While the U.S. is one of the most educated countries in the world, it doesn’t provide the same quality elementary school or secondary school education to all students. In many states, more affluent school districts receive a greater amount of funding per student than poorer districts, with one estimate claiming that low-income districts are underfunded by around $6,700 per pupil.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more due to the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income students have suffered the greatest “learning loss” due to partial or total remote learning. One contributing factor is that people in low-income districts are less likely to have the technological resources they need.
States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers. The difference is dramatic: College graduates have $154 - $1,115 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
New Hampshire has the 16th least equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 161 districts in New Hampshire based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category. Rank 1 on the “Expenditures Ranking” means highest expenditures and Rank 1 on “Income Ranking” means lowest income.
Most & Least Equitable School Districts in New Hampshire
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expeditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hudson School District | 0.30 | $17,029 | $112,285 |
| 2 | Harrisville School District | 0.42 | $23,667 | $85,956 |
| 3 | Bartlett School District | 0.51 | $32,318 | $51,700 |
| 4 | Contoocook Valley School District | 0.78 | $23,424 | $86,591 |
| 5 | Lebanon School District | 0.99 | $24,888 | $80,619 |
| 6 | Oyster River Coop School District | 1.10 | $20,847 | $96,483 |
| 7 | Portsmouth School District | 1.66 | $21,876 | $91,915 |
| 8 | Gilford School District | 1.72 | $20,003 | $102,358 |
| 9 | Westmoreland School District | 2.17 | $21,650 | $96,250 |
| 10 | Rollinsford School District | 2.37 | $26,130 | $74,474 |
| 11 | Mascoma Valley Reg School District | 2.69 | $24,215 | $81,750 |
| 12 | Cornish School District | 3.12 | $26,261 | $78,894 |
| 13 | Hopkinton School District | 3.17 | $20,761 | $100,665 |
| 14 | Pelham School District | 3.51 | $16,540 | $111,333 |
| 15 | Mason School District | 3.82 | $20,110 | $103,824 |
| 16 | Hampton School District | 3.96 | $22,492 | $87,418 |
| 17 | Holderness School District | 4.08 | $26,516 | $78,750 |
| 18 | Barrington School District | 4.57 | $18,531 | $102,512 |
| 19 | Tamworth School District | 4.78 | $30,080 | $56,700 |
| 20 | Hillsboro Deering Coop School District | 5.11 | $22,393 | $86,774 |
| 21 | Chesterfield School District | 5.32 | $22,379 | $86,635 |
| 22 | Winnacunnet Coop School District | 5.66 | $21,293 | $90,622 |
| 23 | John Stark Regional School District | 5.79 | $20,254 | $94,609 |
| 24 | Lempster School District | 6.28 | $24,791 | $76,250 |
| 25 | Inter-Lakes School District | 6.81 | $27,982 | $75,406 |
| 26 | Nelson School District | 6.97 | $21,892 | $87,083 |
| 27 | Timberlane Regional School District | 7.40 | $20,813 | $104,263 |
| 28 | Strafford School District | 7.80 | $16,807 | $120,453 |
| 29 | Kearsarge Regional School District | 8.58 | $23,964 | $92,872 |
| 30 | New Boston School District | 8.78 | $15,848 | $125,119 |
| 31 | Piermont School District | 9.52 | $28,544 | $75,625 |
| 32 | Exeter Region Coop School District | 10.05 | $21,333 | $104,594 |
| 33 | Auburn School District | 10.17 | $15,605 | $127,330 |
| 34 | Epsom School District | 10.45 | $23,446 | $96,607 |
| 35 | Hill School District | 10.93 | $22,388 | $81,563 |
| 36 | Exeter School District | 11.67 | $23,298 | $77,298 |
| 37 | Epping School District | 12.14 | $20,313 | $88,671 |
| 38 | Gilmanton School District | 12.71 | $19,631 | $90,848 |
| 39 | Thornton School District | 12.96 | $24,099 | $72,973 |
| 40 | Nottingham School District | 13.06 | $18,448 | $95,213 |
| 41 | Pittsburg School District | 13.13 | $36,169 | $48,750 |
| 42 | Deerfield School District | 13.18 | $19,934 | $112,931 |
| 43 | Waterville Valley School District | 13.31 | $21,410 | $83,281 |
| 44 | Weare School District | 13.55 | $16,675 | $101,773 |
| 45 | Sanborn Regional School District | 13.58 | $21,558 | $106,875 |
| 46 | Londonderry School District | 13.80 | $19,226 | $116,286 |
| 47 | Seabrook School District | 13.91 | $22,313 | $79,173 |
| 48 | Litchfield School District | 14.16 | $17,827 | $122,139 |
| 49 | Stoddard School District | 14.20 | $27,473 | $84,063 |
| 50 | Merrimack School District | 14.24 | $19,718 | $114,737 |
| 51 | Profile School District | 14.95 | $22,965 | $75,667 |
| 52 | East Kingston School District | 14.98 | $24,566 | $96,250 |
| 53 | Milton School District | 15.22 | $21,747 | $80,238 |
| 54 | Lincoln-Woodstock School District | 15.26 | $26,742 | $60,463 |
| 55 | Salem School District | 15.56 | $18,874 | $91,276 |
| 56 | Hinsdale School District | 16.17 | $25,154 | $65,921 |
| 57 | Derry School District | 16.26 | $20,189 | $85,458 |
| 58 | Fremont School District | 16.74 | $19,729 | $116,944 |
| 59 | Stewartstown School District | 17.29 | $30,121 | $45,286 |
| 60 | Northwood School District | 17.86 | $23,094 | $104,653 |
| 61 | Henniker School District | 18.36 | $21,219 | $79,500 |
| 62 | Plainfield School District | 18.47 | $23,131 | $105,057 |
| 63 | Raymond School District | 18.97 | $20,314 | $82,521 |
| 64 | Stratford School District | 19.28 | $38,490 | $45,109 |
| 65 | Hooksett School District | 20.29 | $18,566 | $88,238 |
| 66 | Moultonborough School District | 20.66 | $29,320 | $82,577 |
| 67 | Rumney School District | 20.80 | $34,329 | $62,917 |
| 68 | Marlborough School District | 21.24 | $21,681 | $75,078 |
| 69 | Candia School District | 21.32 | $23,382 | $106,626 |
| 70 | Jackson School District | 21.82 | $32,680 | $70,341 |
| 71 | Bow School District | 22.25 | $16,977 | $132,774 |
| 72 | Wentworth School District | 22.29 | $20,356 | $79,375 |
| 73 | Governor Wentworth Reg School District | 22.32 | $22,641 | $70,313 |
| 74 | Chichester School District | 22.40 | $22,701 | $110,291 |
| 75 | Barnstead School District | 22.93 | $20,786 | $77,097 |
| 76 | Chester School District | 22.97 | $17,429 | $131,635 |
| 77 | Bethlehem School District | 23.00 | $22,838 | $68,929 |
| 78 | Wilton-Lyndeboro School District | 23.34 | $18,530 | $85,638 |
| 79 | Pembroke School District | 23.43 | $17,334 | $90,288 |
| 80 | Allenstown School District | 23.54 | $22,517 | $69,710 |
| 81 | Newmarket School District | 24.37 | $18,946 | $83,070 |
| 82 | Wakefield School District | 24.39 | $17,504 | $88,750 |
| 83 | Goffstown School District | 24.50 | $15,160 | $97,917 |
| 84 | Washington School District | 24.52 | $31,220 | $78,542 |
| 85 | Alton School District | 24.53 | $25,385 | $101,604 |
| 86 | Andover School District | 24.98 | $19,057 | $82,083 |
| 87 | Hampstead School District | 25.56 | $25,288 | $102,909 |
| 88 | Bath School District | 26.98 | $23,986 | $60,813 |
| 89 | Milford School District | 27.08 | $18,351 | $82,990 |
| 90 | Campton School District | 27.17 | $20,621 | $73,936 |
| 91 | Plymouth School District | 27.93 | $22,111 | $67,367 |
| 92 | Monroe School District | 28.30 | $33,215 | $74,063 |
| 93 | Concord School District | 28.33 | $20,039 | $75,194 |
| 94 | Warren School District | 28.47 | $26,985 | $47,625 |
| 95 | Unity School District | 28.87 | $22,163 | $66,319 |
| 96 | Pemi-Baker Regional School District | 29.86 | $21,263 | $68,983 |
| 97 | Shaker Regional School District | 30.14 | $18,631 | $79,129 |
| 98 | Marlow School District | 30.63 | $29,566 | $90,568 |
| 99 | Stark School District | 30.84 | $26,478 | $47,500 |
| 100 | Bedford School District | 31.76 | $16,523 | $143,119 |
| 101 | Mascenic Regional School District | 31.76 | $18,234 | $79,237 |
| 102 | Lafayette Regional School District | 32.69 | $30,053 | $90,500 |
| 103 | Jaffrey-Rindge Coop School District | 33.02 | $18,857 | $75,649 |
| 104 | Newfound Area School District | 33.62 | $19,770 | $71,495 |
| 105 | Dunbarton School District | 33.88 | $18,668 | $136,548 |
| 106 | Greenland School District | 34.37 | $21,779 | $124,695 |
| 107 | Newport School District | 34.69 | $21,061 | $65,435 |
| 108 | Monadnock Regional School District | 34.97 | $20,511 | $67,360 |
| 109 | White Mountain Regional School District | 35.36 | $22,272 | $60,049 |
| 110 | Somersworth School District | 35.49 | $20,038 | $68,762 |
| 111 | Mont Vernon School District | 36.26 | $19,745 | $134,432 |
| 112 | Lisbon Regional School District | 36.40 | $21,372 | $62,674 |
| 113 | Errol School District | 36.48 | $37,545 | $64,306 |
| 114 | Dover School District | 36.55 | $16,348 | $82,387 |
| 115 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | 37.52 | $21,245 | $62,162 |
| 116 | Croydon School District | 37.88 | $15,068 | $86,250 |
| 117 | Sunapee School District | 39.94 | $31,130 | $92,762 |
| 118 | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Coop School District | 40.11 | $20,736 | $61,848 |
| 119 | Merrimack Valley School District | 40.24 | $17,798 | $73,341 |
| 120 | Nashua School District | 40.97 | $16,324 | $78,501 |
| 121 | Littleton School District | 41.33 | $24,687 | $45,141 |
| 122 | Farmington School District | 41.52 | $20,815 | $60,271 |
| 123 | Hollis/Brookline Coop School District | 42.22 | $17,772 | $147,586 |
| 124 | Brookline School District | 42.30 | $16,953 | $150,893 |
| 125 | Milan School District | 43.08 | $18,830 | $66,705 |
| 126 | Madison School District | 43.69 | $33,374 | $87,273 |
| 127 | Rochester School District | 44.21 | $17,591 | $70,582 |
| 128 | Conway School District | 45.54 | $20,379 | $58,371 |
| 129 | Laconia School District | 46.55 | $18,799 | $63,711 |
| 130 | Pittsfield School District | 47.52 | $20,014 | $58,036 |
| 131 | Brentwood School District | 48.07 | $18,929 | $148,281 |
| 132 | Winnisquam Regional School District | 48.47 | $18,206 | $64,327 |
| 133 | Hollis School District | 48.49 | $19,976 | $144,514 |
| 134 | Keene School District | 50.54 | $17,947 | $63,490 |
| 135 | Ashland School District | 51.19 | $21,591 | $48,509 |
| 136 | Stratham School District | 51.78 | $24,166 | $130,923 |
| 137 | Haverhill Cooperative School District | 52.11 | $20,051 | $53,762 |
| 138 | Claremont School District | 52.33 | $21,861 | $46,414 |
| 139 | Freedom School District | 53.06 | $39,655 | $70,875 |
| 140 | Franklin School District | 54.90 | $17,416 | $61,664 |
| 141 | Amherst School District | 55.67 | $22,393 | $141,424 |
| 142 | Winchester School District | 56.43 | $18,825 | $54,719 |
| 143 | Rye School District | 56.79 | $29,000 | $116,332 |
| 144 | Colebrook School District | 57.95 | $20,168 | $48,048 |
| 145 | Windham School District | 58.40 | $16,379 | $167,641 |
| 146 | North Hampton School District | 58.77 | $28,318 | $120,808 |
| 147 | Kensington School District | 60.11 | $29,933 | $115,625 |
| 148 | Grantham School District | 60.12 | $21,915 | $147,313 |
| 149 | Manchester School District | 60.83 | $14,734 | $66,929 |
| 150 | Dresden School District | 61.61 | $22,537 | $146,198 |
| 151 | Souhegan Cooperative School District | 65.86 | $24,821 | $140,997 |
| 152 | Northumberland School District | 66.02 | $17,733 | $50,417 |
| 153 | Lyme School District | 67.93 | $29,301 | $125,156 |
| 154 | Landaff School District | 69.75 | $45,100 | $64,375 |
| 155 | South Hampton School District | 72.90 | $25,646 | $144,063 |
| 156 | Berlin School District | 75.79 | $18,277 | $39,479 |
| 157 | Hanover School District | 80.03 | $26,728 | $146,198 |
| 158 | Newington School District | 90.62 | $29,192 | $145,987 |
| 159 | Hampton Falls School District | 95.35 | $31,626 | $140,625 |
| 160 | Newfields School District | 118.99 | $28,548 | $174,044 |
| 161 | New Castle School District | 141.34 | $39,500 | $150,875 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,870 school districts throughout the U.S. based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
For expenditures, for each 1 percent above the state's average we removed 1 point from a base score of 50 points for each district. For household income, for each 1 percent above the state's average we added 1 point to a base score of 50 points for each district. The inverse was true for each 1 percent below the state's average.
The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from of the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.
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