Total enrollment
215,845
-3,930 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Middlesex County
Massachusetts · Public K-12
Parents in Middlesex County researching K-12 options have 386 public schools to consider, with combined enrollment near 215,896 (242 elementary, 72 middle, and 63 high).
7-year change in Middlesex County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
382
+1 (+0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
52%
was 62%
% Hispanic
21%
was 14%
% Black
7%
was 7%
% Asian
15%
was 13%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,638,365
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
386
70 districts
Enrollment
215,896
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$130,847
Above Massachusetts avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
242
98,399 students
Middle
72
43,932 students
High
63
68,862 students
Combined / other
9
4,703 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lowell
14,457 students · 70 districts in Middlesex County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Middlesex County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
59.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.4%
civilian labor
Median age
39
19.5% under 18
Test scores in Middlesex County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 338 schools ranked. Massachusetts state average: 43.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Country· 85.0%
- Lexington High· 85.0%
- Belmont High· 84.0%
- Concord Carlisle High· 84.0%
- Hopkinton High· 84.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Harmony Grove Elementary· 8.0%
- Barbieri Elementary· 16.0%
- Madeline English School· 16.0%
- Parlin School· 16.0%
- Miriam F McCarthy School· 18.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Hill Middle | Newton | Middle | 06-08 | 649 | · |
| Elmwood | Hopkinton | Elementary | 02-03 | 648 | · |
| Concord Middle | Concord | Middle | 06-08 | 643 | · |
| John F Kennedy Middle | Waltham | Middle | 06-08 | 635 | · |
| Charles Jaworek School | Marlborough | Elementary | KG-05 | 631 | · |
| Robert H. Adams Middle School | Holliston | Middle | 06-08 | 626 | · |
| James Sullivan Middle School | Lowell | Middle | 05-08 | 625 | · |
| Wilmington High | Wilmington | High | 09-12 | 619 | · |
| John W. McDevitt Middle School | Waltham | Middle | 06-08 | 618 | · |
| Florence Roche School | Groton | Elementary | KG-04 | 615 | · |
| Sumner G. Whittier School | Everett | Elementary | KG-08 | 615 | · |
| Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School | Lowell | Middle | 05-08 | 613 | · |
| Carlisle School | Carlisle | Elementary | PK-08 | 612 | · |
| Varnum Brook | Pepperell | Elementary | KG-04 | 606 | · |
| Placentino Elementary | Holliston | Elementary | PK-02 | 605 | · |
| John Glenn Middle | Bedford | Middle | 06-08 | 604 | · |
| Henry J Robinson Middle | Lowell | Middle | 05-08 | 600 | · |
| Stoneham High | Stoneham | High | 09-12 | 599 | · |
| Marshall Middle School | Billerica | Middle | 05-07 | 596 | · |
| Richer | Marlborough | Elementary | KG-05 | 596 | · |
| Cameron Middle School | Framingham | Middle | 06-08 | 592 | · |
| Fuller Middle | Framingham | Middle | 06-08 | 592 | · |
| Milton Fuller Roberts | Medford | Elementary | PK-05 | 586 | · |
| Henry E Warren Elementary | Ashland | Elementary | KG-02 | 584 | · |
| Watertown Middle | Watertown | Middle | 06-08 | 583 | · |
| Maria Hastings | Lexington | Elementary | KG-05 | 579 | · |
| Francis J Kane | Marlborough | Elementary | KG-05 | 575 | · |
| Joseph A Campbell Elementary | Dracut | Elementary | PK-05 | 565 | · |
| Brooks School | Medford | Elementary | PK-05 | 556 | · |
| Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park | Somerville | Elementary | PK-08 | 553 | · |
| David J. Quinn Middle School | Hudson | Middle | 05-07 | 546 | · |
| Lincoln School | Lincoln | Elementary | PK-08 | 546 | · |
| Stony Brook School | Westford | Middle | 06-08 | 546 | · |
| Marathon Elementary School | Hopkinton | Elementary | KG-01 | 545 | · |
| Thomas Ditson | Billerica | Elementary | KG-04 | 542 | · |
| Blanchard Middle | Westford | Middle | 06-08 | 541 | · |
| Lt Job Lane School | Bedford | Elementary | 03-05 | 540 | · |
| Potter Road | Framingham | Elementary | KG-05 | 540 | · |
| Forestdale | Malden | Elementary | KG-08 | 539 | · |
| John W. Wynn Middle | Tewksbury | Middle | 07-08 | 539 | · |
| Page Hilltop Elementary School | Ayer | Elementary | PK-05 | 539 | · |
| Hemenway | Framingham | Elementary | KG-05 | 538 | · |
| Thompson | Arlington | Elementary | KG-05 | 537 | · |
| Locke Middle | Billerica | Middle | 05-07 | 531 | · |
| Gibbs School | Arlington | Middle | 06-06 | 529 | · |
| Northeast Elementary School | Waltham | Elementary | PK-05 | 527 | · |
| John F Kennedy Middle School | Woburn | Middle | 06-08 | 521 | · |
| George H. Englesby Elementary School | Dracut | Elementary | KG-05 | 520 | · |
| B.F. Butler Middle School | Lowell | Middle | 05-08 | 516 | · |
| Francis Wyman Elementary | Burlington | Elementary | KG-05 | 514 | · |
| Byam School | Chelmsford | Elementary | KG-04 | 510 | · |
| Peter Noyes | Sudbury | Elementary | PK-05 | 508 | · |
| John J McGlynn Elementary School | Medford | Elementary | KG-05 | 505 | · |
| Bennett-Hemenway | Natick | Elementary | KG-04 | 504 | · |
| Brophy | Framingham | Elementary | KG-05 | 504 | · |
| Lt Eleazer Davis | Bedford | Elementary | PK-02 | 501 | · |
| S Christa McAuliffe Elementary | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 501 | · |
| John F. Ryan | Tewksbury | Middle | 05-06 | 500 | · |
| Charles W Morey | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 497 | · |
| Claypit Hill School | Wayland | Elementary | KG-05 | 495 | · |
| Brown | Natick | Elementary | KG-04 | 494 | · |
| Nissitissit Middle School | Pepperell | Middle | 05-08 | 494 | · |
| North Reading Middle | North Reading | Middle | 06-08 | 494 | · |
| Hanscom School | Hanscom Air Force Base | Elementary | PK-08 | 493 | · |
| Abraham Lincoln | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 492 | · |
| Joseph Estabrook | Lexington | Elementary | KG-05 | 490 | · |
| Miriam F McCarthy School | Framingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 490 | · |
| Brookside Elementary | Dracut | Elementary | PK-05 | 487 | · |
| Center School | Stow | Elementary | PK-05 | 485 | · |
| John J Shaughnessy | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 485 | · |
| Arthur D Healey | Somerville | Elementary | PK-08 | 482 | · |
| Littleton High School | Littleton | High | 09-12 | 482 | · |
| Center Elementary School | Chelmsford | Elementary | KG-04 | 480 | · |
| Greenhalge | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 480 | · |
| Douglas MacArthur Elementary School | Waltham | Elementary | KG-05 | 475 | · |
| C A Farley | Hudson | Elementary | PK-04 | 474 | · |
| Peter W Reilly | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 471 | · |
| Blanchard Memorial School | Boxborough | Elementary | KG-06 | 469 | · |
| Charles D Harrington | North Chelmsford | Elementary | KG-04 | 468 | · |
| Walter S Parker Middle | Reading | Middle | 06-08 | 467 | · |
| John J. McGlynn Middle School | Medford | Middle | 06-08 | 464 | · |
| South Row | Chelmsford | Elementary | KG-04 | 464 | · |
| Pawtucketville Memorial | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 463 | · |
| L D Batchelder | North Reading | Elementary | KG-05 | 462 | · |
| Pyne Arts | Lowell | Elementary | PK-08 | 462 | · |
| Green Meadow | Maynard | Elementary | PK-03 | 456 | · |
| Woodville School | Wakefield | Elementary | PK-04 | 456 | · |
| Daniel L Joyce Middle School | Woburn | Middle | 06-08 | 455 | · |
| Memorial | Natick | Elementary | KG-04 | 455 | · |
| Dr Gertrude Bailey | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 454 | · |
| Harmony Grove Elementary | Framingham | Elementary | KG-05 | 453 | · |
| Clyde Reeves | Woburn | Elementary | PK-05 | 451 | · |
| Fowler School | Maynard | Middle | 04-08 | 451 | · |
| Weston Middle | Weston | Middle | 06-08 | 451 | · |
| Hawthorne Brook | Townsend | Middle | 05-08 | 449 | · |
| Charlotte M Murkland Elementary | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 448 | · |
| M Norcross Stratton | Arlington | Elementary | KG-05 | 448 | · |
| Joseph McAvinnue | Lowell | Elementary | PK-04 | 447 | · |
| Parker | Billerica | Elementary | KG-04 | 446 | · |
| Lilja Elementary | Natick | Elementary | KG-04 | 445 | · |
Cities in Middlesex County
Lowell29 schoolsCambridge20 schoolsFramingham16 schoolsArlington11 schoolsEverett11 schoolsLexington11 schoolsSomerville11 schoolsWaltham11 schoolsWestford10 schoolsWoburn10 schoolsMarlborough9 schoolsReading9 schoolsActon8 schoolsBillerica8 schoolsMalden8 schoolsMedford8 schoolsMelrose8 schoolsNatick8 schoolsTewksbury8 schoolsWakefield8 schoolsBelmont7 schoolsChelmsford7 schoolsWilmington7 schoolsWinchester7 schoolsBurlington6 schoolsDracut6 schoolsHopkinton6 schoolsNewton Centre6 schoolsStoneham6 schoolsSudbury6 schoolsWayland6 schoolsAshland5 schoolsConcord5 schoolsHudson5 schoolsNewton5 schoolsNorth Reading5 schoolsWatertown5 schoolsWeston5 schoolsBedford4 schoolsGroton4 schoolsHolliston4 schoolsLittleton4 schoolsNewtonville4 schoolsTownsend4 schoolsTyngsborough4 schoolsMaynard3 schoolsAuburndale2 schoolsAyer2 schoolsHanscom Air Force Base2 schoolsNorth Chelmsford2 schoolsPepperell2 schoolsShirley2 schoolsStow2 schoolsWaban2 schoolsWest Newton2 schoolsAshby1 schoolBoxborough1 schoolCarlisle1 schoolDevens1 schoolDunstable1 schoolLincoln1 schoolNewton Highlands1 schoolNorth Billerica1 schoolSherborn1 schoolTyngsboro1 school
About Middlesex County
In Massachusetts, Middlesex County is a high-population county of about 1,638,365 residents. 386 public schools across the county enrolls about 215,896 students between them.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $130,847, 60% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 29% above the Massachusetts median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Middlesex County spans 242 elementary schools (98,399 students), 72 middle schools (43,932), 63 high schools (68,862), and 9 combined or other schools.
Lowell is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 14,457 students across Middlesex County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 219,775 students in SY 2017-18 versus 215,845 in SY 2024-25. Middlesex County now counts 382 public schools, up from 381 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment contracted from 62% to 52%.
On this page, the community for Middlesex County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Middlesex County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data