The quality of public education matters to everyone in a community, not merely to those with school-aged children. And schools should definitely matter to every home buyer. Here’s why:

A study by Redfin showed that buyers pay an average of $50 more per square foot for a home in a top-ranked school district, as opposed to a comparable home in a lower-ranked area.

Why Proximity to Schools Matters For Homeowners

School rankings are based on everything from hard data that measures student achievement to softer comparables like extracurricular offerings, building maintenance and parent reviews. Families tend to flood into areas that can maintain a high ranking among area schools, believing that they may need to pay more to get more.

When public schools are strong in a community, home values rise. This benefits every homeowner in a neighborhood or school district. Homes tend to retain this high value longer, and can better withstand a downturn in the economy. So, while empty-nesters or adults without children may have to bear higher property taxes to accommodate stellar school systems, they are still receiving the powerful benefit of higher home value. This will significantly add to their pocketbooks when it is time to sell.

Looking for more school-related real estate resources? Explore these related readings.

• What Are the Best School Districts in Arlington, MA?
• Your Complete Guide to Schools in Winchester, MA

Impact of North of Boston Schools on Property Values

So, how do schools North of Boston measure up? Well, there are several services that periodically rank area schools. We’d like to start with the most recent findings from Niche, a national K-12 school ranking service that combines a variety of statistics, polls and student reviews in its evaluation.

The full report can be found here. Scroll to the bottom of our blog to find other resources that evaluate local schools. When considering a move, it is best to conduct exhaustive research, both from online rankings and from actual school visits and conversations with those in the communities. Because, when it comes to your home’s value, proximity to school really does matter.

Top 10 Massachusetts Public Elementary Schools:

1. Field Elementary, Weston
2. Woodland Elementary, Weston
3. John D. Hardy Elementary, Wellesley
4. Bowman Elementary, Lexington
5. Maria Hastings Elementary, Lexington
6. Ward Elementary, Newton
7. Mason Rice Elementary, Newton
8. Elmwood School, Hopkinton
9. Spring Street Elementary, Shrewsbury
10. Daniel Butler School, Belmont

Top 10 Massachusetts Public High Schools:

1. MA Academy For Math & Science, Worcester
2. Lexington High School, Lexington
3. Weston High School, Weston
4. Boston Latin School, Boston
5. Brookline High School, Brookline
6. Newton North High School, Newton
7. Belmont High School, Belmont
8. Hopkinton High School, Hopkinton
9. Newton South High School, Newton
10. Wellesley Senior High School, Wellesley

In need of home buying advice? Read these other blog posts next.

• How to Buy a Home in Winchester, MA Before Moving There
• 5 Things to Consider to Get Your Offer Accepted
• How to Maximize the Value of Your Home Purchase

2024 U.S. News & World Report Rankings:

An alternative ranking, U.S. News and World Report offers annual rankings on both K-12 institutions and colleges/universities.

1. Boston Latin School, Boston
2. Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, Hadley
3. The Bromfield School, Harvard
4. Sturgis Charter Public School, Hyannis
5. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School, Dover
6. Lexington High School, Lexington
7. Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School, Marlborough
8. Belmont High School, Belmont
9. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton
10. Weston High School, Weston

More Resources

• Boston Magazine changes its rankings yearly as it continues to reevaluate its criteria for measuring performance.
• Great Schools offers parent comments as part of its overall evaluation of a school’s quality.

Looking for a powerful real estate team to guide your home purchase? Discover Andersen Group Realty’s unparalleled buying and advisory services today. Click here to send us an email or call 781-729-2329 to get started.