Best Schools in Belen, New Mexico
12 schools · 7 Elementary · 2 Middle · 2 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in Belen?
Use this page to compare every school in Belen 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.
Gil Sanchez Elementary
Elementary · Belen. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Rio Grande Elementary
Elementary · Belen. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
St Mary's Catholic School Belen
Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Belen for 2026 are Gil Sanchez Elementary (8.8/10), Rio Grande Elementary (8.6/10), and St Mary's Catholic School Belen (7.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 12 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
12
10 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$183,700
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
12
10 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$183,700
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 8.6/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Belen schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Belen
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (12 of 12). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gil Sanchez Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Rio Grande Elementary | 8.6 / 10 |
| 3 | St Mary's Catholic School Belen | 7.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Dennis Chavez Elementary | 7.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Central Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Belen Family School | 6.5 / 10 |
| 7 | La Merced Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Canon Christian Academy | 6.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Belen High | 5.7 / 10 |
| 10 | La Promesa Elementary | 5.0 / 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
- 6.4/10
- Median household income
- $51,537
- Median home value
- $183,700
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 19%
- Avg commute
- 27 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 82%
33% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Belen compares
New Mexico rank
#37 of 79
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.2
above New Mexico avg (6.2)
Median household income
$52k
90% of New Mexico median
Schools in this city
12
About Schools in Belen, New Mexico
Belen's public school system includes 10 ranked schools with a citywide average score of 6.3 out of 10. Three schools — 30 percent of the ranked pool — clear the 7-point threshold, giving families with address flexibility real options among higher-performing campuses. The remaining seven schools cluster at or below the citywide average, which means where a student is assigned matters more here than in districts with a flatter performance curve.
The elementary tier drives most of the performance story. Rio Grande Elementary leads the city with a score of 8.8 — the highest in Belen and more than 2.5 points above the local average. Dennis Chavez Elementary follows at 8.2, putting two strong elementary schools at the top of the local rankings. Belen Family School rounds out the upper tier at 7.8. Below that, Gil Sanchez Elementary scores 6.9 and La Promesa Elementary comes in at 6.1, both near the citywide mean. The spread between the top and bottom of the listed elementary schools is 2.7 points — a gap wide enough to make school selection a meaningful decision for families with young children.
For parents with elementary-age children, Rio Grande and Dennis Chavez are the clearest targets. Both significantly outperform the 6.3 city average, and either represents a strong starting point. Belen Family School is a competitive alternative. Families researching middle and high school options should pull individual scores for those campuses directly — the strong elementary-level results don't automatically extend up the grade ladder. With 70 percent of ranked schools scoring below 7, confirming your assigned school before choosing a neighborhood is a practical first step that can make a real difference in outcomes.
Elementary Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 304 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.8 | ||
| 2 | 359 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.6 | ||
| 3 | 281 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.0 | ||
| 4 | 139 students · 1st–8th | 6.5 | ||
| 5 | 433 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.3 | ||
| 6 | 205 students · Pre-K–6th | 5.0 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Mary's Catholic School Belen
Private
158 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.6 | ||
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 183 students · 4th–6th | 6.6 |
| 2 | 493 students · 7th–8th | 3.8 |
High Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,044 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 |
| 2 | 123 students · 9th–12th | 4.7 |
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canon Christian Academy
Private
219 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.1 |
Schools in Belen
Belen, New Mexico · 12 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$51,537
Median Home Value
$183,700
Median Rent
$859/mo
Population
21,375
College Educated
19%
Homeownership
82%
Avg Commute
27 min
Poverty Rate
19.6%
Community Profile
Belen has a median household income of $51,537. It is a community where 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $183,700, with a median rent of $859/month. The area has a poverty rate of 19.6%. The average commute for residents is 27 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- New Mexico
- Elementary
- 7
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 2
- Other
- 1
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in New Mexico
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 Belen, New Mexico
How many schools are in Belen, New Mexico?
Belen has 12 schools, including 10 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Belen, New Mexico?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Belen is 6.4 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 Belen, New Mexico?
The top-ranked school in Belen on MySchoolScout is Gil Sanchez Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Belen, New Mexico?
The top-ranked elementary school in Belen on MySchoolScout is Gil Sanchez Elementary with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Belen, New Mexico?
The top-ranked middle school in Belen on MySchoolScout is Central Elementary with a composite score of 6.6/10.
What is the best high school in Belen, New Mexico?
The top-ranked high school in Belen on MySchoolScout is Belen High with a composite score of 5.7/10.
How many school districts serve Belen, New Mexico?
Belen is served by 1 school district: Belen.
What is the education level in Belen, New Mexico?
According to Census data, 19% of adults in Belen have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Belen, New Mexico?
The median household income in Belen is approximately $51,537 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Belen, New Mexico?
Yes, Belen has 2 private schools alongside 10 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Mary's Catholic School Belen with a score of 7.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Belen, New Mexico?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Belen is 15.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Belen, New Mexico?
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, New Mexico Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.