Rank
11
A
Bedford
2 schools · 1 high school · 1 elementary school · Bedford
Bedford is a suburban town located approximately 20 miles northwest of Boston, in the Route 128 corridor. With an average single-family assessed value of approximately $1 million and per capita income of nearly $94,000, it is a notably affluent community. The district operates a single elementary school and Bedford High School, which is ranked #35 among Massachusetts high schools, and the district overall ranks #11 statewide. Bedford has a strong educational reputation, reflected in its 98.5% graduation rate and average SAT score of 1261. The town played a significant role in American Revolutionary history, with the minute men who responded to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 departing from Bedford.
Avg MCAS ELA
72.5%
#32 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
71%
#28 of 326
Avg SAT
1,261
#24 of 290
Attendance
94.7%
#110 of 328
Graduation Rate
98.5%
#34 of 288
AP Pass Rate
91%
#31 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$25,410
#73 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$104,686
#55 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 64% | 69% | — | 509 | 151 |
| Grade 4 | 64% | 71% | — | 509 | 193 |
| Grade 5 | 70% | 65% | 74% | 510 | 187 |
| Grade 6 | 66% | 63% | — | 513 | 196 |
| Grade 7 | 72% | 71% | — | 514 | 212 |
| Grade 8 | 76% | 60% | 65% | 512 | 184 |
| Grade 10 | 79% | 70% | 72% | 513 | 224 |
| HS Science | — | — | — | — | — |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 55.9%
Asian: 21.9%
Hispanic: 7.6%
Black: 6.1%
Multi-Race: 8.4%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 48.8%Male: 51.1%
High Schools in Bedford
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
35
A-
Bedford High
SAT
1,261
ELA
80%
Math
72%
Grad
98.5%
35
A-
Bedford High
1,261
80%
72%
91%
98.5%
Elementary Schools in Bedford
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
74
A-
Lt Job Lane School
ELA
65%
Math
70%
Attend.
95.2%
Class
21
74
A-
Lt Job Lane School
65%
70%
95.2%
21
District Operations
Attendance
#110 of 328Attendance Rate94.7%
Avg Days Absent9
Chronically Absent (10%+)10.3%
Chronically Absent (20%+)2.3%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#73 of 325In-District Per Pupil$23,094
Total Per Pupil$25,410
Total FTE Students2,613
Teacher Salaries
#55 of 325Average Salary$104,686
Teacher FTE Count228
Salary vs. Town Income1.1x(near town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.1x the town's per capita income ($93,847). Teachers earn close to the community average. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#70 of 327Avg Class Size16
English Learners5%
Students w/ Disabilities17.8%
Total Students2,503
Staffing & Retention
#157 of 327Teacher Retention87.8%
Principal Retention75%
Total Teachers245
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Bedford
Avg Assessed Value
$1,039,668
#33 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$12,985
Income Per Capita
$93,847
#28 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#36
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.25%
Tax as % of Income13.84%(typical)
Bond RatingAAA(highest)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$83.9M+1.81% levy growth(strong)
Residential$40.0M
Commercial/Industrial$43.8M
Residential Share28.84%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 4.3% (2.5% base + 1.81% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (28.84%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$15.8M12.7% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $123.9M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 2,481(92.1%)
Vocational: 45(1.7%)
Private: 111(4.1%)
Home School: 29(1.1%)
Total: 2,695