Saugus vs Waltham Schools
How the two districts, about 13 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.
The short answer
- Overall: Neck and neck: Saugus ranks #207 and Waltham #204 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
- MCAS 2026: Waltham students score higher: ELA 37% vs 27%, Math 40% vs 32% met expectations. Statewide: 41% and 41%.
- SAT: Waltham averages 21 points higher (1121 vs 1100).
- Spending: Waltham spends $7,855 more per student ($26,402 vs $18,547).
- Homes: Homes cost more in Saugus: single-family homes average $684K vs $503K. The average tax bill is $7,126 in Saugus and $5,189 in Waltham.
- Class size: Smaller in Waltham: 15.7 students on average vs 19.1.
MCAS results, 2026
Share of students meeting or exceeding expectations, all tested grades combined. Both districts test grades 3–10; "State" is the statewide figure for the same grades.
| Year | Saugus | Waltham | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 27% | 37% | 41% |
| 2025 | 27% | 40% | 43% |
| 2024 | 29% | 37% | 42% |
| 2023 | 33% | 38% | 44% |
| 2022 | 36% | 40% | 43% |
| 2021 | 44% | 43% | 48% |
| Year | Saugus | Waltham | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32% | 40% | 41% |
| 2025 | 34% | 38% | 41% |
| 2024 | 33% | 36% | 42% |
| 2023 | 33% | 37% | 42% |
| 2022 | 35% | 38% | 40% |
| 2021 | 27% | 32% | 35% |
No test in 2020. Statewide 10th-grade results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement.
High school results
Averages of each district's ranked high schools. "MA avg" is the average of all districts with high school data.
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
| Saugus | Waltham | |
|---|---|---|
| Students in classes | 2,718 | 5,919 |
| English learners | 14.1% | 24.8% |
| Students with disabilities | 19.7% | 18.6% |
| White | 46.3% | 34.4% |
| Asian | 7.8% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 35% | 47.2% |
| Black/African American | 7% | 9.5% |
| Multi-race | 3.3% | 4.1% |
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.