Best Schools in Andover, Massachusetts

Andover's public school system is one of the most consistently strong in Massachusetts. Eleven ranked schools serve the city, and every single one scores 7 or higher out of 10 — a 100% pass rate at that threshold that few cities in the state can match. The system-wide average lands at 8.5 out of 10, well above typical suburban benchmarks and a reliable signal that quality is distributed across the district, not concentrated in one or two outliers.

Elementary performance anchors that strength. Henry C Sanborn Elementary leads the city with a 9.5 out of 10, the top score among all 11 ranked schools. Bancroft Elementary follows at 9.0. Parents with young children have two genuinely elite options before their kids ever reach middle school. The scores suggest strong instructional foundations across grade bands — Sanborn and Bancroft aren't statistical flukes; they reflect district-wide investment in early learning.

The middle school picture is equally competitive. Wood Hill Middle School and Doherty Middle both score 9.2, and Andover West Middle comes in at 9.0. Three middle schools clustered within 0.2 points of each other at the top of the scale is rare. For families who worry about quality dropping off after elementary, Andover's transition years hold up. Parents should check enrollment zones carefully — all three schools perform at a high level, but proximity will determine which one their child attends.

For families weighing Andover against neighboring communities, the aggregate picture makes a clear case. An 8.5 system average with zero schools falling below a 7 means there is no weak assignment to worry about. Most cities this size have at least one school pulling the average down. Andover does not. Whether a child lands at one of the top-scoring elementaries or a middle school in the 9.0 range, the floor here is high. Parents researching Andover can spend less time stress-testing individual school placements and more time evaluating neighborhoods, commute, and housing — the schools will hold up either way.