Total spending by public school districts, divided by total pupils.
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.
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.
Essex County's spending was below Middlesex, MA, which spent $19,900 per student in 2021.
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.
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
