High School Construction Costs
- How much would it cost for your municipality to build a new high school?
- What is the economic value of living in a town which already has an updated high school?
As pointed out by a recent article on Lowell High School, construction costs are escalating quickly. Towns which have outdated high schools are facing enormous fiscal pressures, and with covid-19’s slap at lottery funding in Massachusetts, there may be less matching funds available for schools in the future.
| Year | School | Type | Cost - High (million) | Cost - Low (million) | Cost per Student | Students | State Contribution (Millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2025 | Arlington | New | $291 | $165,812 | 1,755 | $86 | |
| 2019-? | Pentucket Regional (7-12) | New | $146 | $119 | $123,316 | 965 | |
| 2019-? | Attleboro | New | 260 | $223 | $129,275 | 1,725 | |
| 2019-? | Waltham | New | 378 | $300 | $163,934 | 1,830 | |
| 2019-? | Lowell | New | $344 | $109,380 | 3,145 | ||
| 2019-2023 | Belmont | New | $295 | $133,183 | 2,215 | ||
| 2019-? | Central Berkshire | New | $60 | $130,435 | 460 | ||
| 2018-2020 | Saugus Middle-High | New | $176 | $129,412 | 1,360 | ||
| 2018- | Fall River | New | $263 | $102,335 | 2,570 | ||
| 2018- | Worcester South | New | $173 | $121,831 | 1,420 | ||
| 2017- | Middleborough | New | $83 | $115,278 | 720 | ||
| 2016-2019 | Billerica | New | $176 | $141 | $87,578 | 1,610 | $76 |
| 2016-2019 | Minuteman Voc Tech | New | $119 | $189,490 | 628 | ||
| 2017- | Somerville | Update | $199 | $125,157 | 1,590 | ||
| 2016- | Stoughton | Update | $97 | $91,080 | 1,065 | ||
| ?-2012 | Tewksbury | New | $68 | $61,818 | 1,100 | ||
| ?-2012 | Wellesley | New | $115 | $76,058 | 1,512 | ||
| ?-2012 | Wayland | New | $71 | $85,749 | 828 | ||
| ?-2012 | Natick | New | $79 | $47,175 | 1,664 | ||
| ?-2010 | Newton North | New | 198 | $192 | $90,310 | 2,126 |
Recently built and designed high schools in Massachusetts can be a guide to estimating what it may cost to build a high school:
Cost figures may vary depending on inclusion of construction costs and deisgner fees.
High School Debt Exclusions
Past Debt Exclusions Votes on High School Construction
Reviewing elections from 2010 to 2020, we find no instances where high school construction debt exclusions failed at the polls. Our observation is that ill-fated projects fail at the design and construction phase, or earlier in the process. These are the results of these recent debt exclusions:
- Abington, 2820-595, in favor of a new middle-high school, 10/18/2014
- Arlington, 9761-2930, in favor of new high school 6/11/2019
- Ashby, 426-342, in favor of a new district high school, 8/28/2014
- Attleboro, 5556-2905, in favor of a new high school, 4/3/2018
- Belmont, 9574-2971, in favor of a new high school, 11/6/2018
- Berkley, 421-185, in favor of a Somerset-Berkley regional high school, 12/17/2011
- Berlin, 593-167, in favor of constructing a high school, 5/10/2010
- Billerica: 6448-906, in favor of a new Billerica Memorial High School, 3/5/2016
- Bridgewater, 370-138 to pay for new district high school, 10/24/2017
- Brookliine, 3690-2022, in favor of renovating and expanding Brookline High School, 5/8/2018
- Carlisle: 965-184, in favor of a new Concord-Carlisle High School, 11/5/2011
- Chatham: 1140-771, in favor of a new school Monomy Regional High School, 9/6/2012
- Concord, 3572-659, in favor of a new Concord-Carlisle High School, 11/15/2011
- Duxbury, 1932-1528, in favor of a colocated middle-high school, 11/5/2011
- E.Bridgewater, 2547-416, in favor of a new high school, 2/12/2011
- Franklin, 7988-1982, in favor of a new high school, 3/27/2012
- Greenfield, 2392-557, in favor of a new high school, 5/1/2012
- Hopkinton, 986-789, in favor a (new?) high school, 5/21/2012
- Leominster, 1414-543, in favor of new Lunenberg Middle/High School, 1/11/2014
- Marshfield, 4723-2034, in favor of a new high school, 11/19/2011
- Maynard, 1764-410, in favor of a new high school, 11/30/2010
- Middleborough, 2095-973, in favor of a new high school, 11/4/2017
- North Reading, 3075-802, in favor of new high school and renovations, 3/24/2012
- Pepperell, 1262-801, in favor of new regional high school, 4/28/2014
- Saugus, 3481-1451, in favor of new middle/high school, 6/20/2017
- Somerset, 1364-697, in favor of a new high school, 12/19/2011
- Somerville, 26752-10374, in favor of a new high school, 11/8/2016
- Townsend, 1050-716, in favor of a new high school, 4/28/2014
- W. Bridgewater, 1177-553, in favor of a new middle-high school, 10/6/2012
- Wilmington, 3778-1238, in favor of a new high school, 12/6/2011
- Yarmouth, 1582-967, in favor of a new regional high school, 5/15/2018