Summary:
ZIP code 06840, located in New Canaan, Connecticut, is served by a single high school—New Canaan High School—which enrolls 1,257 students across grades 9 through 12 and is part of the top-ranked New Canaan School District.
New Canaan High School is an elite public high school by nearly every measure. It carries a 5-star rating and, after ranking #1 in Connecticut for two consecutive years, currently sits at #4 out of 133 high schools statewide (97th percentile). The 2024–2025 graduation rate was 99.1%, nearly eight points above the state average of 91.2%. Academic proficiency is exceptionally strong: 11th-grade SAT ELA proficiency is 90.2% versus 55.3% statewide, math proficiency is 73.1% versus 31.3% statewide, and science proficiency is 83.3% versus 50.5% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is just 4.6%, less than one-third of the state rate of 16.4%. The student-teacher ratio is a favorable 12.2:1, and per-student spending is $22,594, well above typical levels.
This is a distinctly affluent community: only 0.24% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the New Canaan School District is ranked #2 out of 153 districts in Connecticut. Test scores dipped slightly in 2025–2026—ELA fell 2.3 points and math 1.8 points—while science rose 0.2 points, but all remain far above state averages. The drop from #1 to #4 in statewide rankings is worth monitoring but does not signal a meaningful decline. With exceptional resources, near-perfect graduation rates, and outstanding attendance, New Canaan High School remains one of the best high schools in Connecticut.
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