Rank
208
C+
Monson
1 school · 1 elementary school · Monson
Monson is a small town in central Massachusetts, roughly 20 miles east of Springfield. The district operates a single elementary school and does not have its own high school, with secondary students attending regional or choice programs. Located in a rural area with modest single-family assessed values, Monson serves a working and middle-class community. The town has deep roots in manufacturing history, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries when local industries drove its economy.
Avg MCAS ELA
40%
#222 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
31%
#253 of 326
Avg SAT
—
Attendance
93.9%
#85 of 328
Graduation Rate
—
AP Pass Rate
—
Per-Pupil Spending
$22,827
#134 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$69,455
#305 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 40% | 30% | — | 490 | 60 |
| Grade 4 | 36% | 36% | — | 493 | 73 |
| Grade 5 | 21% | 16% | 36% | 485 | 68 |
| Grade 6 | 37% | 36% | — | 491 | 73 |
| Grade 7 | 31% | 14% | — | 487 | 58 |
| Grade 8 | 34% | 12% | 23% | 486 | 68 |
| Grade 10 | 50% | 37% | 32% | 498 | 40 |
| HS Science | — | — | 32% | 489 | 38 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 85.6%
Asian: 1%
Hispanic: 8.8%
Black: 2%
Multi-Race: 1.9%
Am. Indian: 0.5%
Pac. Islander: 0.3%
Female: 51.9%Male: 48%Non-binary: 0.1%
Elementary Schools in Monson
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
504
C+
Granite Valley School
ELA
40%
Math
31%
Attend.
95%
Class
19
504
C+
Granite Valley School
40%
31%
95%
19
District Operations
Attendance
#85 of 328Attendance Rate93.9%
Avg Days Absent11
Chronically Absent (10%+)15.3%
Chronically Absent (20%+)3%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#134 of 325In-District Per Pupil$22,674
Total Per Pupil$22,827
Total FTE Students910
Teacher Salaries
#305 of 325Average Salary$69,455
Teacher FTE Count88
Salary vs. Town Income1.7x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.7x the town's per capita income ($40,622). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#74 of 327Avg Class Size16
English Learners1.5%
Students w/ Disabilities27.6%
Total Students814
Staffing & Retention
#275 of 327Teacher Retention77.5%
Principal Retention50%
Total Teachers89
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Monson
Avg Assessed Value
$368,202
#211 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$5,265
Income Per Capita
$40,622
#169 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#263
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 Rate1.43%
Tax as % of Income12.96%(typical)
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
$8.8M+0.76% levy growth(low)
Residential$5.5M
Commercial/Industrial$3.3M
Residential Share62.27%(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 3.3% (2.5% base + 0.76% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (62.27%) 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
$2.2M7.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $30.6M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 673(74.3%)
Vocational: 101(11.1%)
Charter: 44(4.9%)
Private: 1(0.1%)
Home School: 41(4.5%)
Total: 906