Rank
217
C+
Gloucester
5 schools · 1 high school · 4 elementary schools · Gloucester
# Gloucester
Gloucester is a historic coastal city on Cape Ann, about 30 miles northeast of Boston, known for its fishing heritage and artistic community. The public school district serves the city's students through four elementary schools and Gloucester High School, which draws from a town with an average single-family assessed value of approximately $1 million. With a graduation rate of 89.1%, the district reflects a engaged community, though overall rankings place it in the middle range of Massachusetts districts. The city's maritime history, vibrant waterfront, and strong cultural institutions make it a distinctive North Shore community.
Avg MCAS ELA
31%
#271 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
34.6%
#232 of 326
Avg SAT
1,150
#96 of 290
Attendance
91.7%
#279 of 328
Graduation Rate
89.1%
#219 of 288
AP Pass Rate
68.6%
#166 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$23,039
#127 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$86,417
#204 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 28% | 31% | — | 490 | 226 |
| Grade 4 | 31% | 31% | — | 488 | 224 |
| Grade 5 | 35% | 36% | 40% | 491 | 217 |
| Grade 6 | 37% | 31% | — | 490 | 200 |
| Grade 7 | 36% | 25% | — | 488 | 198 |
| Grade 8 | 36% | 24% | 34% | 488 | 201 |
| Grade 10 | 37% | 41% | 37% | 494 | 182 |
| HS Science | — | — | 30% | 486 | 166 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 74%
Asian: 1.5%
Hispanic: 17.5%
Black: 2.4%
Multi-Race: 4.2%
Am. Indian: 0.2%
Pac. Islander: 0.2%
Female: 49.7%Male: 50.2%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Gloucester
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
211
C+
Gloucester High
SAT
1,150
ELA
38%
Math
42%
Grad
89.1%
211
C+
Gloucester High
1,150
38%
42%
68.6%
89.1%
Elementary Schools in Gloucester
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
388
B-
Plum Cove School
ELA
40%
Math
53%
Attend.
93.7%
Class
20
388
B-
Plum Cove School
40%
53%
93.7%
20
526
C+
East Veterans Elementary School
ELA
28%
Math
35%
Attend.
92.5%
Class
43
526
C+
East Veterans Elementary School
28%
35%
92.5%
43
623
C+
Beeman Memorial
ELA
28%
Math
25%
Attend.
93.6%
Class
16
623
C+
Beeman Memorial
28%
25%
93.6%
16
712
C
West Parish
ELA
21%
Math
18%
Attend.
93.6%
Class
19
712
C
West Parish
21%
18%
93.6%
19
District Operations
Attendance
#279 of 328Attendance Rate91.7%
Avg Days Absent14
Chronically Absent (10%+)27.5%
Chronically Absent (20%+)7.1%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#127 of 325In-District Per Pupil$22,663
Total Per Pupil$23,039
Total FTE Students3,222
Teacher Salaries
#204 of 325Average Salary$86,417
Teacher FTE Count268
Salary vs. Town Income1.6x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.6x the town's per capita income ($53,233). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#184 of 327Avg Class Size18
English Learners10.6%
Students w/ Disabilities26.4%
Total Students2,873
Staffing & Retention
#146 of 327Teacher Retention88.1%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers270
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Gloucester
Avg Assessed Value
$1,020,656
#37 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$9,502
Income Per Capita
$53,233
#105 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#79
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 Rate0.93%
Tax as % of Income17.85%(above avg)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
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
$106.6M+1.05% levy growth(typical)
Residential$79.1M
Commercial/Industrial$27.5M
Residential Share73.59%(typical)
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 3.5% (2.5% base + 1.05% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (73.59%) 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
$4.1M2.8% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $147.0M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 2,733(83.6%)
Vocational: 108(3.3%)
Charter: 1(0.0%)
Private: 107(3.3%)
Home School: 55(1.7%)
Total: 3,271