Rank
72
B+
Wachusett
8 schools · 1 high school · 7 elementary schools · Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Sterling · Regional District
Wachusett Regional School District serves five towns in central Massachusetts west of Worcester: Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling. The district, ranked #72 out of 328 Massachusetts districts, serves a predominantly suburban region with assessed single-family home values ranging from roughly $478,000 to $600,000. Wachusett Regional High School anchors the district, supported by seven elementary schools across the five towns. With a 95.7% graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1141, the district demonstrates consistent academic performance for its region.
Avg MCAS ELA
58.5%
#99 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
62%
#62 of 326
Avg SAT
1,141
#112 of 290
Attendance
94.4%
#100 of 328
Graduation Rate
95.7%
#122 of 288
AP Pass Rate
87.8%
#41 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,298
#285 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$93,919
#137 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 56% | 60% | — | 504 | 538 |
| Grade 4 | 53% | 46% | — | 500 | 520 |
| Grade 5 | 49% | 56% | 61% | 503 | 495 |
| Grade 6 | 50% | 64% | — | 503 | 543 |
| Grade 7 | 53% | 53% | — | 501 | 494 |
| Grade 8 | 54% | 54% | 52% | 502 | 559 |
| Grade 10 | 62% | 64% | 54% | 507 | 431 |
| HS Science | — | — | 3% | 472 | 38 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 80.5%
Asian: 3.3%
Hispanic: 8.7%
Black: 4.2%
Multi-Race: 3.1%
Am. Indian: 0.1%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 49.5%Male: 50.4%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Wachusett
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
71
B+
Wachusett Regional High
SAT
1,141
ELA
64%
Math
67%
Grad
95.7%
71
B+
Wachusett Regional High
1,141
64%
67%
87.8%
95.7%
Elementary Schools in Wachusett
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
161
B+
Davis Hill Elementary
ELA
63%
Math
61%
Attend.
95.1%
Class
18
161
B+
Davis Hill Elementary
63%
61%
95.1%
18
162
B+
Dawson
ELA
61%
Math
68%
Attend.
95%
Class
17
162
B+
Dawson
61%
68%
95%
17
195
B+
Leroy E.Mayo
ELA
54%
Math
68%
Attend.
95.1%
Class
18
195
B+
Leroy E.Mayo
54%
68%
95.1%
18
196
B+
Paxton Center
ELA
63%
Math
61%
Attend.
94.1%
Class
17
196
B+
Paxton Center
63%
61%
94.1%
17
247
B
Thomas Prince
ELA
61%
Math
64%
Attend.
94.8%
Class
18
247
B
Thomas Prince
61%
64%
94.8%
18
330
B
Houghton Elementary
ELA
52%
Math
55%
Attend.
94.4%
Class
14
330
B
Houghton Elementary
52%
55%
94.4%
14
386
B-
Glenwood Elementary School
ELA
50%
Math
52%
Attend.
94.9%
Class
20
386
B-
Glenwood Elementary School
50%
52%
94.9%
20
District Operations
Attendance
#100 of 328Attendance Rate94.4%
Avg Days Absent10
Chronically Absent (10%+)11.5%
Chronically Absent (20%+)2.6%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#285 of 325In-District Per Pupil$16,883
Total Per Pupil$18,298
Total FTE Students6,938
Teacher Salaries
#137 of 325Average Salary$93,919
Teacher FTE Count468
Salary vs. Town Income1.7x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.7x the town's per capita income ($56,356). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#168 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners1.8%
Students w/ Disabilities16.2%
Total Students6,563
Staffing & Retention
#13 of 327Teacher Retention94.3%
Principal Retention76.9%
Total Teachers472
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Holden
Avg Assessed Value
$554,053
#141 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$7,469
Income Per Capita
$54,198
#95 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#143
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 Rate1.35%
Tax as % of Income13.78%(typical)
Bond RatingAA+(excellent)
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
$46.3M+1.33% levy growth(typical)
Residential$38.5M
Commercial/Industrial$7.8M
Residential Share83.17%(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 3.8% (2.5% base + 1.33% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (83.17%) 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
$4.5M6.7% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $67.2M.
Paxton
Avg Assessed Value
$526,634
#141 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$7,989
Income Per Capita
$49,552
#95 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#124
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 Rate1.52%
Tax as % of Income16.12%(above avg)
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.
New Growth
$2.6M+0.31% levy growth(low)
Residential$1.6M
Commercial/Industrial$978K
Residential Share61.95%(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 2.8% (2.5% base + 0.31% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (61.95%) 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
$511K3.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $16.7M.
Princeton
Avg Assessed Value
$598,967
#141 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$8,050
Income Per Capita
$68,822
#95 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#121
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 Rate1.34%
Tax as % of Income11.7%(below avg)
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.
New Growth
$10.4M+1.33% levy growth(typical)
Residential$10.0M
Commercial/Industrial$402K
Residential Share96.12%(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 3.8% (2.5% base + 1.33% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (96.12%) 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
$1.4M10.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $14.0M.
Rutland
Avg Assessed Value
$477,981
#141 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,630
Income Per Capita
$46,453
#95 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#184
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 Rate1.39%
Tax as % of Income14.27%(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
$28.3M+1.85% levy growth(strong)
Residential$26.3M
Commercial/Industrial$2.0M
Residential Share92.92%(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 4.3% (2.5% base + 1.85% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (92.92%) 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
$2.3M7.7% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $29.6M.
Sterling
Avg Assessed Value
$600,402
#141 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$7,535
Income Per Capita
$62,757
#95 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#139
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 Rate1.26%
Tax as % of Income12.01%(typical)
Bond RatingAA+(excellent)
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
$9.0M+0.48% levy growth(low)
Residential$5.0M
Commercial/Industrial$4.0M
Residential Share55.35%(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 3.0% (2.5% base + 0.48% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (55.35%) 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
$1.4M4.5% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $30.6M.