The amount of spending per student in towns can vary significantly based on various factors such as the town's tax base, cost of living, property values, state funding, and local priorities. Additionally, spending per student can differ between public school districts within the same town or region. Here's how spending per student is typically calculated and factors that can influence it:
It's important to note that while higher spending per student can contribute to educational quality and student outcomes, it is not the sole determinant of academic success. Factors such as teacher quality, curriculum effectiveness, parental involvement, and school climate also play critical roles in shaping students' educational experiences and achievements.
Here are some of the reasons for the differences in spending:
Available Funding Sources
Local funding sources, such as property taxes and local government allocations, play a significant role in determining spending per student. Towns with higher property values and tax revenues may have more resources available for education and, thus, higher spending per student.
State and federal funding
State governments and federal agencies provide funding to public school districts through various mechanisms, including per-pupil funding formulas, categorical grants, and state aid programs. State funding levels and distribution formulas can impact spending per student across different towns and districts.
Cost of Living
Towns with a higher cost of living may allocate more resources to education to attract and retain qualified teachers, maintain quality facilities, and provide competitive salaries and benefits. Conversely, towns with a lower cost of living may have lower spending per student but may still prioritize education within their budget constraints.
Student Needs
School districts with higher concentrations of students with special needs, English language learners, or low-income students may allocate additional resources to support these populations, leading to higher spending per student.
Local Priorities and Policies
Local school boards, administrators, and community stakeholders determine budget priorities and policies that influence spending per student. These priorities may include investments in technology, curriculum enhancements, extracurricular programs, and facility improvements.
Spending per Student in Boston Area Towns, 2022- 2022/2023
Below are the average SAT scores for public high schools. You can sort the columns to compare the towns that scored the highest and lowest. For more detailed results, click here.
| Town | Amount |
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public (District) | $15,780.91 |
| Abington | $16,891.50 |
| Academy Of the Pacific Rim Charter Public (District) | $23,264.05 |
| Acton-Boxborough | $19,315.47 |
| Acushnet | $14,936.56 |
| Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter (District) | $14,869.53 |
| Agawam | $20,509.67 |
| Alma del Mar Charter School (District) | $16,796.82 |
| Amesbury | $21,622.06 |
| Amherst | $27,074.73 |
| Amherst-Pelham | $24,212.57 |
| Andover | $22,221.57 |
| Argosy Collegiate Charter School (District) | $16,862.30 |
| Arlington | $18,615.49 |
| Ashburnham-Westminster | $15,075.55 |
| Ashland | $16,074.26 |
| Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical | $24,814.22 |
| Athol-Royalston | $16,583.44 |
| Atlantis Charter (District) | $13,988.50 |
| Attleboro | $15,715.51 |
| Auburn | $15,625.59 |
| Avon | $20,591.22 |
| Ayer Shirley School District | $18,782.75 |
| Barnstable | $19,573.44 |
| Baystate Academy Charter Public School (District) | $15,996.00 |
| Bedford | $22,107.01 |
| Belchertown | $16,412.66 |
| Bellingham | $20,659.49 |
| Belmont | $18,294.94 |
| Benjamin Banneker Charter Public (District) | $23,520.86 |
| Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public (District) | $13,890.84 |
| Berkley | $14,348.98 |
| Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) | $19,915.32 |
| Berkshire Hills | $26,103.50 |
| Berlin-Boylston | $18,626.75 |
| Beverly | $17,005.92 |
| Billerica | $19,708.90 |
| Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical | $22,466.05 |
| Blackstone-Millville | $17,643.22 |
| Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical | $24,842.12 |
| Boston | $28,882.15 |
| Boston Collegiate Charter (District) | $21,004.62 |
| Boston Day and Evening Academy Charter (District) | $18,837.49 |
| Boston Green Academy Horace Mann Charter School (District) | $17,271.12 |
| Boston Preparatory Charter Public (District) | $24,257.97 |
| Boston Renaissance Charter Public (District) | $20,165.35 |
| Bourne | $21,037.86 |
| Boxford | $21,194.80 |
| Braintree | $17,124.16 |
| Brewster | $24,409.43 |
| Bridge Boston Charter School (District) | $29,700.52 |
| Bridgewater-Raynham | $15,112.07 |
| Brimfield | $19,838.35 |
| Bristol County Agricultural | $21,508.37 |
| Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical | $20,948.09 |
| Brockton | $20,337.75 |
| Brooke Charter School (District) | $18,655.45 |
| Brookfield | $16,371.32 |
| Brookline | $25,802.10 |
| Burlington | $25,297.05 |
| Cambridge | $36,712.21 |
| Canton | $19,829.14 |
| Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter (District) | $17,440.15 |
| Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | $27,050.24 |
| Carlisle | $22,655.08 |
| Carver | $18,492.80 |
| Central Berkshire | $17,839.22 |
| Chelmsford | $16,808.33 |
| Chelsea | $19,758.17 |
| Chesterfield-Goshen | $19,581.37 |
| Chicopee | $18,904.08 |
| Christa McAuliffe Charter Public (District) | $17,100.10 |
| City on a Hill Charter Public School (District) | $27,699.15 |
| Clarksburg | $15,754.08 |
| Clinton | $17,075.79 |
| Codman Academy Charter Public (District) | $28,911.62 |
| Cohasset | $21,730.91 |
| Collegiate Charter School of Lowell (District) | $11,168.11 |
| Community Charter School of Cambridge (District) | $24,633.38 |
| Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway (District) | $16,110.70 |
| Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect (District) | $17,944.56 |
| Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster (District) | $15,684.16 |
| Concord | $24,822.10 |
| Concord-Carlisle | $24,822.75 |
| Conservatory Lab Charter (District) | $21,354.17 |
| Conway | $23,807.19 |
| Danvers | $19,422.40 |
| Dartmouth | $17,299.51 |
| Dedham | $24,661.16 |
| Deerfield | $19,346.64 |
| Dennis-Yarmouth | $21,557.51 |
| Dighton-Rehoboth | $17,361.33 |
| Douglas | $17,634.70 |
| Dover | $24,988.05 |
| Dover-Sherborn | $23,349.62 |
| Dracut | $13,826.93 |
| Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School (District) | $19,389.79 |
| Dudley-Charlton Reg | $16,222.56 |
| Duxbury | $18,626.46 |
| East Bridgewater | $15,298.85 |
| East Longmeadow | $17,836.16 |
| Eastham | $24,802.64 |
| Easthampton | $17,320.23 |
| Easton | $16,635.32 |
| Edgartown | $26,829.54 |
| Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (Horace Mann Charter) (District) | $30,571.62 |
| Erving | $27,220.73 |
| Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District | $22,469.23 |
| Everett | $18,721.19 |
| Excel Academy Charter (District) | $19,509.27 |
| Fairhaven | $16,314.78 |
| Fall River | $18,219.63 |
| Falmouth | $23,079.64 |
| Farmington River Reg | $20,707.26 |
| Fitchburg | $17,503.57 |
| Florida | $17,025.78 |
| Four Rivers Charter Public (District) | $18,163.61 |
| Foxborough | $20,576.64 |
| Foxborough Regional Charter (District) | $14,449.02 |
| Framingham | $22,484.31 |
| Francis W. Parker Charter Essential (District) | $16,235.97 |
| Franklin | $17,651.38 |
| Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical | $25,900.37 |
| Freetown-Lakeville | $15,507.50 |
| Frontier | $20,542.24 |
| Gardner | $15,612.83 |
| Gateway | $21,512.61 |
| Georgetown | $18,087.51 |
| Gill-Montague | $21,411.79 |
| Global Learning Charter Public (District) | $15,299.03 |
| Gloucester | $20,063.91 |
| Grafton | $16,191.85 |
| Granby | $17,838.43 |
| Greater Commonwealth Virtual District | $10,922.63 |
| Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | $23,094.70 |
| Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | $31,168.39 |
| Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical | $23,525.57 |
| Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | $24,558.59 |
| Greenfield | $19,404.24 |
| Groton-Dunstable | $19,392.35 |
| Hadley | $18,614.50 |
| Halifax | $18,350.71 |
| Hamilton-Wenham | $22,092.33 |
| Hampden Charter School of Science East (District) | $15,917.57 |
| Hampden Charter School of Science West (District) | $17,587.93 |
| Hampden-Wilbraham | $18,076.49 |
| Hampshire | $21,042.97 |
| Hancock | $19,532.26 |
| Hanover | $16,248.30 |
| Harvard | $22,506.37 |
| Hatfield | $18,125.94 |
| Haverhill | $18,421.44 |
| Hawlemont | $19,443.89 |
| Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter Public (District) | $27,528.05 |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public (District) | $14,663.98 |
| Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public (District) | $16,147.66 |
| Hingham | $19,614.72 |
| Holbrook | $17,218.03 |
| Holland | $16,969.37 |
| Holliston | $16,300.30 |
| Holyoke | $22,110.26 |
| Holyoke Community Charter (District) | $18,163.72 |
| Hoosac Valley Regional | $17,927.30 |
| Hopedale | $16,746.71 |
| Hopkinton | $16,177.01 |
| Hudson | $20,745.02 |
| Hull | $27,794.31 |
| Innovation Academy Charter (District) | $16,007.57 |
| Ipswich | $20,914.21 |
| KIPP Academy Boston Charter School (District) | $19,866.32 |
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter (District) | $18,999.91 |
| King Philip | $21,516.53 |
| Kingston | $16,645.04 |
| Lawrence | $19,495.05 |
| Lawrence Family Development Charter (District) | $15,203.63 |
| Learning First Charter Public School (District) | $16,774.40 |
| Lee | $20,537.50 |
| Leicester | $16,408.90 |
| Lenox | $21,990.57 |
| Leominster | $15,910.68 |
| Leverett | $20,983.04 |
| Lexington | $22,736.61 |
| Libertas Academy Charter School (District) | $21,732.79 |
| Lincoln | $30,585.63 |
| Lincoln-Sudbury | $24,401.08 |
| Littleton | $18,316.59 |
| Longmeadow | $17,618.70 |
| Lowell | $18,219.06 |
| Lowell Community Charter Public (District) | $16,483.50 |
| Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter (District) | $15,655.70 |
| Ludlow | $19,480.34 |
| Lunenburg | $15,864.32 |
| Lynn | $17,863.89 |
| Lynnfield | $18,455.01 |
| MATCH Charter Public School (District) | $23,409.98 |
| Malden | $17,428.46 |
| Manchester Essex Regional | $23,457.12 |
| Mansfield | $20,429.26 |
| Map Academy Charter School (District) | $18,791.64 |
| Marblehead | $21,118.63 |
| Marblehead Community Charter Public (District) | $15,213.69 |
| Marion | $20,722.04 |
| Marlborough | $18,104.48 |
| Marshfield | $16,549.58 |
| Martha's Vineyard | $36,128.07 |
| Martha's Vineyard Charter (District) | $33,568.49 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence (District) | $16,798.13 |
| Masconomet | $23,050.89 |
| Mashpee | $21,533.82 |
| Mattapoisett | $23,987.62 |
| Maynard | $23,022.07 |
| Medfield | $18,769.80 |
| Medford | $21,372.00 |
| Medway | $18,536.50 |
| Melrose | $15,540.08 |
| Mendon-Upton | $19,072.82 |
| Methuen | $17,243.53 |
| Middleborough | $16,632.49 |
| Middleton | $20,060.71 |
| Milford | $17,464.81 |
| Millbury | $19,191.00 |
| Millis | $20,250.83 |
| Milton | $17,558.83 |
| Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical | $34,176.81 |
| Mohawk Trail | $24,344.68 |
| Monomoy Regional School District | $21,656.07 |
| Monson | $20,262.26 |
| Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical | $22,714.26 |
| Mount Greylock | $19,307.26 |
| Mystic Valley Regional Charter (District) | $14,166.78 |
| Nahant | $18,272.46 |
| Nantucket | $26,976.20 |
| Narragansett | $15,418.67 |
| Nashoba | $19,399.48 |
| Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical | $21,587.12 |
| Natick | $18,169.44 |
| Nauset | $24,341.28 |
| Needham | $22,808.43 |
| Neighborhood House Charter (District) | $22,621.00 |
| New Bedford | $18,842.66 |
| New Heights Charter School of Brockton (District) | $18,705.93 |
| New Salem-Wendell | $25,305.86 |
| Newburyport | $20,881.16 |
| Newton | $24,521.93 |
| Norfolk | $16,804.59 |
| Norfolk County Agricultural | $25,709.95 |
| North Adams | $21,335.15 |
| North Andover | $17,408.78 |
| North Attleborough | $15,833.60 |
| North Brookfield | $16,285.62 |
| North Middlesex | $18,598.92 |
| North Reading | $19,942.06 |
| Northampton | $18,623.55 |
| Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | $23,827.69 |
| Northboro-Southboro | $21,624.75 |
| Northborough | $20,411.57 |
| Northbridge | $16,850.75 |
| Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical | $24,070.04 |
| Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | $23,717.79 |
| Norton | $18,998.18 |
| Norwell | $18,898.81 |
| Norwood | $21,114.85 |
| Oak Bluffs | $27,158.85 |
| Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | $24,078.44 |
| Old Rochester | $19,952.50 |
| Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School (District) | $15,346.14 |
| Orange | $16,875.22 |
| Orleans | $34,375.17 |
| Oxford | $18,333.63 |
| Palmer | $17,875.44 |
| Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | $24,843.53 |
| Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School (District) | $22,386.69 |
| Peabody | $16,996.68 |
| Pelham | $19,296.74 |
| Pembroke | $17,595.93 |
| Pentucket | $18,725.32 |
| Petersham | $19,529.68 |
| Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School Lawrence (District) | $20,212.21 |
| Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School Springfield (District) | $18,381.54 |
| Phoenix Charter Academy (District) | $22,601.68 |
| Pioneer Charter School of Science (District) | $16,446.11 |
| Pioneer Charter School of Science II (PCSS-II) (District) | $16,563.68 |
| Pioneer Valley | $21,632.08 |
| Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter (District) | $15,423.77 |
| Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public (District) | $16,266.00 |
| Pittsfield | $20,035.93 |
| Plainville | $17,525.57 |
| Plymouth | $20,629.36 |
| Plympton | $17,232.19 |
| Prospect Hill Academy Charter (District) | $21,362.70 |
| Provincetown | $43,689.76 |
| Quabbin | $17,976.71 |
| Quaboag Regional | $17,359.29 |
| Quincy | $19,362.59 |
| Ralph C Mahar | $21,906.24 |
| Randolph | $22,386.16 |
| Reading | $17,643.00 |
| Revere | $19,030.80 |
| Richmond | $21,861.26 |
| Rising Tide Charter Public (District) | $16,506.13 |
| River Valley Charter (District) | $15,426.37 |
| Rochester | $17,018.68 |
| Rockland | $20,407.22 |
| Rockport | $26,981.07 |
| Rowe | $29,267.22 |
| Roxbury Preparatory Charter (District) | $20,509.49 |
| Salem | $23,235.44 |
| Salem Academy Charter (District) | $17,261.02 |
| Sandwich | $21,988.76 |
| Saugus | $18,705.90 |
| Savoy | $21,156.36 |
| Scituate | $19,121.44 |
| Seekonk | $18,811.79 |
| Sharon | $19,350.00 |
| Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | $26,174.83 |
| Sherborn | $21,997.32 |
| Shrewsbury | $16,562.34 |
| Shutesbury | $25,315.35 |
| Silver Lake | $19,179.29 |
| Sizer School: A North Central Charter Essential (District) | $15,861.58 |
| Somerset | $17,088.12 |
| Somerset Berkley Regional School District | $18,060.12 |
| Somerville | $24,768.08 |
| South Hadley | $17,264.92 |
| South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | $28,803.96 |
| South Shore Charter Public (District) | $15,852.89 |
| South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | $24,360.18 |
| Southampton | $15,825.51 |
| Southborough | $22,584.11 |
| Southbridge | $20,256.78 |
| Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical | $22,120.59 |
| Southern Berkshire | $25,459.07 |
| Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District | $20,861.75 |
| Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | $18,096.05 |
| Spencer-E Brookfield | $17,229.51 |
| Springfield | $20,545.06 |
| Springfield International Charter (District) | $12,943.85 |
| Springfield Preparatory Charter School (District) | $16,947.92 |
| Stoneham | $19,346.70 |
| Stoughton | $18,266.43 |
| Sturbridge | $18,811.58 |
| Sturgis Charter Public (District) | $15,013.08 |
| Sudbury | $20,450.19 |
| Sunderland | $21,862.25 |
| Sutton | $18,355.51 |
| Swampscott | $20,453.20 |
| Swansea | $15,250.35 |
| TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School District | $10,873.74 |
| Tantasqua | $16,339.66 |
| Taunton | $16,393.83 |
| Tewksbury | $20,674.78 |
| Tisbury | $29,349.55 |
| Topsfield | $19,238.88 |
| Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical | $23,242.11 |
| Triton | $22,281.92 |
| Truro | $34,036.38 |
| Tyngsborough | $17,630.50 |
| UP Academy Charter School of Boston (District) | $22,783.35 |
| UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (District) | $14,755.18 |
| Up-Island Regional | $30,347.53 |
| Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | $26,532.59 |
| Uxbridge | $18,668.74 |
| Veritas Preparatory Charter School (District) | $22,935.00 |
| Wachusett | $16,387.50 |
| Wakefield | $18,799.98 |
| Wales | $19,720.95 |
| Walpole | $18,500.80 |
| Waltham | $24,044.88 |
| Ware | $17,184.61 |
| Wareham | $21,413.48 |
| Watertown | $26,006.14 |
| Wayland | $21,579.26 |
| Webster | $18,819.15 |
| Wellesley | $25,313.19 |
| Wellfleet | $29,219.21 |
| West Boylston | $19,113.71 |
| West Bridgewater | $15,467.34 |
| West Springfield | $17,456.25 |
| Westborough | $19,426.63 |
| Westfield | $17,547.73 |
| Westford | $17,327.86 |
| Westhampton | $24,482.06 |
| Weston | $30,446.18 |
| Westport | $17,815.96 |
| Westwood | $22,370.12 |
| Weymouth | $18,971.50 |
| Whately | $22,086.99 |
| Whitman-Hanson | $17,361.80 |
| Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | $22,809.97 |
| Williamsburg | $21,235.41 |
| Wilmington | $22,987.85 |
| Winchendon | $17,018.40 |
| Winchester | $17,994.68 |
| Winthrop | $17,423.97 |
| Woburn | $21,958.33 |
| Worcester | $18,652.74 |
| Worthington | $16,276.31 |
| Wrentham | $19,639.75 |
| State Totals | $20,133.67 |
