Summary:
Northampton has one public high school — Northampton High — serving grades 9–12 with 875 students at 380 Elm Street, part of the Northampton district. With only one school in the area there is no local comparison to make, but the record is detailed enough to describe the school thoroughly.
Academically, Northampton High ranks among the strongest high schools in Massachusetts. Its most recent state rank is 32nd of 353 high schools with a 5-star rating, up from 85th of 348 two years earlier — a steady three-year climb that lifted it from the 76th to the 91st percentile. Test proficiency sits well above state levels in every subject and both years reported, by margins of roughly 20 to 37 percentage points: in 2025-2026, 68.6% of 10th graders were proficient in ELA, 75% in math, 77.61% in science, and 71.79% in end-of-course biology, against state rates between 37.68% and 45.48%. That makes proficiency roughly 1.5x the state's in ELA and about 1.7x to 1.9x in math, science, and biology. Math posted the largest one-year gain (+9.9 points), science rose modestly, and ELA dipped 5.6 points — but the state and district fell by similar or larger amounts, leaving the school's lead over the state essentially unchanged.
Outcomes reinforce the academic picture: a 93.9% graduation rate (district 92.4%) and a 1.7% dropout rate, roughly 43% below the district's 3.0%. The student/teacher ratio is 14.6, implying about 60 teachers. Notably, the wider district ranks 139th of 351 statewide with 3 stars, while this high school reaches 5 stars. Two gaps limit interpretation: the free/reduced-price lunch figure is unreported, and per-student spending of $15,618 dates from 2020-2021 with nothing to compare it against.
Thank you for your feedback!