Gilford School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Gilford, New Hampshire - 3 schools

An equity score of 35/100 ranks Gilford School District #88 of 114 districts in New Hampshire (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,089 per pupil, Gilford School District ranks #123 of 161 New Hampshire districts by per-pupil spending (New Hampshire districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,126
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$21,089
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Gilford School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,126 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Hampshire. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Belknap County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,089 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 161 New Hampshire districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Hampshire compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 75.5% local, 20.2% state, and 4.3% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 35/100, ranked #88 of 114 in New Hampshire against a state average of 51, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 186.3:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 35.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.2% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Gilford Middle School, with a diversity index of 17.7/100.

Its largest campus is Gilford High School, enrolling 470 students (45% of the district's total enrollment).

Gilford High School accounts for 41.7% of all Gilford School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Gilford School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Gilford School District student-counselor ratio is 186:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Gilford School District chronic absenteeism rate is 35.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

4.3%
Federal
20.2%
State
75.5%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
88 / 114
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Gilford School District.

White 93.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%
African American 0.9%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 2.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 12.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Gilford School District's schools, below the New Hampshire average of 24.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Gilford Middle School 17.7
  2. 2 Gilford Elementary School 12.6
  3. 3 Gilford High School 8.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
186.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Gilford School District

School Enrollment
Gilford High School
470
Gilford Elementary School
303
Gilford Middle School
277

How Gilford School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New Hampshire districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mascoma Valley Regional School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Shaker Regional School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Newfound Area School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Winnacunnet Cooperative School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Gilford School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New Hampshire

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Manchester School District
12,105 students · 21 schools · $16,178/pupil
Compare vs Gilford School District →
Nashua School District
10,004 students · 20 schools · $17,617/pupil
Compare vs Gilford School District →
Bedford School District
4,169 students · 6 schools · $17,544/pupil
Compare vs Gilford School District →
Londonderry School District
4,128 students · 6 schools · $20,160/pupil
Compare vs Gilford School District →
Concord School District
4,037 students · 7 schools · $21,765/pupil
Compare vs Gilford School District →

Compare Gilford School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Manchester School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Gilford School District?

Gilford School District has 3 schools, including 1 high, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,126 students.

How much does Gilford School District spend per student?

Gilford School District spends $21,089 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #88 in New Hampshire.

What is the demographic composition of Gilford School District?

Gilford School District students are 93.2% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.9% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Gilford School District?

Gilford School District has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #88 out of 114 districts in New Hampshire.