Best Schools in Acton, Massachusetts
8 schools · 5 Elementary · 1 Middle · 1 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in Acton?
Use this page to compare every school in Acton by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Paul P Gates Elementary School
Elementary · Acton-boxborough. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Raymond J Grey Junior High
Middle · Acton-boxborough. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Acton-boxborough Regional High
High · Acton-boxborough. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Acton for 2026 are Paul P Gates Elementary School (8.9/10), Raymond J Grey Junior High (8.9/10), and Acton-boxborough Regional High (8.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 7 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
8
in this city
Avg Score
7.5
out of 10
Median Home
$766,500
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
8
in this city
Avg Score
7.5
out of 10
Median Home
$766,500
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Top-Rated Schools in Acton
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (7 of 8). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul P Gates Elementary School | 8.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Raymond J Grey Junior High | 8.9 / 10 |
| 3 | Acton-boxborough Regional High | 8.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Luther Conant School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 5 | Mccarthy-towne School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 6 | C.t. Douglas Elementary School | 6.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Merriam School | 6.5 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.5/10
- Median household income
- $154,101
- Median home value
- $766,500
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 78%
- Avg commute
- 35 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 75%
63% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Acton compares
Massachusetts rank
#39 of 238
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+1.2
above Massachusetts avg (6.3)
Median household income
$154k
136% of Massachusetts median
Schools in this city
8
About Schools in Acton, Massachusetts
Acton's public school system is compact and consistently high-performing. Eight ranked public schools serve the district, averaging 7.6 out of 10. Five of those eight schools — 62 percent of the system — score 7.0 or higher, a ratio that signals real district-wide quality rather than a single standout masking weaker schools. Paul P Gates Elementary leads the system at 8.8, the highest score among all ranked schools in Acton.
The elementary pipeline is one of the strongest features of Acton's system. Three elementary schools score above 7.5: Gates at 8.8, Luther Conant School at 8.2, and McCarthy-Towne School at 7.8. All three land above the district average, which means families have genuinely strong options regardless of which campus their address feeds into. Assignment zone still matters for parents with specific preferences, but there is no weak elementary option here. Raymond J Grey Junior High extends that consistency into the middle grades with an 8.7 score — the second-highest in the district, essentially even with Gates, and a strong signal that students entering from Acton's elementary schools won't lose ground in the transition.
Acton-Boxborough Regional High rounds out the top five at 8.1, above the district's 7.6 average. The high school continues the pattern of consistent performance that defines the system as a whole.
For parents weighing a move to Acton, the data makes a clear case. Five of eight schools score 7.0 or higher, the district averages 7.6, and no grade level shows a soft spot. The 8.8 at the top is exceptional, but the deeper story is breadth: Acton performs at a high level across all three tiers of public education. Families entering at kindergarten or transferring at any grade level will find an above-average system waiting.
Elementary Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 356 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.9 |
| 2 | 413 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.1 |
| 3 | 441 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.8 |
| 4 | 407 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.6 |
| 5 | 404 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.5 |
Middle Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 813 students · 7th–8th | 8.9 |
High Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,649 students · 9th–12th | 8.2 |
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 109 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.7 |
Schools in Acton
Acton, Massachusetts · 8 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$154,101
Median Home Value
$766,500
Median Rent
$1,908/mo
Population
23,322
College Educated
78%
Homeownership
75%
Avg Commute
35 min
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Community Profile
Acton has a median household income of $154,101. It is a well-educated community where 78% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $766,500, with a median rent of $1,908/month. The local poverty rate of 3.5% is relatively low. The average commute in the area is 35 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Massachusetts
- Elementary
- 5
- Middle
- 1
- High
- 1
- Other
- 1
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Massachusetts
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Acton, Massachusetts
How many schools are in Acton, Massachusetts?
Acton has 8 schools, including 8 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Acton, Massachusetts?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Acton is 7.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Acton, Massachusetts?
The top-ranked school in Acton on MySchoolScout is Paul P Gates Elementary School with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best elementary school in Acton, Massachusetts?
The top-ranked elementary school in Acton on MySchoolScout is Paul P Gates Elementary School with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best middle school in Acton, Massachusetts?
The top-ranked middle school in Acton on MySchoolScout is Raymond J Grey Junior High with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best high school in Acton, Massachusetts?
The top-ranked high school in Acton on MySchoolScout is Acton-boxborough Regional High with a composite score of 8.2/10.
How many school districts serve Acton, Massachusetts?
Acton is served by 1 school district: Acton-boxborough.
What is the education level in Acton, Massachusetts?
According to Census data, 78% of adults in Acton have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Acton, Massachusetts?
The median household income in Acton is approximately $154,101 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Acton, Massachusetts?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Acton is 13.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Acton, Massachusetts?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Mass. Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.