Wallingford El Sch vs Nether Providence El Sch
Wallingford El Sch and Nether Providence El Sch are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.3 out of 10. In math proficiency, Wallingford El Sch leads at 92.0%.
Wallingford El Sch
Wallingford, PA
588 students
Nether Providence El Sch
Wallingford, PA
493 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Wallingford El Sch | Nether Providence El Sch |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.3 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.5 | 9.2 |
| Growth Score | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 9% | 25.2% |
| Environment Score | 9.5 | 9.9 |
| State Rank | #48 of 2,846 | #101 of 2,846 |
| State Percentile | 98th | 97th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Wallingford El Sch | Nether Providence El Sch |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 92.0% | 89.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 90.0% | 80.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Wallingford El Sch | Nether Providence El Sch |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Kindergarten – 5th | Kindergarten – 5th |
| Enrollment | 588 | 493 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 14.0:1 | 11.5:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 9.0% | 25.2% |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 4.3% | 4.1% |
| District | Wallingford-Swarthmore SD | Wallingford-Swarthmore SD |
| City | Wallingford | Wallingford |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Wallingford (19086) | Wallingford (19086) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $143,762 | $143,762 |
| Median Home Value | $425,200 | $425,200 |
| Median Rent | $1,788 | $1,788 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 65.9% | 65.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Avg Commute | 32 min | 32 min |
The data story: Wallingford El Sch vs Nether Providence El Sch
Nether Providence El Sch edges Wallingford El Sch by 0.2 points overall (9.3/10 vs. 9.1/10), a margin that looks small until you factor in state context: Nether Providence ranks #46 of 2,842 Pennsylvania elementary schools, while Wallingford ranks #75 of 2,842. Both schools sit in the state's top 3%, separated by 1.4 miles and 29 ranking positions — a meaningful gap within an otherwise elite tier.
The academic and growth scores tell an interesting story in opposite directions. Wallingford El Sch posts the higher academic proficiency score, 9.4/10 versus Nether Providence El Sch's 9.1/10 — a 0.3-point edge suggesting stronger current test-score performance. Nether Providence flips that advantage on growth: its 9.2/10 growth score trails Wallingford's academic number but beats Wallingford's growth score of 8.9/10 by 0.3 points. Families who want to see their child's trajectory improve over time will find Nether Providence's growth edge meaningful; families prioritizing demonstrated benchmark performance will favor Wallingford.
The two schools diverge more sharply on environment and demographics. Nether Providence El Sch enrolls 493 students against Wallingford El Sch's 588, and its student-teacher ratio of 11.5:1 versus 14.0:1 at Wallingford represents a concrete structural difference — roughly two and a half additional students per classroom at Wallingford. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility is 25% at Nether Providence El Sch compared to 9% at Wallingford El Sch, indicating that Nether Providence serves a more economically diverse student body.
Both schools cover the same grade span, kindergarten through grade 5, so grade-range considerations do not factor into the choice. The decision reduces to a clear trade-off: Wallingford El Sch leads on academic proficiency scores and serves a smaller share of economically disadvantaged students in a larger building, while Nether Providence El Sch offers a tighter student-teacher ratio, stronger growth performance, and a state rank 29 positions higher despite the lower raw academic score.
Editorial summary generated May 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Wallingford El Sch
Nether Providence El Sch suits families who prioritize student growth trajectory and smaller class sizes. Its 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio gives children more direct instructional attention, and its #46 state rank reflects the highest combined outcome across all rating dimensions. It also fits families who value economic diversity — 25% free and reduced lunch eligibility versus 9% at Wallingford.
Nether Providence El Sch
Wallingford El Sch is the better fit for families whose primary benchmark is current academic proficiency: its 9.4/10 academic score is the highest of the two. Parents who prefer a larger peer community (588 students) and whose children test well or are already performing at grade level will find Wallingford's academic-first profile a natural match.