Education
Per-Student Spending


Per-Student Spending

What does this measure?

Total spending by public school districts, divided by total pupils.

Why is this important?

Higher spending for schools can mean better facilities, programs, and a greater range of opportunities available to students. It may also signal public support for education and a better paid, more experienced teaching workforce. However, studies have found higher spending does not necessarily lead to higher student achievement, given the many factors that contribute to student success, including parental and community influences.

How is our county doing?

In 2021, school districts in Essex County spent about $18,100 per student, close to the statewide level of $19,100. This was a 20% increase since 2008 in Essex County and a 22% increase in the state.

The highest spending districts in Essex County were Rockport ($24,900) and Masconomet ($22,200). Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical was the highest spending technical school ($23,100 per student) followed by Whittier Regional Vocational Technical ($21,000 per student). Spending was lowest in Methuen, North Andover and Beverly, all at approximately $16,000.

How do we compare to similar counties?

Essex County's spending was below Middlesex, MA, which spent $19,900 per student in 2021.

Notes about the data

Figures have been adjusted to 2021 dollars. Per pupil expenditures are calculated by dividing a district's operating costs by its average enrollment across the school year. Comparable data were not available for Lake, IL.

Per-Student Spending
20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MA$15,072$15,821$15,789$15,561$15,445$15,578$15,858$16,353$16,849$16,789$16,990$17,394$17,497$18,101
Middlesex County, MA$16,468$17,227$17,131$16,928$16,971$17,226$17,512$18,113$18,481$18,599$18,727$18,910$19,161$19,883
Westchester County, NY$27,286$28,455$28,375$27,729$27,788$27,567$28,192$28,666$28,292$28,296$28,524$29,146$29,006
Massachusetts$15,665$16,425$16,214$16,086$16,094$16,311$16,621$17,083$17,487$17,603$17,812$18,157$18,398$19,062
School Districts in Essex
Amesbury$14,559$15,351$15,389$15,619$14,607$15,163$15,159$15,745$16,461$17,539$17,757$18,913$18,666$19,884
Andover$15,777$16,573$16,482$16,500$16,330$16,723$17,381$17,837$18,503$18,837$19,409$19,766$20,579$20,941
Beverly$14,458$15,344$15,234$15,322$15,128$14,692$15,015$15,078$15,455$15,437$15,901$15,806$15,476$16,081
Boxford$13,524$15,161$14,512$14,463$15,739$16,729$17,309$18,546$19,234$19,063$20,044$20,788$19,649$21,099
Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway$16,920$18,016$17,829$16,976$17,339
Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect$18,448$18,463$18,555$18,349$18,890
Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster$16,724$15,992$16,673$15,866$16,086
Danvers$15,180$15,433$15,689$15,439$15,252$15,391$15,595$16,700$17,054$17,409$17,937$18,463$19,249$18,349
Essex Agricultural Technical$28,153$30,402$28,176$27,404$27,150$26,926$27,071$24,546$22,234$21,293$20,347$20,926$20,796$20,557
Georgetown$10,374$10,855$11,368$11,891$12,406$12,860$13,509$14,407$14,787$14,905$15,706$16,577$16,555$17,848
Gloucester$15,158$16,305$15,921$16,645$16,452$16,853$17,147$18,367$18,514$18,186$18,213$18,243$18,681$20,131
Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical$25,536$26,838$24,767$25,013$23,749$23,703$22,517$23,503$23,131$23,151$23,553$23,591$24,015$23,074
Hamilton-Wenham$15,879$17,625$17,669$17,522$17,419$17,514$17,383$18,242$18,951$19,360$19,815$20,602$19,605$20,545
Haverhill$14,100$14,275$14,187$13,887$13,695$14,092$14,073$14,063$14,274$14,295$14,480$14,663$15,324$16,705
Hill View Montessori Charter Public$11,678$13,018$14,181$15,295$15,702
Ipswich$12,819$13,489$13,545$13,695$13,630$13,893$15,064$16,085$17,585$18,785$19,108$19,331$19,551$20,687
KIPP Academy Lynn Charter$18,930$19,733$19,431$18,897$19,571
Lawrence$15,911$16,762$17,341$16,218$15,663$16,112$16,056$16,548$17,079$16,341$16,176$17,059$16,750$17,330
Lawrence Family Development Charter$15,430$15,352$15,711$15,562$14,906
Lynn$16,356$17,219$16,350$15,298$15,380$15,318$15,135$15,652$15,564$15,070$15,372$15,443$15,612$16,352
Lynnfield$12,932$13,388$13,552$13,824$14,416$14,673$15,392$15,891$16,373$16,809$17,145$17,500$17,343$17,559
Manchester Essex Regional$16,359$17,284$16,878$15,991$15,908$16,654$17,024$17,507$18,433$19,289$19,795$19,966$20,102$21,773
Marblehead$14,011$14,851$15,204$15,331$15,340$14,779$15,129$15,637$16,608$17,209$17,342$18,511$18,604$19,558
Marblehead Community Charter Public$17,112$17,442$18,423$18,648$18,964
Masconomet$15,319$15,131$15,805$15,479$15,453$15,556$16,329$17,631$18,848$19,969$20,130$20,926$21,501$22,151
Methuen$12,922$13,675$13,500$14,121$13,650$13,812$14,286$14,643$15,120$15,168$15,328$15,326$15,430$15,903
Middleton$12,396$14,038$14,240$14,169$14,435$14,796$15,888$17,231$18,225$18,261$19,522$19,956$19,796$20,694
Nahant$12,312$11,942$13,397$12,625$12,894$13,972$14,836$16,257$16,915$17,282$17,916$17,679$17,073$18,052
Newburyport$15,353$15,817$16,078$16,104$16,077$15,680$16,108$16,194$17,281$17,570$18,185$18,988$18,862$19,972
North Andover$13,188$13,829$14,013$13,857$13,694$13,689$13,609$13,782$14,269$14,081$14,175$15,041$15,700$16,052
North Shore Regional Vocational Technical$28,080$28,771$29,305$28,108$27,792$27,193$28,471
Peabody$15,036$15,732$16,591$15,333$15,377$14,419$15,208$15,429$16,144$16,119$16,354$16,216$16,348$16,189
Pentucket$12,742$13,669$13,360$13,478$13,951$14,339$14,721$15,856$16,714$16,797$16,912$17,390$17,071$17,932
River Valley Charter$16,081$16,904$17,402$16,540$18,540
Rockport$14,393$15,104$16,238$17,609$18,275$18,467$17,621$18,438$19,507$20,458$21,546$22,074$22,459$24,918
Salem$17,335$18,624$17,232$17,622$17,357$17,259$19,139$19,315$21,337$20,617$20,695$20,542$21,149$20,931
Salem Academy Charter$17,442$17,917$17,661$18,575$19,260
Saugus$13,350$13,993$14,621$15,347$14,977$15,142$15,375$16,195$16,516$17,489$17,612$18,181$17,455$18,320
Silver Hill Horace Mann Charter$9,536$8,954
Swampscott$14,945$15,565$15,665$15,268$16,223$16,923$16,938$17,257$18,257$19,031$18,211$18,479$18,134$18,978
Topsfield$13,658$14,889$13,877$14,289$15,522$16,489$16,685$18,017$17,853$18,678$18,154$17,714$18,070$19,297
Triton$13,582$14,226$14,294$15,008$15,046$15,646$16,265$17,134$17,841$18,044$18,212$19,310$19,512$20,858
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical$23,303$22,291$21,892$20,986$20,954$21,128$20,769$20,891$20,571$21,096$22,286$21,999$22,042$21,642

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, New York State Education Department
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.




Total Student Spending
20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MA$1,778,318,328$1,856,603,281$1,854,687,154$1,830,386,251$1,814,455,665$1,843,834,699$1,882,390,290$1,947,443,811$1,996,162,251$2,080,362,087$2,108,760,815$2,156,585,000$2,176,222,591$2,167,248,321
Middlesex County, MA$3,571,100,788$3,726,117,361$3,721,343,879$3,673,616,975$3,681,224,379$3,743,292,644$3,832,805,225$3,964,609,175$4,063,101,011$4,284,849,362$4,338,611,767$4,392,962,468$4,457,851,073$4,443,320,749
Westchester County, NY$4,039,894,198$4,189,059,778$4,214,132,584$4,158,241,122$4,133,173,129$4,101,340,382$4,193,702,255$4,286,108,820$4,258,347,050$4,259,023,785$4,257,199,328$4,339,791,278$4,302,615,254
Massachusetts$15,502,964,370$16,180,874,447$15,990,528,337$15,838,808,139$15,757,907,675$16,012,958,250$16,329,346,818$16,792,306,812$17,176,075,952$18,108,594,952$17,575,178,795$18,756,618,989$18,992,261,996$18,925,981,895
School Districts in Essex
Amesbury$38,158,700$38,921,508$39,564,642$39,597,695$36,426,808$37,810,125$38,072,609$38,491,078$38,953,733$40,316,099$40,280,693$41,531,037$40,992,199$40,504,954
Andover$99,260,118$104,181,191$104,415,426$104,883,299$104,069,548$105,646,594$108,862,822$111,249,050$115,214,541$116,297,528$117,988,408$120,355,293$123,310,586$119,204,481
Beverly$68,224,113$69,838,263$68,980,285$69,135,641$68,529,311$67,118,668$69,035,701$70,496,932$72,443,652$73,140,665$75,155,483$76,010,032$76,159,249$77,586,216
Boxford$13,436,534$13,193,339$13,073,477$12,934,255$13,217,308$13,267,423$13,237,715$14,057,839$14,345,060$14,659,649$14,814,709$15,308,347$15,008,080$14,765,318
Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway$4,737,709$5,759,668$6,413,003$6,793,889$6,930,484
Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect$7,377,495$7,383,369$7,422,001$7,335,825$7,554,065
Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster$4,681,058$5,114,188$6,000,503$6,346,421$6,429,497
Danvers$55,756,701$57,373,255$59,053,124$58,073,267$56,800,025$57,255,376$58,688,791$61,406,254$62,868,251$63,241,798$64,473,391$66,523,894$68,105,800$62,932,447
Essex Agricultural Technical$12,280,318$12,996,731$12,854,005$13,060,939$12,909,741$12,787,356$12,652,944$27,344,015$27,368,020$27,532,114$27,565,600$29,384,575$31,006,349$31,857,231
Georgetown$18,176,989$18,923,103$19,729,928$20,253,905$20,587,022$20,612,770$21,121,019$21,798,772$22,168,628$22,276,761$22,487,166$23,240,892$22,900,535$22,832,785
Gloucester$57,134,964$59,964,952$58,251,138$59,363,250$57,759,745$57,671,986$58,480,073$60,384,646$60,423,806$60,395,963$60,343,144$59,943,939$60,150,504$62,406,172
Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical$35,798,257$35,517,783$33,921,191$34,418,289$33,429,471$33,181,777$32,942,761$34,358,451$34,486,235$35,659,869$35,579,506$36,358,634$38,267,867$37,343,727
Hamilton-Wenham$33,497,293$37,284,205$35,984,288$34,906,172$34,423,065$34,262,109$33,404,837$34,422,334$34,880,710$35,303,142$35,937,585$37,244,041$37,085,909$35,470,366
Haverhill$113,012,580$115,064,081$114,746,889$112,984,107$113,600,229$117,412,885$117,542,060$119,123,756$121,803,275$123,537,265$126,156,291$127,980,625$134,743,374$141,167,506
Hill View Montessori Charter Public$3,574,696$3,930,204$4,329,564$4,779,578$4,790,730
Ipswich$27,251,888$28,874,904$29,194,048$29,206,398$29,219,252$29,128,731$30,699,617$31,405,399$32,758,786$34,101,986$33,450,449$33,689,796$34,024,787$34,454,030
KIPP Academy Lynn Charter$22,587,530$26,256,481$28,217,929$30,141,008$31,583,183
Lawrence$213,037,907$225,001,435$236,931,257$227,431,865$220,395,602$233,300,189$241,804,978$256,402,686$262,960,372$257,896,958$256,974,071$269,593,108$263,714,483$264,783,044
Lawrence Family Development Charter$11,047,687$11,314,267$11,931,013$12,107,239$11,833,855
Lynn$230,044,961$240,801,487$230,553,342$219,173,347$223,616,847$231,998,220$237,408,324$254,726,705$260,692,300$257,883,778$268,198,071$274,894,231$284,032,851$290,636,776
Lynnfield$30,375,817$31,825,430$32,120,545$32,278,478$33,148,826$33,280,550$34,150,647$35,202,566$36,853,595$37,644,839$38,684,187$39,136,323$38,871,728$38,713,077
Manchester Essex Regional$23,039,622$24,297,513$24,960,863$24,601,518$25,130,498$26,597,420$26,913,167$26,710,732$26,987,810$27,543,983$27,858,986$28,317,303$28,318,041$28,317,397
Marblehead$46,990,167$50,358,059$51,372,074$52,331,333$51,711,025$51,073,505$52,955,423$53,667,482$56,514,213$58,226,157$57,587,982$60,487,456$58,408,387$56,047,389
Marblehead Community Charter Public$3,932,372$4,001,214$4,189,290$3,845,216$3,999,449
Masconomet$32,769,375$33,172,302$33,665,734$32,810,061$32,388,582$32,558,265$33,640,147$35,107,819$36,830,695$37,547,423$37,126,672$37,929,781$37,979,751$38,399,261
Methuen$98,502,392$103,679,397$100,814,817$103,822,465$100,201,932$100,144,311$102,182,851$105,071,742$108,800,204$110,006,437$112,118,741$112,606,888$111,776,801$110,356,788
Middleton$11,003,944$12,502,311$12,409,737$11,774,721$11,779,076$12,072,009$12,281,571$13,036,853$12,917,796$12,926,680$13,538,561$14,274,868$14,494,360$14,262,259
Nahant$5,208,017$5,054,877$5,389,571$4,907,258$4,750,314$4,807,747$4,971,648$5,086,844$5,047,495$4,970,435$4,839,032$4,898,946$4,896,402$4,832,641
Newburyport$38,971,271$39,663,293$40,180,102$40,418,966$41,575,071$40,645,306$41,904,651$41,802,118$43,521,237$44,153,957$45,168,915$46,763,857$46,737,873$46,504,748
North Andover$61,323,245$65,430,980$66,153,813$65,912,558$65,785,692$66,235,303$66,495,045$67,093,843$68,313,297$69,212,749$70,090,648$73,311,632$75,035,055$74,850,240
North Shore Regional Vocational Technical$12,397,279$12,851,951$13,113,917$12,915,682$12,931,666$12,797,118$13,278,833
Peabody$97,611,424$101,677,394$105,530,966$98,110,306$96,569,821$91,560,114$97,142,732$95,526,037$98,627,875$99,645,578$100,445,786$100,186,110$101,719,797$97,722,591
Pentucket$44,201,094$46,469,343$44,952,584$43,782,533$43,765,721$43,628,356$42,823,418$44,062,706$43,676,493$43,730,539$43,305,461$43,703,172$42,860,438$42,091,717
River Valley Charter$4,631,199$4,868,461$5,009,971$5,076,261$5,337,529
Rockport$15,967,673$15,892,459$16,480,440$17,374,892$17,572,813$18,192,079$17,881,580$18,582,238$19,512,808$20,218,774$20,624,118$20,875,145$20,037,827$20,066,277
Salem$83,218,508$90,189,462$84,450,411$86,792,549$85,806,269$90,508,890$91,656,080$96,665,448$99,010,418$95,391,098$96,364,749$97,463,903$97,159,997$91,335,775
Salem Academy Charter$7,665,854$8,496,324$8,593,690$9,142,819$9,499,225
Saugus$41,672,191$43,166,000$44,595,975$46,735,197$45,290,155$45,600,303$46,118,404$47,440,522$48,086,793$49,957,169$50,800,098$52,778,521$51,466,617$50,963,563
Silver Hill Horace Mann Charter$5,370,579$5,001,057
Swampscott$36,764,369$37,046,880$37,203,122$36,096,987$38,139,640$39,279,204$39,886,264$39,371,139$42,230,052$43,680,734$41,310,662$42,181,043$41,955,712$41,948,214
Topsfield$9,688,832$9,853,406$9,447,138$9,466,633$9,755,508$10,032,056$10,221,370$11,035,568$11,438,427$11,952,349$11,731,240$11,583,250$11,888,243$11,524,370
Triton$48,791,532$50,106,957$48,730,834$49,170,115$47,787,398$47,925,197$47,939,948$49,613,584$49,592,313$48,723,172$48,482,172$49,167,878$49,913,025$48,594,657
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical$24,750,253$25,429,031$25,861,471$25,661,571$25,381,685$25,442,758$25,992,261$26,698,650$26,833,358$26,980,261$27,153,003$26,753,513$27,631,712$26,814,287

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, New York State Education Department
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.




INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Decreasing
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Maintaining
Prevalence of Overweight Children Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Decreasing
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Youth Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable