Rank
315
C-
Holyoke
7 schools · 1 high school · 6 elementary schools · Holyoke
Holyoke is a city in western Massachusetts in the Pioneer Valley, located along the Connecticut River approximately 10 miles north of Springfield. The district serves a single city with six elementary schools and one high school. Holyoke has a rich industrial history as a major paper manufacturing hub in the 19th and 20th centuries, a legacy reflected in its distinctive mill architecture along the riverfront. The district faces significant academic challenges, with SAT scores and graduation rates trailing state averages, though the city continues efforts to strengthen its educational offerings and community engagement.
Avg MCAS ELA
15.7%
#319 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
9.4%
#320 of 326
Avg SAT
991
#259 of 290
Attendance
87.6%
#324 of 328
Graduation Rate
79.2%
#272 of 288
AP Pass Rate
29.7%
#261 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$24,807
#85 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$78,553
#277 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 15% | 9% | — | 475 | 311 |
| Grade 4 | 16% | 10% | — | 475 | 325 |
| Grade 5 | 8% | 6% | 11% | 473 | 324 |
| Grade 6 | 8% | 3% | — | 469 | 298 |
| Grade 7 | 8% | 5% | — | 468 | 312 |
| Grade 8 | 11% | 4% | 6% | 469 | 342 |
| Grade 10 | 21% | 10% | 9% | 479 | 339 |
| HS Science | — | — | 9% | 470 | 334 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 10%
Asian: 0.7%
Hispanic: 81.6%
Black: 5.8%
Multi-Race: 1.7%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 48.1%Male: 51.9%
High Schools in Holyoke
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
304
C-
Holyoke High
SAT
991
ELA
21%
Math
10%
Grad
79.2%
304
C-
Holyoke High
991
21%
10%
29.7%
79.2%
Elementary Schools in Holyoke
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
665
C
E N White Elementary
ELA
41%
Math
24%
Attend.
94.1%
Class
19
665
C
E N White Elementary
41%
24%
94.1%
19
763
C
Lt Elmer J McMahon Elementary
ELA
26%
Math
22%
Attend.
91%
Class
18
763
C
Lt Elmer J McMahon Elementary
26%
22%
91%
18
878
C-
Morgan Full Service Community School
ELA
10%
Math
5%
Attend.
87.5%
Class
15
878
C-
Morgan Full Service Community School
10%
5%
87.5%
15
883
C-
Maurice A Donahue Elementary
ELA
2%
Math
5%
Attend.
89.4%
Class
14
883
C-
Maurice A Donahue Elementary
2%
5%
89.4%
14
894
C-
H.B. Lawrence School
ELA
6%
Math
0%
Attend.
90.1%
Class
18
894
C-
H.B. Lawrence School
6%
0%
90.1%
18
903
C-
Kelly Elementary
ELA
4%
Math
0%
Attend.
89.1%
Class
17
903
C-
Kelly Elementary
4%
0%
89.1%
17
District Operations
Attendance
#324 of 328Attendance Rate87.6%
Avg Days Absent21
Chronically Absent (10%+)42.4%
Chronically Absent (20%+)17%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#85 of 325In-District Per Pupil$24,710
Total Per Pupil$24,807
Total FTE Students6,165
Teacher Salaries
#277 of 325Average Salary$78,553
Teacher FTE Count418
Salary vs. Town Income3.5x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 3.5x the town's per capita income ($22,436). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#159 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners20%
Students w/ Disabilities31.4%
Total Students4,960
Staffing & Retention
#281 of 327Teacher Retention75.7%
Principal Retention75%
Total Teachers423
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Holyoke
Avg Assessed Value
$305,184
#228 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$5,319
Income Per Capita
$22,436
#230 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#261
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 Rate1.74%
Tax as % of Income23.71%(high burden)
Bond RatingA+(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
$45.2M+2.15% levy growth(strong)
Residential$13.5M
Commercial/Industrial$31.7M
Residential Share16.21%(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 4.7% (2.5% base + 2.15% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (16.21%) 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.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 3,918(74.3%)
Charter: 657(12.5%)
Private: 245(4.6%)
Home School: 41(0.8%)
Total: 5,273