District | Goffstown | 8/10 Good | 79th |
| #17 | Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Hampton | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #18 | Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Ashland | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #19 | Newmarket School District | Newmarket | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #20 | Londonderry School District | Londonderry | 8/10 Good | 74th |
| #21 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Bradford | 8/10 Good | 73th |
| #22 | Salem School District | Salem | 8/10 Good | 71th |
| #23 | Lincoln-Woodstock School District | Lincoln | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #24 | Newfound Area School District | Bristol | 7/10 Good | 69th |
| #25 | Hudson School District | Hudson | 7/10 Good | 67th |
Best School Districts in New Hampshire (2026)
This ranking covers 75 rated public school districts in New Hampshire, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data (2021–22 for 90% of districts, 2017–18 fallback for the rest). Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
New Hampshire School Districts at a Glance
- 75 of the 180 regular school districts operating in New Hampshire have a published rating on this site.
- 23 districts score 8/10 or higher, the top three rating bands.
- Ratings come from NCES EDFacts, and every district is ranked against other districts in New Hampshire only — never against districts in another state, because the tests differ.
- The highest-rated district is Dresden School District in Etna, rated 10/10.
- New Hampshire has 9 high-school-only districts, so an address here can sit in an elementary district and a separate high school district at the same time. How split districts work →
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in New Hampshire? ▼
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 or 2017–18 fallback), the top-rated district is Dresden School District in Etna, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores? ▼
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.
How many school districts are in New Hampshire? ▼
New Hampshire has 180 regular school districts operating in the 2024–25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data. 75 of them have enough state assessment data to carry a rating on this site.
What test are New Hampshire school district ratings based on? ▼
NCES EDFacts. The rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, converted to a percentile against other districts in New Hampshire and then to a 1–10 scale. Spending, staffing and district size are not part of it.
How many districts in New Hampshire are rated 8 out of 10 or higher? ▼
23 of the 75 rated districts in New Hampshire score 8/10 or above. Because the scale is a within-state percentile, a high rating means the district outperforms most other districts in New Hampshire, not the country.
Can one address in New Hampshire be in two school districts? ▼
Yes. New Hampshire has 9 districts that serve only high school grades, so a home can be in an elementary district for the lower grades and a separate high school district for grades 9–12. Search your street address to see every district that serves it.