For many home buyers, the community they buy a home in is so important to them. And, for many of those homeowners the schools system is equally as important. Judging the effectiveness of a school system can be very subjective and finding the balance between a school system and the affordability of a home can be a difficult one.
The following is a chart of school system by ranking from Boston Magazines, The Best Schools in Boston 2013. You can follow the link to Boston Magazine to get the full chart and sort the school systems by their categories.
Boston Magazine ranks each school system by a average for each category then an mean weighted average of all categories to rank the school system. Based on what I see, by public sentiment, the rankings seem to line up with public view of the school systems.
Here in Massachusetts you will usually find a direct correlation between the quality of school system and the median house price of a community. This is a bit of a generalization as there are other factors involved. Naturally as you get closer to Boston home prices are usually higher as well. Each town has a link to the homes that are available for sale in each community.
Finding the best school system that you can afford, as stated earlier, can be a balancing act. As a Massachusetts Real Estate agent, who have worked with many home buyers, there are other factors that should be considered. You want you child to fit in on a socio economic level so they can thrive among their peers not only academically but socially. Children that thrive socially among their peers tend to do better academically. Buying the cheapest house in the best school system is not always the way to go.
Let’s also not forget that children from some of the lowest ranked school systems still go on to ivy league schools like Harvard, Brown and Yale. I think parent involvement can make a huge difference in a child’s experience at school as well. Maybe the difference of a good school system versus a top 20 choice could mean the difference of mom being a stay at home mom, or being full time in the work force. Definitely a quality of life choice.
At the end of the day that balance is very personal and each individual home owner need to find the balance that is right for their family.
Any teachers out there? I would love to hear you thoughts on finding a good balance of school system, quality of life and home affordability.
Search Massachusetts Homes for Sale by School Ranking
| District | Rank | Enrollment | Avg. Class Size | Graduation Rate | % Attending College | Per Pupil Expenditures | SAT Reading | SAT Writing | SAT Math | Student Teacher Ratio |
| Dover | 1 | 523 | 18.3 | 97.5 | 91.6 | $17,607 | 596 | 602 | 621 | 12.3 |
| Sherborn | 2 | 405 | 17.3 | 97.5 | 91.6 | $15,129 | 596 | 602 | 621 | 11.7 |
| Lexington | 3 | 6,506 | 19.3 | 95.9 | 86.5 | $16,358 | 612 | 617 | 637 | 12.1 |
| Carlisle | 4 | 638 | 19.8 | 92.9 | 86.3 | $15,908 | 587 | 586 | 601 | 11.8 |
| Boxborough | 5 | 437 | 19.7 | 94.2 | 85.2 | $14,222 | 611 | 612 | 650 | 13.2 |
| Concord | 6 | 2,140 | 17.1 | 92.9 | 86.3 | $16,637 | 587 | 586 | 601 | 12.8 |
| Lincoln | 7 | 1,241 | 16.2 | 97.3 | 87.3 | $20,776 | 581 | 577 | 606 | 9.8 |
| Westford | 8 | 5,259 | 18.7 | 98.5 | 92.5 | $11,179 | 580 | 573 | 608 | 14.9 |
| Wayland | 9 | 2,717 | 18 | 96.4 | 87.5 | $15,198 | 591 | 594 | 617 | 14.2 |
| Wellesley | 10 | 4,954 | 17.4 | 98.3 | 88.4 | $15,421 | 623 | 631 | 631 | 13.9 |
| Weston | 11 | 2,374 | 22.6 | 96.6 | 85.1 | $19,352 | 603 | 617 | 633 | 11.9 |
| Harvard | 12 | 1,210 | 19 | 96.3 | 86.9 | $13,476 | 603 | 594 | 609 | 15.8 |
| Winchester | 13 | 4,396 | 19.8 | 97.6 | 84.5 | $11,822 | 589 | 599 | 614 | 14.8 |
| Sharon | 14 | 3,433 | 18.1 | 95.1 | 90.3 | $14,151 | 585 | 590 | 600 | 13.1 |
| Manchester | 15 | 465 | 21.1 | 95.7 | 80.9 | $13,274 | 569 | 563 | 585 | 12.9 |
| Sudbury | 16 | 3,006 | 20.5 | 97.3 | 87.3 | $12,359 | 581 | 577 | 606 | 14.3 |
| Westborough | 17 | 3,515 | 16.4 | 97.5 | 90.7 | $14,007 | 556 | 558 | 589 | 13.3 |
| Holliston | 18 | 2,820 | 16.6 | 97.8 | 86.3 | $12,089 | 553 | 556 | 573 | 13.3 |
| Brookline | 19 | 7,112 | 17.7 | 92.9 | 79.9 | $16,556 | 587 | 591 | 614 | 13.8 |
| Newton | 20 | 12,335 | 19.3 | 94.9 | 79.9 | $16,397 | 587 | 595 | 614 | 15.4 |
| Westwood | 21 | 3,167 | 18.6 | 96 | 86.7 | $13,999 | 550 | 547 | 566 | 15 |
| Boxford | 22 | 778 | 16.3 | 97 | 83.7 | $12,006 | 539 | 536 | 568 | 13 |
| Belmont | 23 | 4,065 | 21.3 | 95.7 | 84.3 | $11,969 | 586 | 591 | 612 | 17.1 |
| Acton | 24 | 2,512 | 22.5 | 94.2 | 85.2 | $11,480 | 611 | 612 | 650 | 18.1 |
| Cohasset | 25 | 1,584 | 20.6 | 98.9 | 90 | $13,320 | 555 | 549 | 563 | 13.6 |
| Essex | 26 | 272 | 21.3 | 95.7 | 80.9 | $13,274 | 569 | 563 | 585 | 12.9 |
| Middleton | 27 | 809 | 16.3 | 97 | 83.7 | $11,762 | 539 | 536 | 568 | 12.6 |
| Hopkinton | 28 | 3,414 | 19.9 | 97.5 | 85.2 | $12,298 | 556 | 564 | 583 | 14.1 |
| Bolton | 29 | 767 | 19 | 94.3 | 87.9 | $12,498 | 563 | 554 | 581 | 15.5 |
| Southborough | 30 | 1,422 | 18.7 | 95.4 | 87.8 | $13,831 | 567 | 570 | 585 | 13.3 |
| Topsfield | 31 | 597 | 15.8 | 97 | 83.7 | $11,862 | 539 | 536 | 568 | 12.7 |
| Needham | 32 | 5,476 | 19.3 | 95.4 | 88.6 | $13,602 | 581 | 582 | 594 | 15.4 |
| Andover | 33 | 6,225 | 20.9 | 95.5 | 89.1 | $13,697 | 560 | 562 | 586 | 14.1 |
| Wenham | 34 | 249 | 19.1 | 97.8 | 84.2 | $14,644 | 576 | 567 | 579 | 13.1 |
| Hamilton | 35 | 1,012 | 19.3 | 97.3 | 84.2 | $14,644 | 576 | 567 | 579 | 13.1 |
| Bedford | 36 | 2,514 | 15.5 | 94 | 85.4 | $16,963 | 572 | 571 | 592 | 12.2 |
| Medfield | 37 | 2,788 | 19.6 | 99.1 | 91.5 | $11,364 | 577 | 582 | 602 | 14.7 |
| Hingham | 38 | 4,202 | 19.9 | 94.4 | 87.8 | $11,213 | 556 | 566 | 565 | 15.3 |
| Northborough | 39 | 1,893 | 18.1 | 95.4 | 87.8 | $12,324 | 567 | 570 | 585 | 13.8 |
| Marblehead | 40 | 3,251 | 18.7 | 96.3 | 82.6 | $12,727 | 559 | 567 | 579 | 13.6 |
| Littleton | 41 | 1,576 | 20 | 92.6 | 84.4 | $12,692 | 565 | 563 | 569 | 14.2 |
| Medway | 42 | 2,482 | 18.3 | 96.7 | 82.4 | $11,641 | 538 | 551 | 564 | 15.1 |
| Norwell | 43 | 2,331 | 20.8 | 96.5 | 91.3 | $11,524 | 537 | 542 | 553 | 16.5 |
| Duxbury | 44 | 3,242 | 20.7 | 96.9 | 83.6 | $11,729 | 541 | 550 | 568 | 14 |
| Arlington | 45 | 4,903 | 18.5 | 88.5 | 79.9 | $12,942 | 564 | 559 | 565 | 14.8 |
| Scituate | 46 | 3,220 | 18.9 | 91.4 | 85 | $11,381 | 537 | 550 | 555 | 14.7 |
| Stow | 47 | 869 | 20.5 | 94.3 | 87.9 | $12,498 | 563 | 554 | 581 | 15.5 |
| Lynnfield | 48 | 2,261 | 21 | 98 | 85.8 | $11,475 | 535 | 541 | 558 | 14.6 |
| Berlin | 49 | 223 | 16.3 | 95.7 | 92.5 | $15,240 | 544 | 548 | 556 | 12.2 |
| Reading | 50 | 4,483 | 20.4 | 96.6 | 84.5 | $10,976 | 547 | 545 | 562 | 14.6 |
| Lancaster | 51 | 750 | 19.5 | 94.3 | 87.9 | $12,498 | 563 | 554 | 581 | 15.5 |
| West Newbury | 52 | 462 | 20.9 | 92.6 | 83.4 | $11,189 | 542 | 537 | 544 | 14.3 |
| Norfolk | 53 | 926 | 21.6 | 91.8 | 86.5 | $12,203 | 541 | 543 | 554 | 14.3 |
| Natick | 54 | 5,065 | 20 | 94.3 | 79 | $12,649 | 536 | 532 | 564 | 14.7 |
| Braintree | 55 | 5,549 | 18.5 | 95.1 | 81.5 | $11,176 | 533 | 529 | 550 | 14.3 |
| Boylston | 56 | 379 | 16.3 | 95.7 | 92.5 | $15,240 | 544 | 548 | 556 | 12.2 |
| Chelmsford | 57 | 5,138 | 19.9 | 93.8 | 87.2 | $11,049 | 550 | 548 | 577 | 15.1 |
| Wrentham | 58 | 1,155 | 20.4 | 91.8 | 86.5 | $10,506 | 541 | 543 | 554 | 15.5 |
| Plympton | 59 | 242 | 15.8 | 98.1 | 79.4 | $11,671 | 515 | 506 | 550 | 13.4 |
| North Reading | 60 | 2,606 | 21.6 | 94.7 | 84.3 | $11,842 | 542 | 527 | 562 | 12.9 |
| Walpole | 61 | 4,015 | 21 | 94.8 | 87.9 | $11,692 | 533 | 531 | 526 | 14.9 |
| Franklin | 62 | 5,868 | 21.3 | 92.8 | 83.9 | $10,708 | 537 | 540 | 561 | 15.4 |
| Canton | 63 | 3,262 | 19.9 | 96.8 | 85.9 | $13,414 | 510 | 515 | 548 | 14.2 |
| Foxborough | 64 | 2,753 | 17.2 | 99 | 73.9 | $12,855 | 522 | 530 | 543 | 13.4 |
| Milton | 65 | 3,934 | 18.6 | 93.8 | 85.8 | $12,613 | 514 | 507 | 528 | 14.3 |
| Swampscott | 66 | 2,283 | 21 | 95.7 | 78.8 | $12,592 | 522 | 529 | 521 | 13.1 |
| Newburyport | 67 | 2,349 | 20.2 | 93.6 | 82.2 | $13,369 | 551 | 558 | 563 | 13.5 |
| Ashland | 68 | 2,573 | 19.6 | 96.2 | 80.1 | $12,007 | 543 | 526 | 578 | 15.2 |
| Rockport | 69 | 931 | 14.7 | 90.5 | 78.2 | $14,618 | 518 | 524 | 512 | 11.3 |
| Plainville | 70 | 802 | 21.4 | 91.8 | 86.5 | $11,873 | 541 | 543 | 554 | 16 |
| Georgetown | 71 | 1,558 | 22.8 | 92.1 | 76.9 | $9,961 | 547 | 547 | 561 | 14.5 |
| Dedham | 72 | 2,826 | 16.8 | 88.3 | 67 | $15,459 | 494 | 493 | 512 | 12.3 |
| West Bridgewater | 73 | 1,344 | 19.7 | 95.1 | 79.5 | $10,395 | 489 | 502 | 503 | 14.3 |
| Ipswich | 74 | 2,048 | 19.8 | 95.3 | 87.6 | $11,369 | 535 | 529 | 531 | 14.7 |
| Newbury | 75 | 614 | 18.6 | 90.2 | 74.9 | $12,399 | 506 | 504 | 541 | 13.9 |
| Burlington | 76 | 3,606 | 18.8 | 89 | 82.2 | $15,008 | 527 | 527 | 539 | 12.8 |
| Halifax | 77 | 582 | 19.2 | 98.1 | 79.4 | $11,023 | 515 | 506 | 550 | 15.8 |
| Mansfield | 78 | 4,497 | 20.5 | 94.4 | 82.7 | $10,554 | 523 | 520 | 553 | 18.9 |
| Merrimac | 79 | 356 | 20.9 | 92.6 | 83.4 | $11,189 | 542 | 537 | 544 | 14.3 |
| Wakefield | 80 | 3,388 | 19.3 | 89.5 | 81.7 | $12,009 | 524 | 525 | 537 | 13.9 |
| Hanover | 81 | 2,684 | 21.3 | 97.5 | 91.4 | $10,965 | 497 | 491 | 506 | 15.7 |
| Marshfield | 82 | 4,483 | 23.4 | 95.3 | 84.5 | $10,776 | 514 | 514 | 527 | 13.9 |
| Easton | 83 | 3,880 | 19.8 | 93.1 | 87.5 | $10,922 | 533 | 527 | 541 | 15.3 |
| Wilmington | 84 | 3,559 | 19.5 | 91.4 | 85 | $12,330 | 510 | 513 | 543 | 13.2 |
| Stoneham | 85 | 2,401 | 16.5 | 91.2 | 86.1 | $12,449 | 508 | 514 | 515 | 13.4 |
| Nahant | 86 | 185 | 27.2 | 95.7 | 78.8 | $10,886 | 522 | 529 | 521 | 16.8 |
| Groveland | 87 | 607 | 21.5 | 92.6 | 83.4 | $11,189 | 542 | 537 | 544 | 14.3 |
| Cambridge | 88 | 6,222 | 15.9 | 83.2 | 76.5 | $26,305 | 502 | 497 | 509 | 10.4 |
| Rowley | 89 | 547 | 18.6 | 90.2 | 74.9 | $12,399 | 506 | 504 | 541 | 13.9 |
| North Andover | 90 | 4,766 | 22 | 93.1 | 86.9 | $11,503 | 528 | 525 | 545 | 16.3 |
| Kingston | 91 | 1,134 | 22.9 | 98.1 | 79.4 | $10,200 | 515 | 506 | 550 | 18.3 |
| Melrose | 92 | 3,679 | 22.7 | 94.1 | 84.4 | $10,588 | 512 | 512 | 515 | 14.9 |
| Millis | 93 | 1,451 | 19.2 | 96.6 | 86 | $10,645 | 519 | 516 | 526 | 16.3 |
| Pembroke | 94 | 3,329 | 20.3 | 93.8 | 76.7 | $10,375 | 503 | 497 | 513 | 16.3 |
| Norwood | 95 | 3,547 | 18.1 | 88.7 | 77.5 | $13,616 | 478 | 479 | 507 | 13.1 |
| Amesbury | 96 | 2,337 | 19.7 | 83.9 | 80.1 | $12,966 | 529 | 506 | 524 | 15.2 |
| Watertown | 97 | 2,688 | 17.1 | 85.8 | 76.9 | $16,008 | 487 | 483 | 513 | 12.4 |
| Maynard | 98 | 1,352 | 16.8 | 81.3 | 77.9 | $13,545 | 519 | 522 | 517 | 13.3 |
| Salisbury | 99 | 529 | 18 | 90.2 | 74.9 | $12,399 | 506 | 504 | 541 | 13.9 |
| Danvers | 100 | 3,593 | 19.3 | 90 | 78.7 | $12,590 | 507 | 507 | 528 | 14 |
| Norton | 101 | 2,629 | 20.6 | 85.1 | 82.1 | $11,762 | 515 | 496 | 519 | 14.5 |
| Carver | 102 | 1,737 | 19.7 | 83.2 | 75.2 | $12,144 | 524 | 509 | 517 | 14.2 |
| Hanson | 103 | 1,316 | 22.7 | 92.6 | 72.5 | $10,527 | 490 | 499 | 524 | 19.4 |
| Plymouth | 104 | 7,975 | 18 | 86.5 | 69.3 | $13,448 | 498 | 489 | 515 | 13.3 |
| Hull | 105 | 1,067 | 19.3 | 88.4 | 69.1 | $14,019 | 510 | 517 | 526 | 12.5 |
| Stoughton | 106 | 3,753 | 17.2 | 91.3 | 82.7 | $11,729 | 463 | 460 | 494 | 13.1 |
| Tewksbury | 107 | 3,805 | 20.6 | 91.5 | 79.7 | $12,068 | 507 | 498 | 511 | 15.9 |
| Waltham | 108 | 5,098 | 16.1 | 81.5 | 63.8 | $19,741 | 485 | 482 | 502 | 11.6 |
| Framingham | 109 | 8,201 | 18.6 | 85.3 | 63.3 | $15,769 | 514 | 517 | 554 | 12.9 |
| Billerica | 110 | 5,513 | 20 | 88.4 | 75.9 | $12,628 | 498 | 498 | 537 | 15.1 |
| Raynham | 111 | 5,441 | 23.4 | 93.4 | 76.1 | $11,221 | 494 | 486 | 510 | 16.7 |
| Bridgewater | 111 | 5,441 | 23.4 | 93.4 | 76.1 | $11,221 | 494 | 486 | 510 | 16.7 |
| Hudson | 112 | 2,896 | 17.7 | 82 | 79.7 | $12,551 | 489 | 493 | 509 | 12.6 |
| Woburn | 113 | 4,766 | 17.4 | 85.3 | 74.1 | $13,413 | 484 | 479 | 506 | 13.4 |
| Milford | 114 | 4,167 | 19 | 85.1 | 72.9 | $12,212 | 483 | 475 | 499 | 13.2 |
| Avon | 115 | 746 | 16.2 | 74.1 | 72.5 | $12,225 | 438 | 422 | 444 | 12.3 |
| East Bridgewater | 116 | 2,246 | 28.2 | 91.7 | 78.9 | $10,559 | 490 | 497 | 511 | 18.2 |
| Winthrop | 117 | 1,975 | 18.8 | 83.1 | 73.2 | $11,627 | 481 | 479 | 506 | 12.8 |
| Beverly | 118 | 4,335 | 21 | 81 | 71.6 | $12,719 | 497 | 500 | 515 | 15.3 |
| Whitman | 119 | 1,762 | 23.3 | 92.6 | 72.5 | $10,527 | 490 | 499 | 524 | 19.4 |
| Quincy | 120 | 9,266 | 19.4 | 89.7 | 70.2 | $13,584 | 464 | 463 | 523 | 14.5 |
| Weymouth | 121 | 6,897 | 20.7 | 84.8 | 69.6 | $11,528 | 498 | 486 | 510 | 16.7 |
| Gloucester | 122 | 3,016 | 17.7 | 86.1 | 61.3 | $13,818 | 499 | 486 | 521 | 12.4 |
| Peabody | 123 | 6,103 | 19.2 | 83.2 | 67.9 | $12,729 | 493 | 491 | 509 | 13.9 |
| Medford | 124 | 4,677 | 16.3 | 80.5 | 70.6 | $13,093 | 487 | 489 | 488 | 12.5 |
| Bellingham | 125 | 2,457 | 19.6 | 81.3 | 68.9 | $11,550 | 496 | 479 | 494 | 14.7 |
| Marlborough | 126 | 4,589 | 18 | 80.1 | 71.2 | $13,949 | 502 | 494 | 522 | 13.4 |
| Abington | 127 | 2,031 | 24.3 | 84.3 | 84.3 | $11,415 | 490 | 480 | 508 | 16.4 |
| Rockland | 128 | 2,199 | 19.3 | 84.1 | 82.5 | $12,895 | 481 | 489 | 492 | 14.8 |
| Saugus | 129 | 2,850 | 19.8 | 85.1 | 77.5 | $12,744 | 475 | 477 | 495 | 13.5 |
| Taunton | 130 | 7,681 | 21 | 77.4 | 69 | $10,824 | 492 | 477 | 495 | 15.2 |
| Revere | 131 | 6,648 | 20.1 | 76.8 | 66.5 | $13,347 | 441 | 431 | 458 | 14.2 |
| Holbrook | 132 | 1,238 | 19.4 | 71.2 | 82.8 | $13,937 | 427 | 406 | 459 | 14.7 |
| Salem | 133 | 4,395 | 15.6 | 78 | 67.4 | $14,628 | 478 | 468 | 487 | 10.8 |
| Middleborough | 134 | 3,295 | 27.2 | 90.5 | 68.7 | $11,426 | 486 | 464 | 497 | 15.7 |
| Malden | 135 | 6,573 | 21.1 | 77.2 | 73.2 | $12,358 | 448 | 445 | 478 | 15 |
| Somerville | 136 | 4,922 | 17.8 | 78.1 | 66.2 | $16,108 | 451 | 456 | 473 | 12.4 |
| Wareham | 137 | 2,822 | 17.3 | 79.2 | 52.4 | $12,241 | 459 | 452 | 464 | 12.9 |
| Haverhill | 138 | 7,052 | 18.5 | 69.6 | 68.7 | $11,528 | 502 | 483 | 515 | 14.7 |
| Methuen | 139 | 7,055 | 23.5 | 78.7 | 77.5 | $11,722 | 477 | 470 | 490 | 15.2 |
| Lowell | 140 | 13,879 | 19.2 | 73.3 | 73.7 | $12,780 | 456 | 449 | 490 | 13.9 |
| Randolph | 141 | 2,957 | 27.8 | 70.7 | 72.7 | $14,912 | 427 | 420 | 462 | 12.3 |
| Boston | 142 | 55,114 | 17.7 | 65.9 | 66.2 | $16,902 | 431 | 427 | 464 | 12.9 |
| Brockton | 143 | 16,595 | 19.9 | 74.5 | 74.4 | $12,540 | 426 | 419 | 444 | 14.8 |
| Lynn | 144 | 14,139 | 19.5 | 73.7 | 56.1 | $12,693 | 435 | 421 | 454 | 14.7 |
| Everett | 145 | 6,672 | 19.8 | 75.4 | 60.9 | $12,040 | 435 | 419 | 443 | 13.7 |
| Chelsea | 146 | 5,891 | 21.2 | 58.3 | 58.3 | $13,708 | 401 | 386 | 435 | 14.1 |
| Lawrence | 147 | 13,145 | 20.6 | 60.6 | 77.8 | $13,463 | 400 | 396 | 409 | 13.6 |
This post, Massachusetts School Rankings- Real Estate and Homes for Sale, was provided by Kevin Vitali of EXIT Group One Real Estate. Kevin has been helping home buyers in Essex County and northern Middlesex County for years. Kevin take a consultive approach when working with buyers and help package your wants, needs and desires into the perfect home for you. Call Kevin Vitali, your Massachusetts REALTOR at 978-360-0422 for your buyer consultation.
