west medford

[charolastra00]

I'll second the schools comments. I live in West Medford and while I love it, it's not a place I would really want to raise children. The effects of the schools show in the behavior of the neighborhood kids. Since I moved in 2 months ago (with 2 other early 20s roommates), we've gotten to know a lot of the families on our street. They are all lovely, diverse (race, religion, class, employment), and friendly - but when the kids get together in the neighborhood park, it quickly feels unsafe. My roommate and I were run off of the neighborhood tennis court by a bunch of 11 - 14 year olds screaming profanities. Some of them were our neighbors - they interacted fine in a family setting.

Now, there's some element of kids being kids in a mob mentality. But I volunteer a lot with kids and these kids act more like the youth gang prevention programs I have worked in rather than a family neighborhood.

Your mileage may vary.

[wxjay]

I am actually searching for a condo to buy in the next year or so and I was considering Medford. It looks like the west side is the most preferable area? Any other (further) insights?

[szenk]

This school ranking site has Medford at an incredibly impressive 18th out of 329 total school districts, in spending per student. Yes, just spending ($$) is NOT the only factor in quality of schools or education, but still this is a very interesting statistic and certainly you cannot say Medford isn't trying at all. Also, a few progressive education-minded people have gotten on the school committee last several years so I think a serious attempt to improve the schools may be underway. I know that some families and kids have been happy with their educations. Certain elementary schools are known to be nice places with caring and attentive staffs.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed


School District Finance Report
MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH

The HomeSurfer School District Finance rating for MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH is 4.4 out of a possible of 5 points. The HomeSurfer school rating is calculated using factors such as Spending Per Pupil, Capital Spending, and the debt position of the school district. National ranking is weighed more heavily than the state ranking.



MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH has a spending per pupil rate of 19566. This compares with a rate of 11768 in Massachusetts and a rate of 9698 nationally.


Spending Per Pupil
District 19566
MA 11768
National 9698

MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH is in the 94.8% percentile rank in the state for Spending Per Pupil. It is in the 95.8% percentile rank nationally. Higher numbers are better. In this case, 94.8% of cities in Massachusetts spend the same or less than MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH. Said another way, 5.2% of schools in Massachusetts spend more than MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH.


Massachusetts School District Ranking Report
spending per pupil
State Rank District Spending Per Pupil

1 GOSNOLD TOWN SCH $127,000
2 HAWLEMONT REG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT $47,813
3 PIONEER VALLEY REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $37,416
4 TRURO TOWN SCH $35,477
5 RALPH C MAHAR REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $32,858
6 MINUTE MAN VOC-TECH SCHOOL DISTRICT $25,675
7 ROWE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL $23,160
8 FARMINGTON RIVER REGIONAL SCHOOL DIS $23,061
9 MILTON PUBLIC SCHS $22,778
10 CAMBRIDGE CITY SCHOOLS $21,393
11 PROVINCETOWN TOWN SCH $21,305
12 ESSEX AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL HIG $20,785
13 NANTUCKET TOWN SCHS $20,618
14 ERVING ELEMENTARY SCH $20,578
15 HANCOCK TOWN SCHS $20,508
16 ASSABET VOC TECH REG SCH $20,073
17 SOUTH MIDDLESEX VOC TECH REG $19,608
18 MEDFORD PUBLIC SCH $19,566
19 MARTHAS VINEYARD REG HIGH SCHOOL DIS $19,524
20 NORTH SHORE REG VOC SCHOOL $19,453
21 NAHANT TOWN SCH $18,898
22 UP-ISLAND REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT $18,446
23 OAK BLUFFS TOWN SCHS $18,438
24 WELLFLEET TOWN SCH $18,435
25 NORFOLK COUNTY AGRIC H SCHOOL DISTRICT $18,155
26 WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOLS $18,016
27 TISBURY TOWN SCH $18,012
28 BLACKSTONE VALLEY REG VOC SCHOOL DIS $17,373
29 SOMERVILLE CITY SCH $17,277
30 ORLEANS TOWN SCH $16,799
31 GREATER LAWRENCE REG VOC TECH $16,772
32 TANTASQUA REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $16,426
33 SAVOY TOWN SCHS $16,381
34 RICHMOND TOWN SCHS $16,347
35 BOSTON CITY SCH $16,257
36 SOUTHEASTERN REG VOC TECH $16,014
37 NEWTON CITY SCH $15,983
38 CAPE COD REG VOC TECH SCH $15,951
39 SOUTH SHORE REG VOC SCHOOL DISTRICT $15,915
40 SHAWSHEEN VALLEY VOC TECH $15,796
41 EASTHAM TOWN SCH $15,655
42 FRANKLIN COUNTY TECH SCHOOL $15,596
43 PEMBROKE TOWN SCHS $15,524
44 WALTHAM CITY SCH $15,488
45 WELLESLEY TOWN SCHS $15,481
46 DOVER SHERBORN REG HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT $15,475
47 TRI-COUNTY REG VOC SCH $15,389
48 FRONTIER REGNL SCHOOL DISTRICT $15,321
49 CONCORD-CARLISLE REG HIGH SCHOOL DIS $15,289
50 BLACKSTONE-MILLVILLE REG SCHOOL DT $15,146
51 WESTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS $15,036
52 BLUE HILLS REG VOC SCHOOL DISTRICT $14,958
53 NORTHERN BERKSHIRE REG VOC SCHOOL DI $14,948
54 MONTACHUSETT VOC TECH $14,832
55 NORTHAMPTON-SMITH VOC. SCH. $14,693
56 CHATHAM TOWN SCH $14,680
57 LEVERETT ELEMENTARY SCH $14,671
58 BROOKLINE TOWN SCHS $14,604
59 LINCOLN-SUDBURY REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $14,569
60 LINCOLN TOWN SCHOOLS $14,496
61 BEDFORD TOWN SCH $14,490
62 EDGARTOWN TOWN SCHS $14,474
63 NORTHEAST METRO REG VOC $14,436
64 OLD COLONY REG VOC TECH $14,247
65 HOLYOKE CITY SCH $14,219
66 GREATER LOWELL VOC TECH REG $14,141
67 NATICK TOWN SCH $14,099
68 PATHFINDER VOC TECH $14,085
69 SHIRLEY TOWN SCHOOL $14,032
70 SOUTH BERKSHIRE REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $14,006
71 BRISTOL PLYMTH VOC TECH REG SC $13,950
72 CONWAY TOWN SCHS $13,892
73 UPPER CAPE COD REG VOC-TECH SCHOOL D $13,888
74 BRISTOL COUNTY AGRIC H SCHOOL DISTRICT $13,847
75 LENOX TOWN SCH $13,825
76 GREATER NEW BEDFORD REG VOC. SCH. $13,821
77 BAY PATH REG VOC TECH H S $13,562
78 AMHERST-PELHAM REG SCHOOL DISTRICT $13,498
79 SHUTESBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL $13,475
80 BERKSHIRE HILLS REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT $13,450
81 MANCHESTER ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DIS $13,416
82 CONCORD PUBLIC SCH **(CONTINUES TO 329)**