Pelham 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.

Pelham, New Hampshire - 3 schools

An equity score of 23/100 ranks Pelham School District #108 of 114 districts in New Hampshire (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,196 per pupil, Pelham School District ranks #151 of 161 New Hampshire districts by per-pupil spending (New Hampshire districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,688
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$18,196
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pelham School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,688 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Hampshire. 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 Hillsborough County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,196 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 17 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 71.6% local, 22.6% state, and 5.8% 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 23/100, ranked #108 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 (2 AP courses district-wide), a 183.8:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 30.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.1% White, 8.0% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Pelham High School, with a diversity index of 31.4/100.

Its largest campus is Pelham Elementary School, enrolling 750 students (47% of the district's total enrollment).

Pelham Elementary School accounts for 44.4% of all Pelham School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Pelham School District-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

Pelham School District school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Pelham School District school enrollment ranges from 349 students (lowest) to 750 students (highest), a spread of 401 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

Pelham School District student-counselor ratio is 184:1 — 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

Pelham School District chronic absenteeism rate is 30.7% — 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?

5.8%
Federal
22.6%
State
71.6%
Local

Funding Equity

23
Equity Score
108 / 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 Pelham School District.

White 84.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
African American 1.1%
Asian 3.1%
Multiracial 3.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 28.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Pelham High School 31.4
  2. 2 Pelham Elementary School 29.6
  3. 3 Pelham Memorial School 24.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
183.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pelham School District

School Enrollment
Pelham Elementary School
750
Pelham High School
508
Pelham Memorial School
349

How Pelham School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Claremont School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Bow School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Kearsarge Regional School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Lebanon School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Monadnock Regional School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Pelham 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 Pelham School District →
Nashua School District
10,004 students · 20 schools · $17,617/pupil
Compare vs Pelham School District →
Bedford School District
4,169 students · 6 schools · $17,544/pupil
Compare vs Pelham School District →
Londonderry School District
4,128 students · 6 schools · $20,160/pupil
Compare vs Pelham School District →
Concord School District
4,037 students · 7 schools · $21,765/pupil
Compare vs Pelham School District →

Compare Pelham 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 Pelham School District?

Pelham School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,688 students.

How much does Pelham School District spend per student?

Pelham School District spends $18,196 per student. The district has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #108 in New Hampshire.

What is the demographic composition of Pelham School District?

Pelham School District students are 84.1% White, 8.0% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% Asian, 1.1% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pelham School District?

Pelham School District has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #108 out of 114 districts in New Hampshire.