Stoneham vs Watertown Schools
How the two districts, about 8 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.
The short answer
- Overall: Neck and neck: Stoneham ranks #100 and Watertown #102 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
- MCAS 2026: Watertown students score higher: ELA 46% vs 42%, Math 51% vs 45% met expectations. Statewide: 41% and 41%.
- SAT: Close: Stoneham averages 1129 and Watertown 1132.
- Spending: Watertown spends $4,962 more per student ($27,428 vs $22,466).
- Homes: Homes cost more in Stoneham: single-family homes average $801K vs $663K. The average tax bill is $8,059 in Stoneham and $8,094 in Watertown.
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 | Stoneham | Watertown | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 42% | 46% | 41% |
| 2025 | 47% | 48% | 42% |
| 2024 | 50% | 46% | 42% |
| 2023 | 51% | 49% | 44% |
| 2022 | 55% | 46% | 43% |
| 2021 | 57% | 49% | 48% |
| Year | Stoneham | Watertown | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 45% | 51% | 41% |
| 2025 | 45% | 49% | 41% |
| 2024 | 47% | 48% | 42% |
| 2023 | 50% | 47% | 42% |
| 2022 | 48% | 46% | 40% |
| 2021 | 41% | 34% | 36% |
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
| Stoneham | Watertown | |
|---|---|---|
| Students in classes | 2,358 | 2,886 |
| English learners | 6.4% | 18.2% |
| Students with disabilities | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| White | 72% | 55% |
| Asian | 5.9% | 8.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 13% | 23.7% |
| Black/African American | 4.1% | 3.6% |
| Multi-race | 4.5% | 9.3% |
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.