| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andover School District | Andover | 9/10 Excellent · 89th pct | 5,590 | 10 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Hamilton-Wenham School District | South Hamilton | 9/10 Excellent · 87th pct | 1,694 | 5 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Lynnfield School District | Lynnfield | 9/10 Excellent · 87th pct | 2,220 | 5 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Manchester Essex Regional School District | Essex | 9/10 Excellent · 81st pct | 1,243 | 4 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Marblehead School District | Marblehead | 9/10 Excellent · 81st pct | 2,672 | 5 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Topsfield School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good · 78th pct | 630 | 2 | PK–6 | 0 |
| Ipswich School District | Ipswich | 8/10 Good · 76th pct | 1,624 | 4 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Boxford School District | Boxford | 8/10 Good · 75th pct | 738 | 2 | PK–6 | 1 |
| Masconomet School District | Middleton | 8/10 Good · 70th pct | 1,610 | 2 | 7–12 | 2 |
| Newburyport School District | Newburyport | 7/10 Good · 67th pct | 2,191 | 4 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Middleton School District | Boxford | 7/10 Good · 66th pct | 725 | 2 | PK–6 | 0 |
| Triton School District | Byfield | 7/10 Good · 65th pct | 2,261 | 5 | PK–12 | 4 |
| North Andover School District | North Andover | 7/10 Good · 63rd pct | 4,491 | 8 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Pentucket School District | Groveland | 7/10 Good · 63rd pct | 2,261 | 6 | PK–12 | 3 |
| Beverly School District | Beverly | 6/10 Average · 59th pct | 4,648 | 8 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Swampscott School District | Swampscott | 6/10 Average · 56th pct | 2,069 | 5 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Rockport School District | Rockport | 5/10 Average · 45th pct | 748 | 3 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Georgetown School District | Georgetown | 5/10 Average · 42nd pct | 1,286 | 4 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Nahant School District | Nahant | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 155 | 1 | PK–6 | 1 |
| Danvers School District | Danvers | 4/10 Below Average · 37th pct | 3,294 | 7 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Amesbury School District | Amesbury | 4/10 Below Average · 31st pct | 1,809 | 5 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Gloucester School District | Gloucester | 3/10 Below Average · 24th pct | 2,849 | 8 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Peabody School District | Peabody | 3/10 Below Average · 22nd pct | 5,968 | 11 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Saugus School District | Saugus | 3/10 Below Average · 21st pct | 2,502 | 4 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Haverhill School District | Haverhill | 2/10 Poor · 18th pct | 7,865 | 17 | PK–12 | 3 |
| Methuen School District | Methuen | 2/10 Poor · 18th pct | 6,584 | 5 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Salem School District | Salem | 2/10 Poor · 17th pct | 3,752 | 11 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Lawrence School District | Lawrence | 1/10 Poor · 2nd pct | 12,885 | 26 | PK–12 | 3 |
| Lynn School District | Lynn | 1/10 Poor · 1st pct | 15,556 | 27 | PK–12 | 4 |
How Essex County compares
Together they enroll 101,920 students across 206 schools. The largest is Lynn School District with 15,556 students. Districts here average 5.6/10, level with the Massachusetts average of 5.6/10. Ratings range from 1/10 to 9/10.
School Districts in Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex County has 29 public school districts covering 44 zip codes. The top-rated district in Essex County is Andover School District (9/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (MCAS 2024–25), ranked against all districts in Massachusetts. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Essex County, MA?
29 school districts serve zip codes in Essex County, MA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Essex County, MA?
Of the districts serving Essex County, Andover School District has the highest rating on this site at 9/10. That places it in the 89th percentile among Massachusetts school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on Massachusetts reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in Massachusetts and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within Massachusetts only, never across state lines.