New Hampshire Seacoast Schools Shine In 2026 National Rankings

Here on the NH Seacoast, we showed up nicely on a list of the best schools in the U.S. with a few towns that you may have guessed and others that may be surprising.

If you have kids, it's important to look at the school system and what it may offer for your children. A bad school system could be very detrimental for your family, so it's important to settle in a good community. It's especially important if you rely on the school to do their job to the best of their ability. In other words, as a parent, you work and do not have time to school the kids yourself, so it would be great to have an excellent school system.

I've often said that teachers should be paid at least the same as we pay good doctors. I mean, we put the well being of our children into their hands. A good teacher is invaluable and could inspire our kids for the rest of their lives. A bad teacher can also leave a lasting impression on our kids in a negative way that can also last for years.

New Hampshire Make a Good Showing for Best Schools of 2026

U.S. News and World Report puts out a list every year of the best elementary schools in the Country. Out of the Top 20, the New Hampshire seacoast shows up 7 times.

#19: Swasey Central School, Brentwood School District
#15 Mary C. Dondero Elementary School, Portsmouth School District
#14 Mast Way School, Lee, NH
#13 Moharimet School, Madbury, NH
#12 Little Harbour School, Portsmouth, NH
#7 New Franklin School, Portsmouth, NH
#2, Rye Elementary School, Rye, NH

Whatever the ratings say about a school, it's good to be involved as much as you can. If I had to do it all over again, I would have paid more attention to what was going on in my son's school. He didn't have the best experience and I wonder if there was something I could have done about it.