Holliston No. 3 in 'Best Schools' List

They’re calling them hidden gems. A community where not only a house is affordable, but the education system is also of a high quality. NerdWallet recently released its findings on a data-supported school quality and cost of living survey of Massachusetts towns.

Holliston is considered one of the most affordable districts in the top 20. “The district boasts a 97.8 percent four-year graduation rate, and 98.9 percent of 10th graders scored “Advanced” on the MCAS,” wrote NerdWallet. “Extracurricular programs are also strong, and in 2014, Holliston was one of a select number of high schools that competed in the FIRST robotics competition. For parents of younger children, Holliston’s Sam Placentino Elementary School offers French Immersion and a Montessori curriculum, in addition to traditional education.”

NerdWallet used such factors as standardized test scores, college readiness and class size to achieve its list. Some 226 school districts in Massachusetts were evaluated, and the data was retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau or the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.