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School district comparison · MCAS 2026 · other data 2024-25

Falmouth vs Up-Island Regional Schools

How the two districts, about 19 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.

The short answer

  • Overall: Up-Island Regional ranks higher, #84 to Falmouth's #153 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
  • MCAS 2026: Up-Island Regional students score higher: ELA 52% vs 41%, Math 54% vs 43% met expectations.
  • High school: Up-Island Regional has no high school in our rankings (its students may attend a regional high school), so only Falmouth has SAT and graduation figures (SAT average 1124).
  • Spending: Up-Island Regional spends $9,230 more per student ($34,727 vs $25,497).
  • Homes: Homes cost more in Up-Island Regional: single-family homes average $2.36M vs $1.03M. The average tax bill is $5,881 in Falmouth and $9,854 in Up-Island Regional.

MCAS results, 2026

Share of students meeting or exceeding expectations, all tested grades combined. The districts serve different grades (Falmouth: grades 3–10; Up-Island Regional: grades 3–8), so the state figure isn't shown.

English Language ArtsUp-Island Regional ahead
Falmouth
41%
Up-Island Regional
52%
MathUp-Island Regional ahead
Falmouth
43%
Up-Island Regional
54%
ELA by year
YearFalmouthUp-Island Regional
202641%52%
202544%51%
202443%47%
202349%48%
202249%46%
202158%52%
Math by year
YearFalmouthUp-Island Regional
202643%54%
202542%52%
202446%52%
202349%48%
202249%46%
202144%39%

No test in 2020. Statewide 10th-grade results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement.

High school results

Average SAT
Falmouth
1124
Up-Island Regional: no data
MA avg
1113
AP exams scored 3+
Falmouth
63%
Up-Island Regional: no data
MA avg
69.1%
Four-year graduation rate
Falmouth
90.2%
Up-Island Regional: no data
MA avg
92.4%

Averages of each district's ranked high schools. "MA avg" is the average of all districts with high school data.

Classrooms, teachers & spending

Average class sizeHigher in Falmouth
Falmouth
16.2
Up-Island Regional
14.8
MA avg
17.3
Attendance rateUp-Island Regional ahead
Falmouth
91.8%
Up-Island Regional
93.1%
MA avg
93.7%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysLower in Up-Island Regional
Falmouth
26.7%
Up-Island Regional
21.5%
MA avg
16.9%
Teachers who stayedfrom last yearAbout the same
Falmouth
89%
Up-Island Regional
89.2%
MA avg
84.7%
Spending per studentHigher in Up-Island Regional
Falmouth
$25,497
Up-Island Regional
$34,727
MA median
$21,765
Average teacher salaryHigher in Up-Island Regional
Falmouth
$92,617
Up-Island Regional
$104,782
MA median
$91,393

Spending is total per-pupil expenditure from all sources in FY2024. Class size is the average across all classes in the district.

Students

FalmouthUp-Island Regional
Students in classes2,904387
English learners8.3%4.7%
Students with disabilities24%24.6%
White74.2%75%
Asian1.6%0.5%
Hispanic/Latino10.9%13.2%
Black/African American4.9%2%
Multi-race7.5%6.9%

Homes & taxes

Average single-family home valueHigher in Up-Island Regional
Falmouth
$1.03M
Up-Island Regional
$2.36M
MA median
$588K
Average property tax billHigher in Up-Island Regional
Falmouth
$5,881
Up-Island Regional
$9,854
MA median
$6,814
Falmouth
Barnstable County · South Coast & Cape Cod
Avg single-family home value$1.03MMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,881MA median $6,814
Tax rate$5.70 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$58,781MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school93.5%
Town bond ratingAAA
Free cash reserves10.4% of budget
Chilmark
Dukes County · South Coast & Cape Cod
Avg single-family home value$3.52MMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$8,024MA median $6,814
Tax rate$2.30 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$95,470MA median $47,872
Town bond ratingAAA
Aquinnah
Dukes County · South Coast & Cape Cod
Avg single-family home value$1.85MMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$12,677MA median $6,814
Tax rate$6.90 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$60,960MA median $47,872
West Tisbury
Dukes County · South Coast & Cape Cod
Avg single-family home value$1.70MMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$8,862MA median $6,814
Tax rate$5.20 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$37,399MA median $47,872
Town bond ratingAA+

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.

The schools

Up-Island Regional
Elementary schools · rank of 895
Chilmark Elementary#72 A-West Tisbury Elementary#435 B-