Enrollment
744
New Hampshire · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Penacook, NH
Merrimack Valley High School
Federal NCES profile for Merrimack Valley High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 330476000284
👥 S:T ratio 47
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 79
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merrimack Valley High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of New Hampshire schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Penacook · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- large classes for New Hampshire
- 18.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Merrimack Valley High School has class sizes larger than 84% of New Hampshire schools. Computed live against every New Hampshire school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merrimack Valley High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Penacook, NH.
School address
District: Merrimack Valley School District · New Hampshire
NCES ID 330476000284 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 11.3:1 New Hampshire avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.5%
vs 21.5% New Hampshire avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Merrimack Valley High School compares with New Hampshire and U.S. medians
What stands out at Merrimack Valley High School
Merrimack Valley High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Penacook, New Hampshire, enrolling 744 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New Hampshire schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 18.5% lands close to the New Hampshire typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Hampshire, bigger than 92% of state schools at 744 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 500 scored New Hampshire schools.
Against 71 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #46.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 106 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Merrimack Valley School District spends $19,092 per pupil, 33% below the New Hampshire average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Penacook's high schools, it stands alongside Csi Charter School (34 students): Merrimack Valley High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 17:1).
Merrimack Valley School District also operates Merrimack Valley Middle School (466 students) and Penacook Elementary School (325 students) alongside Merrimack Valley High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Merrimack Valley High School compares
Merrimack Valley High School on the metrics families compare, against New Hampshire and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Hampshire | New Hampshire avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 11.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.5% | ▼ 14% | 21.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 744 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
744
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the New Hampshire average of 21.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in New Hampshire - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$19,092
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Hampshire avg of $28,358
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 106 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
69
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 90.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 2.3%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, Merrimack Valley High School is less mixed than the New Hampshire school average of 24.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merrimack Valley School District, which includes Merrimack Valley High School.
$19,092
Per student
-33%
vs New Hampshire
Avg $28,358
+15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.9%
State 31.6%
Federal 10.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Merrimack Valley High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack Valley Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Penacook Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Loudon Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boscawen Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Webster Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merrimack Valley High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 325
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 243
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 240
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 88
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Penacook
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Hampshire, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~744 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Merrimack Valley High School's federal record.
- Compare Merrimack Valley High School against another school. Compare schools
- Merrimack Valley School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Merrimack Valley High School
How many students attend Merrimack Valley High School?
Merrimack Valley High School has 744 students enrolled. It is a high school in Penacook, NH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merrimack Valley High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Merrimack Valley High School is 13.3:1, which is 18% higher than the New Hampshire average of 11.3:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Merrimack Valley High School?
18.5% of students at Merrimack Valley High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Hampshire average of 21.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merrimack Valley High School?
The largest demographic group at Merrimack Valley High School is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Penacook, NH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merrimack Valley High School?
Merrimack Valley High School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Merrimack Valley High School rank among public schools in Penacook?
By Resource Investment Index, Merrimack Valley High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Penacook, NH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Penacook on the city page.
Is Merrimack Valley High School a good school?
Merrimack Valley High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of New Hampshire schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Merrimack Valley School District?
Besides Merrimack Valley High School, Merrimack Valley School District also operates Merrimack Valley Middle School (466 students), Penacook Elementary School (325 students), and Loudon Elementary School (243 students). See the Merrimack Valley School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.