Rank
327
C-
Southbridge
3 schools · 1 high school · 2 elementary schools · Southbridge
Southbridge is a town in south-central Massachusetts, approximately 25 miles south of Worcester. Located in a rural area of the region, the town has a single high school serving its students. The Southbridge Public School District faces significant resource constraints, reflected in academic metrics that rank among the lowest in the state. The community's tax base and per capita income are modest, presenting ongoing challenges for school funding and educational outcomes.
Avg MCAS ELA
9%
#325 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
4.3%
#325 of 326
Avg SAT
792
#290 of 290
Attendance
89.9%
#320 of 328
Graduation Rate
71.5%
#282 of 288
AP Pass Rate
28.3%
#267 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$23,769
#107 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$75,714
#288 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 6% | 1% | — | 469 | 135 |
| Grade 4 | 4% | 5% | — | 468 | 156 |
| Grade 5 | 8% | 6% | 8% | 473 | 148 |
| Grade 6 | 18% | 14% | — | 475 | 108 |
| Grade 7 | 19% | 17% | — | 478 | 132 |
| Grade 8 | 28% | 18% | 13% | 484 | 144 |
| Grade 10 | 13% | 9% | 2% | 473 | 88 |
| HS Science | — | — | 10% | 472 | 98 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 24.3%
Asian: 1.1%
Hispanic: 66.4%
Black: 6.3%
Multi-Race: 1.5%
Am. Indian: 0.3%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 48.3%Male: 51.6%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Southbridge
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
330
C-
Southbridge High School
SAT
792
ELA
14%
Math
10%
Grad
71.5%
330
C-
Southbridge High School
792
14%
10%
28.3%
71.5%
Elementary Schools in Southbridge
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
895
C-
West Street
ELA
6%
Math
0%
Attend.
92.4%
Class
15
895
C-
West Street
6%
0%
92.4%
15
899
C-
Charlton Street
ELA
7%
Math
3%
Attend.
91.3%
Class
16
899
C-
Charlton Street
7%
3%
91.3%
16
District Operations
Attendance
#320 of 328Attendance Rate89.9%
Avg Days Absent16
Chronically Absent (10%+)36.9%
Chronically Absent (20%+)12.3%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#107 of 325In-District Per Pupil$24,585
Total Per Pupil$23,769
Total FTE Students2,306
Teacher Salaries
#288 of 325Average Salary$75,714
Teacher FTE Count171
Salary vs. Town Income3.0x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 3.0x the town's per capita income ($24,952). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#82 of 327Avg Class Size16
English Learners19.8%
Students w/ Disabilities28.1%
Total Students1,836
Staffing & Retention
#319 of 327Teacher Retention61.8%
Principal Retention50%
Total Teachers173
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Southbridge
Avg Assessed Value
$340,488
#220 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$5,070
Income Per Capita
$24,952
#228 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#273
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 Rate1.49%
Tax as % of Income20.32%(high burden)
Bond RatingAA-(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
$18.5M+0.98% levy growth(typical)
Residential$4.2M
Commercial/Industrial$14.3M
Residential Share22.55%(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 3.5% (2.5% base + 0.98% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (22.55%) 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
$1.8M2.3% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $77.1M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 1,761(68.0%)
Vocational: 186(7.2%)
Charter: 190(7.3%)
Private: 104(4.0%)
Home School: 70(2.7%)
Total: 2,591