schoolsbycounty

Middlesex County Schools & Education

School Score

84/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

92.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$13,122

National avg $13,239

State avg $13,582

School Score

84/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

#3

of 14 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Middlesex County

Measured School Summary

Middlesex County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 84/100 and a graduation rate of 92.1%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

With $13,122 per pupil, Middlesex County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 16% above the Massachusetts average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Middlesex County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

382 public schools and 70 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

84/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #3 of 14 Massachusetts counties with school score data.

Completion

92.1%

4.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$13,122

$460 below the state average

School coverage

382

70 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Middlesex County has 382 public schools across 70 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Middlesex County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Middlesex County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#3

of 14 Massachusetts counties with school score data. The county score is 12 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Lowell

Elementary to high school visible

14,130 students

Elementary 15Middle 7High 3Other 2

27 listed schools in this county slice.

Newton

Elementary to high school visible

11,882 students

Elementary 15Middle 4High 2Other 1

22 listed schools in this county slice.

Framingham

Elementary to high school visible

9,274 students

Elementary 9Middle 3High 1Other 1

14 listed schools in this county slice.

Everett

Elementary and high visible

7,285 students

Elementary 6Middle 0High 1Other 3

10 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Lowell is the largest listed district slice, with 27 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Middlesex County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Middlesex County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

From Historic Lowell to Academic Newton

Lowell is the county's largest district, managing 27 schools and over 14,000 students, followed closely by Newton with 22 schools and 11,882 students. While the system is primarily traditional public schools, 12 charter schools offer specialized options for roughly 3% of the student population. High-enrollment hubs like Cambridge also play a critical role in the county's academic landscape.

Suburban Excellence and Large-Scale High Schools

Nearly 300 of the county's schools sit in suburban locales, though 68 urban and 16 rural campuses add to the geographic diversity. Schools average 562 students, ranging from small local elementary schools to the massive Lowell High with 3,167 students. This mix ensures that families can find everything from intimate learning environments to expansive, resource-rich campuses.

School Overview

Total Schools

382

in Middlesex County

Reported Enrollment

214,852

382 schools reporting

School Districts

70

districts

Charter Schools

12

3% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary225
Middle72
High62
Other23

382 Public Schools in Middlesex County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 43 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 382 matching schools

Lowell High

Lowell

Lowell, 01852 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,167 students

Framingham High School

Framingham

Framingham, 01701 / City: Small

Profile9–12High2,566 students

Lexington High

Lexington

Lexington, 02421 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,303 students

Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical

Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical

Tyngsborough, 01879 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12Vocational2,302 students

Everett High

Everett

Everett, 02149 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,231 students

Newton North High

Newton

Newtonville, 02460 / City: Small

Profile9–12High2,099 students

Cambridge Rindge and Latin

Cambridge

Cambridge, 02138 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,867 students

Malden High

Malden

Malden, 02148 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,856 students

Newton South High

Newton

Newton Centre, 02459 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,837 students

Waltham Sr High

Waltham

Waltham, 02452 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,751 students

Natick High

Natick

Natick, 01760 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,727 students

Billerica Memorial High School

Billerica

Billerica, 01821 / Suburb: Large

Profile8–12High1,726 students

Acton-Boxborough Regional High

Acton-Boxborough

Acton, 01720 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,683 students

Mystic Valley Regional Charter School

Mystic Valley Regional Charter (District)

Malden, 02148 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12Charter1,608 students

Arlington High

Arlington

Arlington, 02476 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,527 students

Westford Academy

Westford

Westford, 01886 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,525 students

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High

Lincoln-Sudbury

Sudbury, 01776 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,484 students

Winchester High School

Winchester

Winchester, 01890 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,383 students

Winthrop L Chenery Middle

Belmont

Belmont, 02478 / Suburb: Large

Profile5–8Middle1,371 students

Chelmsford High

Chelmsford

North Chelmsford, 01863 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,367 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

23 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$13,122

State avg $13,582

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Middlesex County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Massachusetts counties have the highest graduation rates?
Barnstable County (92.4%), Hampshire County (92.3%), and Middlesex County (92.1%) currently lead Massachusetts among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Massachusetts?
Across Massachusetts counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $13,582. The highest current county values are Dukes County ($21,423), Nantucket County ($16,692), and Suffolk County ($15,756). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Middlesex County?
Middlesex County has a school score of 84/100, which is a higher measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Middlesex County?
The high school graduation rate in Middlesex County is 92.1%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Middlesex County spend per student?
Middlesex County spends $13,122 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Middlesex County, Massachusetts — FAQ

What are the major school districts in Middlesex County, Massachusetts?

Lowell is the county's largest district, managing 27 schools and over 14,000 students, followed closely by Newton with 22 schools and 11,882 students. While the system is primarily traditional public schools, 12 charter schools offer specialized options for roughly 3% of the student population. High-enrollment hubs like Cambridge also play a critical role in the county's academic landscape.

What is the school experience like in Middlesex County?

Nearly 300 of the county's schools sit in suburban locales, though 68 urban and 16 rural campuses add to the geographic diversity. Schools average 562 students, ranging from small local elementary schools to the massive Lowell High with 3,167 students. This mix ensures that families can find everything from intimate learning environments to expansive, resource-rich campuses.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.