Can I use Hillsborough County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Hillsborough County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Hillsborough County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Hillsborough County?

Start with the 123 listed public schools and 32 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Hillsborough County Schools & Education

Name: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

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

School Score

57/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

84.7%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.7%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 87.2%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,827

National avg $13,239

State avg $12,649

School Score

57/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 66/100

State Score Position

of 10 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hillsborough County

Measured School Summary

Hillsborough County has midrange measured school signals (score: 57/100) with a graduation rate of 84.7%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Hillsborough County spends $10,827 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 13% below the New Hampshire average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hillsborough 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

123 public schools and 32 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

57/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #7 of 10 New Hampshire counties with school score data.

Completion

84.7%

2.5 pts below the state average

Funding context

$10,827

$1,822 below the state average

School coverage

123

32 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Hillsborough County has 123 public schools across 32 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Hillsborough 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

Hillsborough 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

of 10 New Hampshire counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below 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.

Manchester School District

Elementary to high school visible

12,063 students

Elementary 13Middle 4High 4Other 0

21 listed schools in this county slice.

Nashua School District

Elementary to high school visible

9,928 students

Elementary 12Middle 3High 2Other 3

20 listed schools in this county slice.

Bedford School District

Elementary to high school visible

4,161 students

Elementary 3Middle 2High 1Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Merrimack School District

Elementary to high school visible

3,561 students

Elementary 3Middle 2High 1Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Manchester School District is the largest listed district slice, with 21 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 Hillsborough County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

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.

The State's Largest Educational Hub

Hillsborough County is the heart of New Hampshire education, with 123 schools serving 53,890 students. The infrastructure is vast, including 65 elementary and 24 high schools managed by 32 districts. This county handles more than five times the enrollment of most neighboring counties.

Massive Districts and Abundant Charter Options

The Manchester and Nashua school districts are giants, together educating nearly 22,000 students. Choice is highly prevalent here, with 12 charter schools representing nearly 10% of all public options. Other notable districts include Bedford and the Contoocook Valley School District.

Urban Centers and Large High Schools

Education in Hillsborough County has a distinct city feel, with 51 schools located in urban settings and 36 in suburbs. This leads to much larger campus sizes, averaging 442 students per school. Nashua High South and Manchester Memorial are among the state's largest, each serving over 1,400 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

123

in Hillsborough County

Reported Enrollment

53,890

123 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary65

Middle29

High24

Other5

32 School Districts in Hillsborough County

Manchester School District

Nashua School District

Bedford School District

Merrimack School District

Hudson School District

7 schools

3,056 students

Goffstown School District

5 schools

2,766 students

Milford School District

5 schools

2,123 students

Contoocook Valley School District

11 schools

1,969 students

Pelham School District

3 schools

1,686 students

Amherst School District

2 schools

1,347 students

123 Public Schools in Hillsborough County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 8 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 123 matching schools

Public schools in Hillsborough County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Nashua High School South	Profile	Nashua School District	Nashua, 03062City: Small	9–12	High	1,743
Nashua High School North	Profile	Nashua School District	Nashua, 03063City: Small	9–12	High	1,594
Manchester Memorial High School	Profile	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03103City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,405
Bedford High School	Profile	Bedford School District	Bedford, 03110Suburb: Midsize	9–UG	High	1,391
Manchester Central High School	Profile	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03104City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,168
Merrimack High School	Profile	Merrimack School District	Merrimack, 03054Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	1,113
Alvirne High School	Profile	Hudson School District	Hudson, 03051Suburb: Midsize	9–UG	High	1,038
Goffstown High School	Profile	Goffstown School District	Goffstown, 03045Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	1,033
Elm Street Middle School	Record	Nashua School District	Nashua, 03060City: Small	6–8	Middle	874
Middle School At Parkside	Record	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03102City: Midsize	5–8	Middle	858
Mountain View Middle School	Record	Goffstown School District	Goffstown, 03045Rural: Fringe	5–8	Middle	829
Manchester West High School	Record	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03102City: Midsize	9–UG	High	772
Hollis-Brookline High School	Record	Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District	Hollis, 03049Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	757
Pelham Elementary School	Record	Pelham School District	Pelham, 03076Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	756
Milford High School	Record	Milford School District	Milford, 03055Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	750
Southside Middle School	Record	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03103City: Midsize	5–8	Middle	750
Hillside Middle School	Record	Manchester School District	Manchester, 03104City: Midsize	6–8	Middle	746
Clark-Wilkins School	Record	Amherst School District	Amherst, 03031Suburb: Midsize	PK–4	Primary	708
Ross A. Lurgio Middle School	Record	Bedford School District	Bedford, 03110Suburb: Midsize	7–8	Middle	700
Souhegan Coop High School	Record	Souhegan Cooperative School District	Amherst, 03031Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	698

Nashua High School South

Nashua School District

Nashua, 03062 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,743 students

Nashua High School North

Nashua School District

Nashua, 03063 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,594 students

Manchester Memorial High School

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03103 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,405 students

Bedford High School

Bedford School District

Bedford, 03110 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–UGHigh1,391 students

Manchester Central High School

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03104 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,168 students

Merrimack High School

Merrimack School District

Merrimack, 03054 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,113 students

Alvirne High School

Hudson School District

Hudson, 03051 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–UGHigh1,038 students

Goffstown High School

Goffstown School District

Goffstown, 03045 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,033 students

Elm Street Middle School

Nashua School District

Nashua, 03060 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle874 students

Middle School At Parkside

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03102 / City: Midsize

Record5–8Middle858 students

Mountain View Middle School

Goffstown School District

Goffstown, 03045 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle829 students

Manchester West High School

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03102 / City: Midsize

Record9–UGHigh772 students

Hollis-Brookline High School

Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District

Hollis, 03049 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High757 students

Pelham Elementary School

Pelham School District

Pelham, 03076 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary756 students

Milford High School

Milford School District

Milford, 03055 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High750 students

Southside Middle School

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03103 / City: Midsize

Record5–8Middle750 students

Hillside Middle School

Manchester School District

Manchester, 03104 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle746 students

Clark-Wilkins School

Amherst School District

Amherst, 03031 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–4Primary708 students

Ross A. Lurgio Middle School

Bedford School District

Bedford, 03110 / Suburb: Midsize

Record7–8Middle700 students

Souhegan Coop High School

Souhegan Cooperative School District

Amherst, 03031 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High698 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,827

State avg $12,649

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hillsborough 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 New Hampshire counties have the highest graduation rates?

Rockingham County (91.6%), Grafton County (91.3%), and Carroll County (91.0%) currently lead New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?

Across New Hampshire counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $12,649. The highest current county values are Grafton County ($14,898), Carroll County ($14,666), and Sullivan County ($13,257). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Hillsborough County?

Hillsborough County has a school score of 57/100, which is a midrange 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 Hillsborough County?

The high school graduation rate in Hillsborough County is 84.7%, which is below 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 Hillsborough County spend per student?

Hillsborough County spends $10,827 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 Hillsborough County, New Hampshire — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?

What are the major school districts in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?

What is the school experience like in Hillsborough County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Coos County

New Hampshire

-0 pts

57/100

School score

Strafford County

New Hampshire

-0 pts

57/100

School score

Belknap County

New Hampshire

-1 pts

56/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed 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.

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