Maintaining
What does this measure?
Total spending by public school districts in a county, divided by total pupils.
Why is this important?
High spending for schools can mean better facilities, programs and a greater range of opportunities are available to students. It may also signal public support for education and a more experienced teaching workforce. However, studies have found higher spending does not necessarily lead to higher student achievement, given the many factors that contribute to student success, including parental and community influences.
How is Westchester County performing?
In 2024, public school districts in Westchester County spent $35,400 per student, about $1,100 more than the state spent per pupil - a difference that has shrunk from almost $5,700 in 2010 (adjusted for inflation). From 2010 to 2024, with spending adjusted for inflation, spending per pupil has risen 3% in Westchester County compared to 20% in the state.
Among comparison counties, Westchester's spending increase from 2010 to 2024 was lower than Putnam (13%), Rockland (7%), and Nassau (6%). In 2024, Putnam County spent the most per pupil at $37,300 followed by Nassau at $35,500, Westchester at $35,400, and Rockland $34,300.
Among local school districts, Pocantico Hills School district spent the most per pupil in 2024, at $64,500, a 3% decrease from 2010, while Mamaroneck Union Free School District spent the least per pupil, at $28,500, a 16% decrease from 2000.
Notes about the data
Figures have been adjusted to 2024 dollars. Comparisons can be misleading as certain categories of students (e.g., English Language Learners, children with special needs) require specialized resources that can be more expensive than general education students.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | $34,391 | $33,608 | $33,680 | $33,412 | $34,169 | $34,744 | $34,291 | $34,296 | $34,572 | $35,326 | $35,157 | $35,080 | $34,701 | $35,353 | $35,447 | ||||
| Nassau County | $33,562 | $33,390 | $33,659 | $34,167 | $34,375 | $35,414 | $35,428 | $35,343 | $35,699 | $36,179 | $35,704 | $35,920 | $35,099 | $35,363 | $35,514 | ||||
| Putnam County | $32,887 | $32,806 | $32,478 | $33,474 | $34,906 | $35,550 | $35,302 | $35,959 | $37,047 | $37,919 | $37,783 | $37,761 | $36,477 | $37,694 | $37,286 | ||||
| Rockland County | $32,052 | $32,280 | $32,376 | $32,289 | $33,118 | $34,144 | $33,890 | $33,696 | $34,174 | $35,862 | $34,015 | $34,894 | $34,284 | $33,650 | $34,251 | ||||
| New York State | $28,658 | $28,463 | $28,563 | $28,437 | $28,902 | $29,852 | $30,533 | $31,624 | $32,286 | $33,411 | $33,498 | $33,390 | $34,155 | $34,085 | $34,312 | ||||
| Westchester County School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
Notes: Figures are in constant 2024 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | $5,107,692,626 | $5,039,950,000 | $5,009,566,617 | $4,970,984,090 | $5,082,930,272 | $5,194,930,623 | $5,161,282,278 | $5,162,102,508 | $5,159,891,194 | $5,259,995,851 | $5,214,937,064 | $5,056,490,248 | $4,947,225,773 | $5,057,782,081 | $5,072,180,351 | ||||
| Nassau County | $6,829,595,857 | $6,800,961,624 | $6,813,726,136 | $6,817,788,429 | $6,907,391,042 | $7,107,555,457 | $7,137,742,707 | $7,149,693,600 | $7,172,198,358 | $7,216,570,364 | $7,128,749,399 | $6,989,725,330 | $6,895,961,431 | $7,053,449,618 | $7,094,372,036 | ||||
| Putnam County | $530,211,149 | $519,345,667 | $510,749,921 | $516,041,889 | $535,420,739 | $534,991,965 | $526,705,238 | $525,283,240 | $528,656,102 | $534,010,324 | $519,851,891 | $507,319,807 | $488,062,670 | $500,013,255 | $493,177,419 | ||||
| Rockland County | $1,367,593,187 | $1,381,222,738 | $1,374,671,764 | $1,355,469,208 | $1,387,226,718 | $1,426,654,975 | $1,397,774,353 | $1,401,056,860 | $1,420,457,096 | $1,490,144,353 | $1,421,902,947 | $1,416,829,946 | $1,423,517,075 | $1,422,548,443 | $1,486,271,998 | ||||
| New York State | $79,919,611,605 | $79,187,965,173 | $79,161,729,243 | $78,477,484,117 | $79,698,383,261 | $82,871,181,653 | $84,743,627,451 | $87,739,035,958 | $89,159,756,141 | $91,605,371,583 | $91,709,117,291 | $88,225,273,566 | $88,826,765,164 | $88,408,611,694 | $90,370,563,209 | ||||
| Westchester County School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
Notes: Figures are in constant 2024 dollars.
| INDICATORS | TREND | WESTCHESTER |
|---|---|
| Per-Student Spending |
0
Maintaining
|
| Student Suspensions |
-1
Decreasing
|
| Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |







