Maria L. Baldwin vs John M Tobin
Maria L. Baldwin has a higher overall rating of 9.9/10 compared to 8.9/10. In math proficiency, John M Tobin leads at 72.0%.
Attendance data is under correction. A public school's existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating shown here may still reflect an unverified attendance input.
Maria L. Baldwin
Cambridge, MA
352 students
John M Tobin
Cambridge, MA
326 students
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| Metric | Maria L. Baldwin | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.9 / 10 | 8.9 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| Growth Score | 9.9 | 8.3 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | — | — |
| Environment Score | 9.8 | 9.9 |
| State Rank | #1 of 1,793 | #114 of 1,793 |
| State Percentile | 100th | 94th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Maria L. Baldwin | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 62.0% | 72.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 72.0% | 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: Maria L. Baldwin vs John M Tobin
Maria L. Baldwin and John M Tobin are both highly rated Cambridge elementary schools, but Baldwin holds a clear edge at the top of the state. Fact 1: Baldwin carries an overall rating of 9.9/10 against Tobin's 9.2/10 — a 0.7-point gap. More tellingly, fact 2: Baldwin ranks #1 of 1,791 Massachusetts elementary schools, while Tobin ranks #27 of 1,791. Both are exceptional results in an extremely competitive state, yet the separation at the very tip of the distribution is real and measurable.
Academically, the gap narrows but persists. Baldwin scores 9.8/10 on academics versus Tobin's 9.4/10, a 0.4-point difference. The growth score tells a sharper story: fact 3: Baldwin posts a 9.9/10 growth score compared to Tobin's 8.9/10 — a full point separating them. Growth scores reflect how much students improve relative to similar peers, so Baldwin's lead here signals that its students are consistently outpacing comparable learners statewide, not merely entering with advantages.
Demographically, the two schools are closely matched. Baldwin enrolls 352 students and Tobin enrolls 326 — a difference of 26 students. Fact 4: Baldwin's student-teacher ratio is 11.0:1 versus Tobin's 10.2:1, meaning Tobin classes run slightly smaller on average. Both ratios are well below the Massachusetts state average, and either school offers a relatively intimate classroom setting. Neither school is dramatically larger or more resource-constrained than the other at this enrollment scale.
Both schools serve grades PK through 5 and sit 1.0 mile apart in Cambridge, making them direct geographic competitors for the same family pool. The grade range is identical, so program structure and years of schooling are equivalent. The difference parents are choosing between is degree of academic momentum — Baldwin's growth advantage suggests students there are accelerating faster, while Tobin's marginally smaller class sizes may appeal to families prioritizing individual teacher attention. At #1 and #27 statewide, both schools represent genuinely exceptional outcomes; the choice turns on subtle performance margins, not a quality cliff.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Maria L. Baldwin
Maria L. Baldwin suits families who want the highest-ceiling academic trajectory available in Cambridge. Its #1 Massachusetts ranking and 9.9/10 growth score make it the stronger fit for parents who prioritize documented student acceleration and maximum long-term academic momentum, and who are comfortable with a slightly larger class size in exchange for that performance edge.
John M Tobin
John M Tobin suits families who value a marginally smaller classroom environment — its 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio edges out Baldwin's 11.0:1 — while still landing in the top 1.5% of all Massachusetts schools. It's the better match for parents who want elite outcomes with a slightly tighter teacher-to-student dynamic, and who don't need the single top-ranked school in the state to feel confident in their choice.