Rank
105
B
Watertown
4 schools · 1 high school · 3 elementary schools · Watertown
Watertown is a suburban town located just 8 miles west of Boston, straddling the Charles River and serving as a gateway community between the city and the inner suburbs. The district operates three elementary schools and Watertown High School, which serves a diverse student population in a historically working-class community. With a graduation rate of 87.0% and an average SAT score of 1,132, Watertown Public Schools ranks #105 among Massachusetts districts. The town has deep historical roots, having been founded in 1630 and playing a notable role in the American Revolution. Today, Watertown balances its proximity to Boston with a distinct neighborhood character, offering residents a more affordable alternative to wealthier surrounding communities.
Avg MCAS ELA
52%
#139 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
53.8%
#107 of 326
Avg SAT
1,132
#123 of 290
Attendance
93.7%
#169 of 328
Graduation Rate
87%
#239 of 288
AP Pass Rate
78.9%
#100 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$27,428
#43 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$100,692
#82 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 50% | 50% | — | 499 | 230 |
| Grade 4 | 51% | 53% | — | 500 | 189 |
| Grade 5 | 48% | 53% | 55% | 499 | 210 |
| Grade 6 | 40% | 42% | — | 492 | 202 |
| Grade 7 | 39% | 47% | — | 495 | 189 |
| Grade 8 | 58% | 44% | 47% | 499 | 190 |
| Grade 10 | 51% | 56% | 48% | 502 | 173 |
| HS Science | — | — | 0% | 463 | 37 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 55%
Asian: 8.4%
Hispanic: 23.7%
Black: 3.6%
Multi-Race: 9.3%
Am. Indian: 0.1%
Female: 47.9%Male: 51.9%Non-binary: 0.2%
High Schools in Watertown
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
114
B
Watertown High
SAT
1,132
ELA
52%
Math
59%
Grad
87%
114
B
Watertown High
1,132
52%
59%
78.9%
87%
Elementary Schools in Watertown
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
317
B
Hosmer
ELA
49%
Math
47%
Attend.
94.6%
Class
19
317
B
Hosmer
49%
47%
94.6%
19
318
B
James Russell Lowell
ELA
56%
Math
54%
Attend.
95.5%
Class
18
318
B
James Russell Lowell
56%
54%
95.5%
18
343
B
Cunniff
ELA
51%
Math
55%
Attend.
95.4%
Class
17
343
B
Cunniff
51%
55%
95.4%
17
District Operations
Attendance
#169 of 328Attendance Rate93.7%
Avg Days Absent11
Chronically Absent (10%+)15.6%
Chronically Absent (20%+)4.3%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#43 of 325In-District Per Pupil$25,465
Total Per Pupil$27,428
Total FTE Students2,855
Teacher Salaries
#82 of 325Average Salary$100,692
Teacher FTE Count265
Salary vs. Town Income1.6x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.6x the town's per capita income ($64,792). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#162 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners18.2%
Students w/ Disabilities18.9%
Total Students2,886
Staffing & Retention
#113 of 327Teacher Retention89.1%
Principal Retention50%
Total Teachers284
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Watertown
Avg Assessed Value
$663,449
#110 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$8,094
Income Per Capita
$64,792
#74 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#117
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 Rate1.22%
Tax as % of Income12.49%(typical)
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
$177.9M+2.09% levy growth(strong)
Residential$47.6M
Commercial/Industrial$130.3M
Residential Share15.73%(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 4.6% (2.5% base + 2.09% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (15.73%) 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
$33.1M16.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $205.4M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 2,659(83.0%)
Vocational: 5(0.2%)
Charter: 3(0.1%)
Private: 454(14.2%)
Home School: 33(1.0%)
Total: 3,203