A recent WalletHub study of the best and worst public school systems found Massachusetts at No. 1 overall, coming in on top for safety, quality, and math and reading scores. The state’s total score was 78.16, far outpacing the list’s No. 2 system, New Jersey, which had an overall score of 66.92.
Boston itself is home to 26 public high schools, one of which – Boston Latin School – is the best school in the state, according to U.S. News & World Report.
School districts are a major factor in the purchase of a home, with a recent National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2016 report finding that almost half of all buyers with children younger than 18 are influenced by the quality of the school district.
Another recent report found that desire to live near good schools was the third-biggest reason for moving among visitors to Realtor.com between the ages of 35 and 44.
| State | Total Score | Quality Rank | Safety Rank | |
| 1 | Massachusetts | 78.16 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 66.92 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 64.65 | 4 | 14 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 64.25 | 6 | 7 |
| 5 | Vermont | 64.09 | 5 | 11 |
| 6 | Virginia | 63.77 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 62.68 | 7 | 18 |
| 8 | Connecticut | 61.31 | 3 | 33 |
| 9 | Iowa | 61.06 | 11 | 9 |
| 10 | Maine | 59.93 | 16 | 4 |