New Hampshire Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
New Hampshire reported 507 operating public schools, 212 operating districts, 166,594 public school students, and 14,494 teacher full-time equivalents in school year 2023–24.
Fiscal year 2024 current spending reached $22,978 per pupil. The 2026 reference year identifies the publication edition; school, enrollment, staffing, private school, and finance statistics retain their official source periods.
New Hampshire Education Statistics
Counts cover public elementary and secondary education unless the statistic is labeled private school or finance.
Public School Enrollment Trend, 2013–2023
Fall student membership reported through the Common Core of Data
Enrollment declined from 186,310 in fall 2013 to 166,594 in fall 2023. The complete annual series remains visible in the enrollment table.
Trend analysis
- Public school enrollment declined by 19,716 students between fall 2013 and fall 2023.
- The ten-year change was -10.6%.
- Enrollment decreased by 6.1% between fall 2019 and fall 2023.
- The largest decline in the displayed annual series occurred from 2019 to 2020, when membership fell by 8,324 students.
- Fall 2021 produced the only annual increase in the displayed period, adding 978 students.
- Enrollment decreased by 2,315 students, or 1.4%, from fall 2022 to fall 2023.
Full New Hampshire Education Indicator Table
The table separates school-year counts, fiscal-year finance measures, and private school estimates.
| Indicator | Value | Period | Coverage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating public schools | 507 | 2023–24 | Public schools | NCES CCD |
| Operating public districts | 212 | 2023–24 | Operating agencies | NCES CCD |
| Public student membership | 166,594 | Fall 2023 | Pre-K through grade 13 | NCES CCD |
| Public teacher FTE | 14,494 | 2023–24 | Teacher full-time equivalents | NCES CCD |
| Pupil-teacher ratio | 11.5 | 2023–24 | State totals | NCES CCD |
| Charter schools | 43 | 2023–24 | Charter status; overlaps school type | NCES CCD |
| Private schools | 190 | 2021–22 | K–12 private schools | NCES PSS |
| Private school enrollment | 25,110 | Fall 2021 | K–12 private students | NCES PSS |
| Private school teacher FTE | 2,500 | 2021–22 | Private school teachers | NCES PSS |
| Current spending per pupil | $22,978 | FY2024 | Public school systems | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Total expenditure per pupil | $25,229 | FY2024 | Includes capital outlay | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Total revenue per pupil | $25,991 | FY2024 | Federal, state, and local revenue | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Federal revenue per pupil | $2,297 | FY2024 | Federal sources | U.S. Census Bureau |
| State revenue per pupil | $7,321 | FY2024 | State sources | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Local revenue per pupil | $16,373 | FY2024 | Local sources | U.S. Census Bureau |
| U.S. current spending per pupil | $17,619 | FY2024 | 50 states and District of Columbia | U.S. Census Bureau |
| State spending rank | 7th | FY2024 | 50 states; current spending per pupil | U.S. Census Bureau |
| One-year enrollment change | -1.4% | 2022–2023 | Public student membership | NCES CCD |
| Four-year enrollment change | -6.1% | 2019–2023 | Public student membership | NCES CCD |
Table analysis
- The 2023–24 public system included 507 schools and 212 operating districts.
- Public membership averaged about 329 students per operating school, although individual school sizes vary.
- The statewide pupil-teacher ratio was 11.5 students per teacher FTE.
- Private school enrollment equaled 25,110 students in the 2021–22 PSS estimate.
- FY2024 current spending per pupil was $5,359 above the U.S. value.
- New Hampshire’s current spending per pupil was about 30.4% above the national figure.
- Local sources supplied the largest amount of reported revenue per pupil at $16,373.
- The spending rank applies only to current spending per pupil and is not a ranking of school quality or student outcomes.
- Finance survey enrollment excludes some systems and students included in the broader CCD membership count.
Enrollment Change Over Time
Annual fall membership provides a consistent view of public enrollment movement.
| Fall year | Enrollment | Annual change | Source series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 186,310 | Base | NCES CCD |
| 2014 | 184,670 | -0.9% | NCES CCD |
| 2015 | 182,425 | -1.2% | NCES CCD |
| 2016 | 180,888 | -0.8% | NCES CCD |
| 2017 | 179,433 | -0.8% | NCES CCD |
| 2018 | 178,515 | -0.5% | NCES CCD |
| 2019 | 177,351 | -0.7% | NCES CCD |
| 2020 | 169,027 | -4.7% | NCES CCD |
| 2021 | 170,005 | +0.6% | NCES CCD |
| 2022 | 168,909 | -0.6% | NCES CCD |
| 2023 | 166,594 | -1.4% | NCES CCD |
Trend analysis
- Every displayed year except 2021 recorded lower enrollment than the preceding year.
- Membership remained above 177,000 through fall 2019.
- The series fell below 170,000 in fall 2020.
- Fall 2023 enrollment was the lowest value in the displayed period at 166,594.
- The 2013–2023 decline averaged about 1,972 students per year across the ten-year interval.
- Prekindergarten reporting practices can affect comparisons across states and years.
Public School Structure
School-level counts use NCES-assigned levels. Charter status overlaps the school classifications and is not an additional school level.
Regular Public Schools by Level
Level-classified schools with reported membership, 2023–24
Elementary schools form the largest level group. The level table covers 501 schools after NCES exclusions.
Chart analysis
- 286 elementary schools represented 57.1% of level-classified schools.
- High schools and middle schools numbered 101 and 97, respectively.
- Seventeen schools were classified at the prekindergarten level.
| School measure | Count | Avg. membership | Period | Coverage note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All operating public schools | 507 | Not calculated | 2023–24 | All operating schools |
| Prekindergarten level | 17 | 64 | 2023–24 | Regular schools with reported level and membership |
| Elementary level | 286 | 264 | 2023–24 | Regular schools with reported level and membership |
| Middle level | 97 | 373 | 2023–24 | Regular schools with reported level and membership |
| High school level | 101 | 517 | 2023–24 | Regular schools with reported level and membership |
| Level-classified total | 501 | Varies by level | 2023–24 | Excludes virtual, zero or missing membership, and missing level records |
| Charter status | 43 | Not reported here | 2023–24 | Overlaps regular school classifications |
| Private schools | 190 | About 132 | 2021–22 | PSS estimate; K–12 schools |
Table analysis
- The four reported public school levels account for 501 schools.
- The difference between 501 level-classified schools and 507 operating schools reflects the exclusions applied to the NCES level table.
- Average membership rose from 264 at elementary schools to 517 at high schools.
- Charter status covered 43 schools and overlaps the regular school count.
- The private school estimate used a different survey and an earlier reporting period than the public school counts.
Spending and Revenue per Student
Fiscal year 2024 finance measures use Census Bureau definitions and a finance-survey enrollment denominator.
Current Spending per Pupil
New Hampshire compared with the United States, FY2024
New Hampshire reported $22,978 in current spending per pupil, compared with $17,619 nationally.
Chart analysis
- New Hampshire exceeded the U.S. figure by $5,359 per pupil.
- The state value was approximately 30.4% higher than the national value.
- New Hampshire ranked 7th among the 50 states on this selected measure.
- Values are nominal and are not adjusted for regional price differences.
Revenue per Pupil by Source
Federal, state, and local public school revenue, FY2024
Local revenue supplied the largest share of the $25,991 reported per-pupil revenue total.
Chart analysis
- Local sources supplied $16,373 per pupil, or about 63.0% of the source total.
- State sources supplied $7,321 per pupil, or about 28.2%.
- Federal sources supplied $2,297 per pupil, or about 8.8%.
- Local revenue exceeded state revenue by $9,052 per pupil.
| Finance measure | Per pupil | Measure type | Period | Definition note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending | $22,978 | Expenditure | FY2024 | Excludes capital outlay and debt service |
| Total expenditure | $25,229 | Expenditure | FY2024 | Includes capital outlay |
| Total public revenue | $25,991 | Revenue | FY2024 | Federal, state, and local sources |
| Federal revenue | $2,297 | Revenue | FY2024 | Federal sources |
| State revenue | $7,321 | Revenue | FY2024 | State sources |
| Local revenue | $16,373 | Revenue | FY2024 | Local sources |
| U.S. current spending | $17,619 | Expenditure benchmark | FY2024 | National current spending per pupil |
Table analysis
- Current spending was $22,978 per pupil.
- Total expenditure was $2,251 per pupil above current spending.
- Total revenue exceeded total expenditure by $762 per pupil; the measures reflect separate accounting categories and timing.
- Local sources contributed more than twice the amount supplied by state sources.
- Federal revenue was the smallest source category.
- Revenue and expenditure amounts should not be treated as interchangeable measures.
- The Census finance denominator differs from the statewide CCD enrollment count because the finance survey applies scope exclusions.
What the New Hampshire Data Shows
The indicators describe system size, enrollment direction, staffing, and reported financial activity.
Enrollment scale
Fall 2023 public membership was 166,594, down 10.6% from fall 2013. Enrollment counts include reported prekindergarten membership.
School organization
New Hampshire reported 507 operating public schools and 212 operating districts. NCES agency counts include several agency types, so they do not represent only traditional unified districts.
Staffing measure
The 11.5 pupil-teacher ratio uses statewide student and teacher FTE totals. It is not an average class size and includes teachers outside general classrooms.
Revenue structure
Local sources supplied about 63.0% of reported FY2024 revenue per pupil. The source mix describes where revenue originated, not how funds were allocated among schools.
Spending comparison
New Hampshire’s $22,978 current spending per pupil exceeded the national value. The comparison is nominal and does not adjust for regional wages, prices, enrollment scale, or service needs.
Sector timing
Public school counts use 2023–24 CCD records, while private school estimates use the 2021–22 PSS. The two sectors should be compared with the reporting-period difference retained.
Source and Methodology
Public Schools and Staffing
NCES Common Core of Data, Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, Local Education Agency Universe Survey, and State Nonfiscal Survey, 2023–24 Final Version 1a.
School Types and Levels
NCES CCD operating school counts, charter status, school level, and average membership for school year 2023–24.
Enrollment Trend
NCES Digest of Education Statistics 2024, Table 203.20, using CCD fall enrollment records through fall 2023.
Education Finance
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances. Amounts are nominal fiscal-year values.
Finance Methods
The Census Bureau collects revenue, expenditure, debt, and asset data for public elementary and secondary school systems and aggregates individual systems to state totals.
Private Schools
NCES Private School Universe Survey, 2021–22. Private school values are survey estimates and retain the source period.
Unit definitions: Enrollment is a student count; teachers are reported as full-time equivalents; the pupil-teacher ratio divides statewide membership by teacher FTE. Current spending per pupil excludes capital outlay and debt service. Total expenditure and total revenue use broader finance categories.
Coverage: Public school CCD totals include operating schools and agencies reported by the state education agency. The Census finance survey applies its own public school system scope and enrollment exclusions. Private school estimates cover schools providing one or more K–12 grades.
Rounding: Counts are displayed as reported. Percentages and calculated differences are rounded to one decimal place. Per-pupil dollar values are shown to the nearest dollar.
Source-year rule: No statistic is presented as a measured 2026 value. The newest available official period is shown for each data collection.
Rankings describe only the named indicator. Current spending per pupil does not measure school quality, student need, efficiency, or academic performance. Enrollment, school counts, staffing, revenue, and expenditure originate from separate official collections with different definitions and reporting periods. Nominal finance values are not adjusted for inflation or regional cost differences.