Erving vs New Salem-Wendell Schools
How the two districts, about 8 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.
The short answer
- Overall: Erving ranks higher, #167 to New Salem-Wendell's #269 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
- MCAS 2026: Erving students score higher: ELA 39% vs 28%, Math 56% vs 29% met expectations. Statewide: 39% and 42%.
- Spending: Erving spends $3,494 more per student ($29,704 vs $26,209).
- Homes: Homes cost more in New Salem-Wendell: single-family homes average $364K vs $289K. The average tax bill is $2,772 in Erving and $4,951 in New Salem-Wendell.
- Class size: Smaller in Erving: 12.4 students on average vs 16.9.
MCAS results, 2026
Share of students meeting or exceeding expectations, all tested grades combined. Both districts test grades 3–6; "State" is the statewide figure for the same grades.
| Year | Erving | New Salem-Wendell | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39% | 28% | 39% |
| 2025 | 32% | 29% | 40% |
| 2024 | 34% | 27% | 39% |
| 2023 | 28% | 27% | 42% |
| 2022 | 23% | 31% | 41% |
| 2021 | — | 47% | 49% |
| Year | Erving | New Salem-Wendell | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 56% | 29% | 42% |
| 2025 | 23% | 26% | 42% |
| 2024 | 24% | 33% | 43% |
| 2023 | 26% | 35% | 42% |
| 2022 | 25% | 34% | 40% |
| 2019 | — | 61% | 50% |
No test in 2020. Statewide 10th-grade results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement.
Classrooms, teachers & spending
Spending is total per-pupil expenditure from all sources in FY2024. Class size is the average across all classes in the district.
Students
| Erving | New Salem-Wendell | |
|---|---|---|
| Students in classes | 112 | 136 |
| English learners | 1.8% | 0% |
| Students with disabilities | 27.7% | 23.5% |
| White | 83% | 85.7% |
| Asian | 0% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8.5% | 5.7% |
| Multi-race | 8.5% | 7.9% |
Homes & taxes
What could you afford in either town?
FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; for a district with several towns, the comparison uses the average of its towns. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices.