Northbridge

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.

Whitinsville, Massachusetts - 3 schools

An equity score of 44/100 ranks Northbridge #125 of 362 districts in Massachusetts (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,601 per pupil, Northbridge ranks #315 of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending (Massachusetts districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,970
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$18,601
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Northbridge operates 3 public schools serving 1,970 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Massachusetts. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Worcester County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,601 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending. See how Massachusetts compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 31.6% local, 60.9% state, and 7.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 44/100, ranked #125 of 362 in Massachusetts against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 157:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 36.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 79.5% White, 14.5% Hispanic or Latino, 2.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Northbridge High, with a diversity index of 37.8/100.

Its largest campus is Northbridge Elementary School, enrolling 973 students (53% of the district's total enrollment).

Northbridge Elementary School accounts for 49.4% of all Northbridge student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Northbridge a distant remainder — means Northbridge-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Northbridge school enrollment varies 2.5× across entities

Northbridge school enrollment ranges from 394 students (lowest) to 973 students (highest), a spread of 579 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

Northbridge student-counselor ratio is 157:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Northbridge chronic absenteeism rate is 36.0% — 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?

7.6%
Federal
60.9%
State
31.6%
Local

Funding Equity

44
Equity Score
125 / 362
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Northbridge.

White 79.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.5%
African American 2.0%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 34.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Northbridge's schools, below the Massachusetts average of 47.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Northbridge High 37.8
  2. 2 Northbridge Elementary School 35.8
  3. 3 Northbridge Middle 29.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
157:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Northbridge

School Enrollment
Northbridge Elementary School
973
Northbridge High
471
Northbridge Middle
394

How Northbridge Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Massachusetts districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Clinton Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Concord Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Winthrop Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Swansea Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Weston Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

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

Nearby Districts in Massachusetts

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

Boston
46,367 students · 109 schools · $34,835/pupil
Compare vs Northbridge →
Worcester
24,707 students · 46 schools · $20,642/pupil
Compare vs Northbridge →
Springfield
23,873 students · 66 schools · $23,067/pupil
Compare vs Northbridge →
Lynn
15,556 students · 27 schools · $19,669/pupil
Compare vs Northbridge →
Brockton
14,999 students · 24 schools · $21,147/pupil
Compare vs Northbridge →

Compare Northbridge

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

Compare vs Boston →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Northbridge?

Northbridge has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,970 students.

How much does Northbridge spend per student?

Northbridge spends $18,601 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #125 in Massachusetts.

What is the demographic composition of Northbridge?

Northbridge students are 79.5% White, 14.5% Hispanic or Latino, 2.0% African American, 1.5% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Northbridge?

Northbridge has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #125 out of 362 districts in Massachusetts.