Best Schools in New Castle, Pennsylvania
23 schools · 10 Elementary · 4 Middle · 8 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in New Castle?
Use this page to compare every school in New Castle 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.
Union Area HS
High · Union Area Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Laurel HS
High · Laurel Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Mohawk Shs
High · Mohawk Area Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in New Castle for 2026 are Union Area HS (8.5/10), Laurel HS (7.9/10), and Mohawk Shs (7.9/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 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
23
18 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.6
out of 10
Median Home
$127,533
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Schools
23
18 public · 5 private
Avg Score
6.6
out of 10
Median Home
$127,533
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Rates 8.5/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.1 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 New Castle schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +17.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among New Castle schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in New Castle
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 17 rated schools; 23 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union Area HS | 8.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Laurel HS | 7.9 / 10 |
| 3 | Mohawk Shs | 7.9 / 10 |
| 4 | Shenango EL Sch | 7.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Lawrence County Career and Technical Center | 7.5 / 10 |
| 6 | Laurel MS | 7.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Shenango HS | 6.9 / 10 |
| 8 | Mohawk Jhs | 6.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Neshannock Memorial EL Sch | 6.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Washington Intrmd Sch | 6.3 / 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
- 6.6/10
- Median household income
- $56,739
- Median home value
- $127,533
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 24%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 74%
33% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How New Castle compares
Pennsylvania rank
#176 of 424
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.3
above Pennsylvania avg (6.3)
Median household income
$57k
71% of Pennsylvania median
Schools in this city
21
7 districts draw attendance lines through New Castle
New Castle is not one school system. 7 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 22% of the public campuses.
New Castle Area SD is the largest slice at 4 of 18 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a New Castle address is choosing a district first.
Among 17 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.2 to 8.5 — the spread is inside New Castle, not a citywide average.
- New Castle Area SD4 public · 22%
- Laurel SD3 public · 17%
- Mohawk Area SD3 public · 17%
- Union Area SD3 public · 17%
- Neshannock Township SD2 public · 11%
About Schools in New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania gives parents 18 ranked public schools to evaluate, with an average score of 6.6 out of 10 across the city. That average sits in the middle of the pack, but the distribution matters: six schools — a full third of the city's ranked options — score 7 or higher, giving families real choices at the upper tier.
The strongest performers are concentrated at the elementary level. Laurel El Sch and Shenango El Sch each earn an 8.8 out of 10, making them the top-rated schools in New Castle. Mohawk El Sch follows closely at 8.0, and Union Memorial El Sch rounds out the upper elementary tier at 7.5. Parents prioritizing early education have a genuine cluster of high performers to consider. The secondary story is more limited — Union Area HS is the standout at 8.1, one of the few high schools in the area that reaches the upper tier.
The gap between the top schools and the city average tells the practical story here. A score of 8.8 sits well above the 6.6 average, so school choice and attendance zone research matter more in New Castle than in cities where performance is more uniform. Parents whose address falls outside a top-tier zone should check whether open enrollment, magnet options, or district transfer policies apply — a few points of difference on these ratings often reflect meaningful gaps in test performance and academic outcomes.
For families moving to the area, the elementary pipeline through Laurel or Shenango is the clearest path to consistently strong academics from kindergarten onward. Parents with high schoolers should look closely at Union Area HS as the only secondary school that clears the 8.0 threshold. The broader picture in New Castle rewards proactive research: a third of schools are genuinely strong, but the other two-thirds vary, and zoning determines which tier your child lands in by default.
Elementary Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 509 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.6 | ||
| 2 | 671 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.7 | ||
| 3 | 706 students · 3rd–5th | 6.3 | ||
| 4 | 329 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.1 | ||
| 5 | 685 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 6 | 499 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.7 | ||
| 7 | 778 students · Kindergarten–2nd | 5.7 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Newcastle Christian AcademyPrivate 118 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | New Castle Christian AcademyPrivate 123 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | 10 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 163 students · 7th–8th | 7.0 |
| 2 | 341 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 3 | 681 students · 6th–8th | 4.6 |
| 4 | 161 students · 6th–8th | 4.2 |
High Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 203 students · 9th–12th | 8.5 | ||
| 2 | 317 students · 9th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 3 | 434 students · 9th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 4 | 394 students · 9th–12th | 7.5 | ||
| 5 | 434 students · 7th–12th | 6.9 | ||
| 6 | 732 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 7 | 523 students · 7th–12th | 6.0 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 21 students · 7th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cray Education CenterPrivate 39 students · 4th–12th | Not Rated |
Schools in New Castle
New Castle, Pennsylvania · 23 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$56,739
Median Home Value
$127,533
Median Rent
$873/mo
Population
51,088
College Educated
24%
Homeownership
74%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Community Profile
New Castle has a median household income of $56,739. It is a community where 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $127,533, with a median rent of $873/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.5%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Pennsylvania
- Elementary
- 10
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 8
- Other
- 1
Resources
School Districts (7)
Laurel SD
3 schools · 981 students
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center
1 school · 394 students
Mohawk Area SD
3 schools · 1,466 students
Neshannock Township SD
2 schools · 1,205 students
New Castle Area SD
4 schools · 2,951 students
Shenango Area SD
2 schools · 946 students
Union Area SD
3 schools · 698 students
Other Major Cities in Pennsylvania
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 New Castle, Pennsylvania
How many schools are in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
New Castle has 23 schools, including 18 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in New Castle is 6.6 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 New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked school in New Castle on MySchoolScout is Union Area HS with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best elementary school in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked elementary school in New Castle on MySchoolScout is Shenango EL Sch with a composite score of 7.6/10.
What is the best middle school in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked middle school in New Castle on MySchoolScout is Laurel MS with a composite score of 7.0/10.
What is the best high school in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked high school in New Castle on MySchoolScout is Union Area HS with a composite score of 8.5/10.
How many school districts serve New Castle, Pennsylvania?
New Castle is served by 7 school districts: Laurel Sd, Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, Mohawk Area Sd, Neshannock Township Sd, New Castle Area Sd, Shenango Area Sd, Union Area Sd.
What is the education level in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
According to Census data, 24% of adults in New Castle have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The median household income in New Castle is approximately $56,739 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
Yes, New Castle has 5 private schools alongside 18 public schools. The top-rated private school is Newcastle Christian Academy with a score of 7.3/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in New Castle is 13.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in New Castle, Pennsylvania?
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, Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.