James B Congdon

James B Congdon, a low-enrollment elementary school in New Bedford, Massachusetts, overseen by New Bedford, serves 299 students, covering grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 22% smaller than the state mean of about 381.

New Bedford comprises 24 schools with combined enrollment of 12,505 students; James B Congdon is among them.

Looking at the student body, James B Congdon records that the largest single group is Hispanic at 38%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest comes out to 34% White, 20% Black, 6% multiracial. By comparison, Bristol County as a whole is about 10% Hispanic, so the school skews considerably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, The school reports having 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 10.6:1. The state averages around 12.2:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

Around the school, community-level numbers for Bristol County indicate median household earnings sit near $85,625, about 31% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Across Bristol County's 142 public schools (combined enrollment of about 80,897 students), James B Congdon is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is John B Devalles, roughly 0.3 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

James B Congdon operates from a suburban location.

Trend over the last 7 years. James B Congdon's enrollment has shrank 11% since 2018, when it stood at 336 (now 299). Over the same period, the Black share edged up from 14% to 20%. Class-load math has tightened: from 13.9:1 in 2018 to 10.6:1 in 2025.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.