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Essex Elementary

Q: Is Essex Elementary a good school?

Essex Elementary ranks 236 th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

236^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 899 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 74% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Essex Elementary is a small K–5 school in Essex, MA, serving 215 students as part of the Manchester Essex Regional district, and it ranked 236th of 899 in 2025–2026 (74th percentile, 4 stars). That is a strong recovery from a 2022–2023 dip to 478th of 928 (48th percentile, 2 stars). The district is highly ranked — 61st of 351 in Massachusetts — and same-district Manchester Memorial Elementary remains the district’s higher performer at the 88th percentile.

On 2025–2026 MCAS, Essex scored 53.4% proficient in ELA, 59.62% in math, and 48.65% in science, all above state averages. Math is above the district average, while ELA and science are below it. Compared with nearby schools, Essex sits mid-pack: it trails Manchester Memorial Elementary, Bessie Buker Elementary, Cutler School, Centerville Elementary, Winthrop School (in Hamilton-Wenham), and North Beverly Elementary in ELA; in math it trails Bessie Buker Elementary, Cutler School, Manchester Memorial Elementary, Centerville Elementary, Winthrop School, Paul F Doyon Memorial, and North Beverly Elementary. Science is the weakest relative area, below Manchester Memorial Elementary, Winthrop (in Ipswich), Bessie Buker Elementary, Paul F Doyon Memorial, Cutler School, and Winthrop School, and only slightly above West Parish.

Grade-level results are uneven: grades 3 and 4 are strong in math (68.75% and 73.53%), and 3rd-grade ELA is solid at 62.5%. Fifth grade is the clearest pressure point, with ELA 44.74%, math 39.47%, and science 48.65%, all below district levels. Low-SES students ranked in the 94th percentile with 5 stars in 2025–2026, while special education students ranked 35th percentile in 2024–2025. Essex has a 9.6 student-to-teacher ratio and $24,199 per-student spending in 2020–2021, among the highest in its comparison group, yet scores are mid-pack. Because only 215 students attend, grade-level and subgroup percentages can swing sharply year to year, so patterns should be read with caution.

215

Students ?

9.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,672

Per pupil spending ?

17.7%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

All students in Massachusetts receive free school meals.

93%

Kindergartners with all required immunizations (2025-26)

Exemptions: 3% (any vaccine)

12 Story Street
Essex, MA 01929

(978) 768-7324

District: Manchester Essex Regional

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
High:	Manchester Essex Regional High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.5%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Two or more races:

2.3%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Essex Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 70th percentile in 2016 → 74th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (55% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Above the Massachusetts median (74th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg57%

Massachusetts avg41%

236^th of 899

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 26%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2Elementary Schools in the Manchester Essex Regional

61^st of 351Manchester Essex Regional among Massachusetts districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	73.5	236 of 899	73.7%	★★★★☆
2025	65.2	328 of 906	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.5	293 of 916	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.4	478 of 928	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	78.1	199 of 932	78.6%	★★★★☆
2021	75.3	229 of 936	75.5%	★★★★☆
2019	72.4	262 of 942	72.2%	★★★★☆
2018	79.5	176 of 934	81.2%	★★★★☆
2017	78.6	183 of 938	80.5%	★★★★☆
2016	69.0	279 of 932	70.1%	★★★★☆
2015	74.4	224 of 914	75.5%	★★★★☆
2014	74.4	232 of 926	74.9%	★★★★☆
2013	77.8	196 of 928	78.9%	★★★★☆
2012	77.5	205 of 930	78.0%	★★★★☆
2011	79.1	189 of 924	79.5%	★★★★☆
2010	76.9	214 of 920	76.7%	★★★★☆
2009	81.1	154 of 909	83.1%	★★★★☆
2008	84.9	104 of 908	88.5%	★★★★☆
2007	70.5	276 of 911	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	67.7	290 of 911	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	73.4	257 of 887	71.0%	★★★★☆
2004	82.0	151 of 882	82.9%	★★★★☆
2003	73.8	240 of 884	72.9%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	60.4	206 of 665	69.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	72.0	235 of 869	73.0%	★★★★☆
2025	64.1	313 of 869	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.6	304 of 886	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.8	460 of 887	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	78.0	182 of 901	79.8%	★★★★☆
2021	72.8	233 of 898	74.1%	★★★★☆
2019	68.4	270 of 902	70.1%	★★★★☆
2018	76.1	190 of 893	78.7%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	85.0	45 of 742	93.9%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	68.2	269 of 879	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.1	311 of 884	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.1	268 of 891	69.9%	★★★★☆
2023	48.1	464 of 896	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	74.3	214 of 908	76.4%	★★★★☆
2021	72.2	247 of 904	72.7%	★★★★☆
2019	72.9	244 of 907	73.1%	★★★★☆
2018	77.9	187 of 898	79.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	33.4	465 of 717	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.5	432 of 703	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	72.0	168 of 894	81.2%	★★★★☆
2019	54.2	377 of 896	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	74.8	231 of 925	75.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	59.1	295 of 734	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.2	348 of 737	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.0	334 of 753	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.2	552 of 762	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	70.3	193 of 764	74.7%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	235 of 765	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.5	302 of 780	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.4	185 of 772	76.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)94th percentile+20 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)75th percentile~ school

Female (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)69th percentile-4 vs school

Disabled (2019)69th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)60th percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2025)35th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics60%+19 vs state

English Language Arts53%+13 vs state

Science49%+8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Essex Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2026)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2026)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2026)		Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Total
Essex Elementary	Public	K-5	12 Story Street	Essex	01929	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 768-7324	215	22	9.6	17.7%	201 (93.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)	73.5	236^th of 899 public elementary schools	73.7%		65.2	328^th of 906 public elementary schools	63.8%	92	62.5	54.6	44.7	53.4	68.8	73.5	39.5	59.6	48.7	48.7	93%	3%	$24,672
Manchester Memorial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	43 Lincoln Street	Manchester	01944	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	No	(978) 526-1908	304	31	9.9	8.2%	281 (92.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	87.6	108^th of 899 public elementary schools	88.0%		87.2	105^th of 906 public elementary schools	88.4%	3	65.4	76.3	68.8	69.6	50.0	81.6	65.3	63.8	71.4	71.4	97%	3%	$24,902
West Parish	Public	K-5	10 Concord Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 281-9835	382	29	13.1	34.6%	322 (84.3%)	3 (0.8%)	30 (7.9%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (5.0%)	33.2	604^th of 899 public elementary schools	32.8%		31.9	617^th of 906 public elementary schools	31.9%	13	36.7	18.3	29.0	28.0	23.3	25.0	41.9	30.2	48.4	48.4	82%	4%	$22,089
Winthrop School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Bay Rd	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5340	329	27	12.1	5.8%	284 (86.3%)	2 (0.6%)	19 (5.8%)	15 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	78.7	182^nd of 899 public elementary schools	79.8%		79	192^nd of 906 public elementary schools	78.8%	10	56.9	51.1	58.9	56.0	73.7	62.2	50.9	62.3	52.7	52.7	93%	2%	$22,442
Winthrop	Public	PK, KG-5	65 Central Street	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 356-2976	373	37	10.1	24.7%	303 (81.2%)	4 (1.1%)	38 (10.2%)	10 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.8%)	72.7	242^nd of 899 public elementary schools	73.1%		75.2	227^th of 906 public elementary schools	74.9%	15	50.9	55.9	40.0	49.7	45.5	59.7	60.0	55.2	68.0	68.0	96%	0%	$25,647
Cutler School	Public	K-5	237 Asbury Street	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5330	246	22	11.1	6.1%	217 (88.2%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.3%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	85.7	121^st of 899 public elementary schools	86.5%		80.8	172^nd of 906 public elementary schools	81.0%	51	59.5	61.4	62.9	61.2	70.3	60.0	80.0	69.2	57.1	57.1	100%	0%	$20,524
Centerville Elementary	Public	K-4	17 Hull Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6120	327	29	11.4	41.0%	230 (70.3%)	15 (4.6%)	56 (17.1%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.8%)	81.2	158^th of 899 public elementary schools	82.4%		81.1	170^th of 906 public elementary schools	81.2%	12	55.1	58.3		56.6	60.3	66.7		63.3			98%	2%	$20,236
Bessie Buker Elementary	Public	K-5	1 School Street	Wenham	01984	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	No	(978) 468-5324	255	18	14.1	6.7%	223 (87.5%)	3 (1.2%)	16 (6.3%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	90.8	66^th of 899 public elementary schools	92.7%		90.1	67^th of 906 public elementary schools	92.6%	1	82.9	58.5	71.1	68.8	82.9	63.1	76.9	72.4	65.8	65.8	97%	0%	$20,383
North Beverly Elementary	Public	K-4	48 Putnam Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6130	356	29	12.2	32.9%	263 (73.9%)	13 (3.7%)	48 (13.5%)	16 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (3.9%)	77.7	193^rd of 899 public elementary schools	78.5%		86.3	113^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.5%	80	53.6	56.1		54.8	55.1	67.2		60.6			93%	1%	$19,489
Paul F Doyon Memorial	Public	PK, KG-5	216 Linebrook Rd	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	No	(978) 356-5506	366	35	10.5	15.8%	301 (82.2%)	6 (1.6%)	32 (8.7%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.7%)	78.6	184^th of 899 public elementary schools	79.5%		80.7	173^rd of 906 public elementary schools	80.9%	11	61.8	44.1	50.9	52.1	63.0	58.6	61.8	61.1	65.5	65.5	97%	3%	$24,593

Frequently Asked Questions about Essex Elementary

How many students attend Essex Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 215 students attended Essex Elementary.

Is Essex Elementary a good school?

Essex Elementary ranks 236^th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Essex Elementary?

Students at Essex Elementary are 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Essex Elementary in?

Manchester Essex Regional

What schools do graduates of Essex Elementary attend?

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
High : Manchester Essex Regional High School

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Latest Massachusetts data All new data »

2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 20, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2024–25 MCAS Next Generation test scoresSep 29, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataMay 8, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.