Summary:
The Nashua School District has three high schools serving grades 9–12 in the Nashua area: two large comprehensive schools, Nashua High School South and Nashua High School North, plus the much smaller Brentwood Academy.
For most families, South and North are the most comparable options. South has the stronger overall academic profile, ranking 46th of 89 New Hampshire high schools compared with North at 67th. South also leads in mathematics, reading, SAT results, and has a slightly lower dropout rate. In 2025–2026, 29% of South students were proficient in NH SAS mathematics and 60% in reading, compared with 18% and 53% at North. South’s reading result was above both the district and state levels, although its science proficiency was only 25%, below North’s 31%. Both schools had similar graduation rates—82.5% at South and 82.7% at North—but both were below the 87% state rate. South’s results have recently declined, particularly in science, reading, and its overall ranking.
North’s main strength is science, where it exceeded South and improved slightly from the prior year. However, its mathematics and reading results declined substantially, and its ranking has fallen steadily over the past three years. North also serves a larger share of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is important context when comparing outcomes, though the data do not establish causes. Brentwood Academy is a separate small-school experience with only 26 students, a very low student-teacher ratio, and a reported 50% graduation rate. Its 0% dropout rate should be interpreted cautiously because percentages can change greatly in such a small group. Overall, families prioritizing stronger academic results may find South the leading large-school option, while North’s science performance is a notable positive and its math and reading programs merit close attention.
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