Haggerty vs John M Tobin
Haggerty and John M Tobin are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.3 out of 10. In math proficiency, John M Tobin leads at 72.0%.
Haggerty
Cambridge, MA
229 students
John M Tobin
Cambridge, MA
326 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Haggerty | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.3 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.3 | 9.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.7 | 8.9 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.8 | 9.8 |
| State Rank | #16 of 1,791 | #27 of 1,791 |
| State Percentile | 99th | 99th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Haggerty | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 47.0% | 72.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 57.0% | 82.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Cambridge (02138) | Cambridge (02139) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $122,040 | $124,648 |
| Median Home Value | $1,088,700 | $1,066,200 |
| Median Rent | $2,799 | $2,613 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 85.6% | 77.6% |
| Poverty Rate | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Avg Commute | 24 min | 25 min |
The data story: Haggerty vs John M Tobin
Haggerty and John M Tobin are both top-tier elementary schools in Cambridge, Massachusetts — ranked #16 and #27 respectively out of 1,791 schools statewide — separated by just 0.1 points in overall rating (Haggerty 9.3/10, John M Tobin 9.2/10). At that level, the gap in overall score is essentially a tie, and parents should look past the headline number to the underlying components to find the real differences.
The sharpest divergence between the two schools is in how students perform versus how fast they improve. John M Tobin leads on academic score by 1.1 points (9.4/10 vs. Haggerty's 8.3/10), meaning current proficiency levels are measurably higher at Tobin. Haggerty flips that result on growth: its 9.7/10 growth score outpaces Tobin's 8.9/10, indicating Haggerty students are advancing at a faster rate relative to their starting points. Whether a family prioritizes high baseline achievement or rapid year-over-year progress will likely determine which of these numbers matters more.
Haggerty serves 229 students against John M Tobin's 326, and that smaller enrollment translates directly into classroom intimacy — Haggerty's student-teacher ratio is 7.9:1 compared to Tobin's 10.2:1. That 2.3-student-per-teacher difference is meaningful at the elementary level, where individualized attention shapes early literacy and numeracy outcomes. Both schools serve grades PK through 5, so families with children across that span can plan on a single school without disruption at either option.
Both schools cover identical grade bands (PK–05) and sit just 2.5 miles apart within Cambridge, making the choice genuinely competitive on logistics alone. The schools share a district, which means curricular frameworks and administrative resources are broadly similar. The differentiation comes down to the data: Tobin's higher academic score reflects stronger current proficiency, while Haggerty's higher growth score and notably lower student-teacher ratio of 7.9:1 point to an environment built around individual student momentum.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Haggerty
Haggerty suits families who prioritize rapid academic growth and a small, high-attention classroom environment. With a 7.9:1 student-teacher ratio and a 9.7/10 growth score, it fits parents of students who are earlier in their academic development or who learn best with more direct teacher contact — including children who benefited from PreK support and need consistent, close follow-through into early elementary grades.
John M Tobin
John M Tobin fits families whose children are already strong performers and who want a school with demonstrably high current proficiency — its 9.4/10 academic score ranks it among Massachusetts's top producers of grade-level achievement. With 326 students it also offers a broader peer community, which suits children who thrive socially in a larger, more dynamic school setting.