Rank

B+

Up-Island Regional

2 schools · 2 elementary schools · Chilmark, Aquinnah, West Tisbury · Regional District

Up-Island Regional School District encompasses three towns on Martha's Vineyard—Chilmark, Aquinnah, and West Tisbury—serving the island's western communities with a notably affluent character. Chilmark stands among the wealthiest towns in Massachusetts, with single-family assessed values exceeding $3.5 million, while the other two towns also reflect the island's desirable coastal location. The district operates two elementary schools and feeds students to regional high schools; despite its small size, it ranks #63 statewide. The Up-Island communities have long been known for their artistic heritage, natural beauty, and strong preservation ethic, making them distinctive residential destinations in Massachusetts.

Avg MCAS ELA

74%

#24 of 326

Avg MCAS Math

59.5%

#77 of 326

Avg SAT

—

Attendance

93.1%

#238 of 328

Graduation Rate

—

AP Pass Rate

—

Per-Pupil Spending

$34,727

#7 of 325

Avg Teacher Salary

$104,782

#52 of 325

MCAS Performance by Grade

Grade	ELA M+E%	Math M+E%	Sci M+E%	Avg Score	Students
Grade 3	68%	55%	—	506	40
Grade 4	51%	54%	—	500	47
Grade 5	38%	49%	59%	500	39
Grade 6	43%	44%	—	498	47
Grade 7	40%	42%	—	498	45
Grade 8	72%	70%	72%	509	36

Showing 2025 data

Student Demographics

White: 75%

Asian: 0.5%

Hispanic: 13.2%

Black: 2%

Multi-Race: 6.9%

Am. Indian: 2.5%

Female: 46.8%Male: 53.2%

Elementary Schools in Up-Island Regional

Rank

Grade

School

MCAS ELA

MCAS Math

Attend.

Class Size

West Tisbury Elementary

West Tisbury Elementary

57%

46%

93%

District Operations

Attendance

#238 of 328

Attendance Rate93.1%

Avg Days Absent12

Chronically Absent (10%+)21.5%

Chronically Absent (20%+)1.5%

Per-Pupil Expenditure

#7 of 325

In-District Per Pupil$35,739

Total Per Pupil$34,727

Total FTE Students455

Teacher Salaries

#52 of 325

Average Salary$104,782

Teacher FTE Count53

Salary vs. Town Income1.6x(above town avg)

Teacher salary is 1.6x the town's per capita income ($64,610). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.

Class Size & Populations

#48 of 327

Avg Class Size15

English Learners4.7%

Students w/ Disabilities24.6%

Total Students387

Staffing & Retention

#109 of 327

Teacher Retention89.2%

Principal Retention50%

Total Teachers65

Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025

Town Data

Chilmark

Avg Assessed Value

$3,519,430

#4 of 235

Avg Tax Bill

$8,024

Income Per Capita

$95,470

#76 of 235

Tax Bill Rank

#122

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 Rate0.23%

Tax as % of Income8.4%(low burden)

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

$46.2M+0.89% levy growth(typical)

Residential$44.0M

Commercial/Industrial$2.2M

Residential Share95.29%(mostly homes)

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 3.4% (2.5% base + 0.89% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (95.29%) 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.

Aquinnah

Avg Assessed Value

$1,845,298

#4 of 235

Avg Tax Bill

$12,677

Income Per Capita

$60,960

#76 of 235

Tax Bill Rank

#40

of 341 towns

Tax & Bond Details

Residential Tax Rate0.69%

Tax as % of Income20.8%(high burden)

New Growth

$4.3M+0.45% levy growth(low)

Residential$4.1M

Commercial/Industrial$175K

Residential Share95.9%(mostly homes)

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 3.0% (2.5% base + 0.45% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (95.9%) 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.

West Tisbury

Avg Assessed Value

$1,700,950

#4 of 235

Avg Tax Bill

$8,862

Income Per Capita

$37,399

#76 of 235

Tax Bill Rank

#94

of 341 towns

Tax & Bond Details

Residential Tax Rate0.52%

Tax as % of Income23.7%(high burden)

Bond RatingAA+(excellent)

New Growth

$62.4M+1.38% levy growth(typical)

Residential$59.0M

Commercial/Industrial$3.4M

Residential Share94.65%(mostly homes)

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 3.9% (2.5% base + 1.38% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (94.65%) 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.