New Hampshire Schools & Education
School quality and education data for all 10 counties.
Avg Graduation Rate
87.2%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$12,649
Avg School Score
64/100
Total Schools
502
197 districts
State Overview
About Schools in New Hampshire
New Hampshire matches national benchmarks with superior scores
New Hampshire's 87.2% graduation rate slightly exceeds the national average of 87.0% despite spending $351 less per pupil than the $13,000 national benchmark. The state achieves an impressive average school score of 64.2, which significantly outperforms the national median score of 50.0.
Significant performance gaps exist across ten counties
Education quality varies across New Hampshire's ten counties, with school scores ranging from a high of 71.3 in Grafton to a low of 59.0 in Hillsborough. While Rockingham County leads the state with a 91.6% graduation rate, Belknap County trails at 82.9%, revealing an 8.7 percentage point gap in student outcomes.
Higher investment drives stronger academic outcomes
New Hampshire demonstrates a clear link between funding and success, as top-performing Grafton County spends $14,898 per pupil to achieve a 71.3 school score. Conversely, Hillsborough County records the state's lowest spending at $10,827, which correlates with its position as the lowest-ranked county for overall school performance.
Grafton, Carroll, and Rockingham lead the state
Grafton County secures the top spot with a 71.3 score, followed closely by Carroll County at 70.6, both leveraging high per-pupil spending above $14,600. Rockingham County rounds out the top three, boasting the state's highest graduation rate of 91.6% while maintaining a more efficient $13,005 spending level.
A robust system with elite pockets of excellence
New Hampshire offers a strong public education system that consistently beats national medians for school quality and graduation rates. Families seeking the absolute best academic results should prioritize Grafton or Rockingham counties, where graduation rates consistently exceed 91%.
Top Performing School Counties
All New Hampshire Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
| Grafton County | 71/100 |
| Carroll County | 71/100 |
| Rockingham County | 67/100 |
| Sullivan County | 65/100 |
| Cheshire County | 64/100 |
| Merrimack County | 63/100 |
| Belknap County | 62/100 |
| Coos County | 61/100 |
| Strafford County | 60/100 |
| Hillsborough County | 59/100 |
— = data pending from NCES pipeline.
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Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.