School District Report Card 2026: Which Towns Are Rising (And Falling) This Year

Annual school district analysis reveals Hopkinton maintains #1 ranking (9.1/10), while Reading (+0.3 to 8.8/10) and Franklin (+0.2 to 8.3/10) show strongest improvement. Declining districts: Newton (-0.2 to 9.3/10) and Brookline (-0.1 to 9.2/10) still elite but losing ground. Value markets with improving schools (Reading, Franklin, Medway) show +6-8% appreciation vs. +3-4% for prestige markets with stable ratings.