Want to know which high-achieving high schools are close to affordable housing? The Herald’s Ben Leahy has exclusively cross-referenced the NCEA achievement rates of 493 schools with housing costs in their areas.

• Wellington Girls’ College had the highest NCEA pass rate of 2023 among large state schools at 91% and homes inside its school zone typically sell for $935,000.
• Wellington high schools tend to have high pass rates alongside lower housing costs than most Auckland school zones.
• Outside the big cities, Napier Girls’ High School and Otago Girls’ High School both combined high pass rates with school zone house prices under $800,000.

This story was updated after the Ministry of Education determined that it had provided the Herald with data on the ‘Number of students with a UE award’ instead of the ‘Number of students with NCEA level 3 or above (or with a UE award)’. This affected the results for 19 schools.

Wellington Girls’ College’s academic excellence and reasonable house prices could make it one of the nation’s smartest choices for parents, according to an exclusive Herald analysis.

Ninety-one per cent of its students achieved their NCEA level 3 in 2023 – the highest pass rate of any major state school in the country.

Its school zone in inner Wellington has a median house price of $935,000, a more affordable price than in most other high-achieving school zones.

Mt Victoria in Wellington is part of the catchment area for Wellington East Girls' College where 78% achieved level 3 NCEA in 2023. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellington College (82%) and Wellington East Girls’ College (78%) are two more state schools with high 2023 achievement rates - and the median house prices in their catchments are below $900,000.

By comparison, houses in the vicinity of high-achieving Auckland schools typically cost well above $1 million.

The findings are part of an exclusive report by the Herald using data from property analysts Valocity, matching 2023 NCEA school-leaver achievement rates at 493 schools with the prices of homes in their catchment zones or nearby suburbs.

The results can be seen in the tables below, which show schools with the highest achievement rates in different house-price bands: below $1.3m, below $1m, below $800,000 and below $600,000.

The findings focus on state schools but the analysis includes private and integrated schools.

Iona College in Hawke’s Bay is among the standouts for results and housing affordability for fee-paying schools. Of its 33 graduating girls in 2023, 100% achieved NCEA Level 3

Local house prices may not be important for the Havelock North school’s contingent of boarding students, who pay about $30,000 in annual fees.

But parents of day students may want to live nearby. They can typically buy in surrounding suburbs for about $700,000 while paying around $13,800 in fees.

Iona College in Havelock North achieved 100% NCEA pass rate for its 33 graduating students in 2023.

Similarly, special character schools focusing on Māori students are among the highest performing and are located in some of the country’s more affordable areas.

In Auckland, Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae* (83%) had the second-highest NCEA 3 achievement rate among state schools behind only Macleans College (84%).

Yet homes in its nearby suburbs have a median $800,000 sales price compared to the $1.65m typically paid in the Macleans College zone.

NCEA Level 3 pass rates versus house prices for 493 schools

The main interactive table below shows NCEA achievement rates for 493 schools cross-referenced with house prices - because parents often consider academic performance and house prices in conjunction.

House prices don’t necessarily relate to school quality, however - low house prices can indicate a higher concentration of apartments in the zone, or smaller homes and sections.

Homes in suburbs near Iona College can be found for under $700,000. Photo / Paul Taylor

For a more in-depth look at how schools performed academically in 2023, read the Herald’s NCEA analysis here.

State schools are obliged to provide free education to every child living within their catchment zones and do not always have room for those outside their zones.

Parents may consequently have a preferred state school but be prevented from sending their child there because of high house prices.

The Herald and Valocity have calculated house prices for all schools with zones defined by the Ministry of Education by taking into account every street inside their catchments.

For schools without zones, we calculated the median house price for the suburb where the school is located and each suburb surrounding it.

The achievement rate in the table shows how many students aged 16 or over left each school in 2023 with an NCEA level 3 certificate.

This so-called leavers rate is the measure typically used by the Ministry of Education.

Choralation - the combined choir from Westlake Boys' and Girls' high schools. Both schools feature among lists of high-achieving state schools. Photo / Gino Demeer

House prices under $1.3m

For families not willing or able to pay top dollar for a home, Wellington Girls’ College again potentially ranks among the top picks due to its New Zealand-leading NCEA achievement rate for state schools with at least 20 graduates.

Its $935,000 school zone median price is well under the $1.3m mark set here and covers the inner Wellington suburbs of Kelburn, Wilton, Thorndon, Wadestown, Pipitea and Northland.

Manukura in Palmerston North has the second-highest achievement rate at 88% and an $800,000 typical price for nearby homes.

Westlake Boys High School and Wellington College have the next highest achievement rates at 82% each.

Westlake Boys has a median $1.295m price inside its zone and Wellington College’s zone has an $840,000 typical house price.

House prices under $800,000

Napier Girls’ High School is one of the most affordable and highest-achieving regional options for parents.

It has the highest state school NCEA achievement rate for colleges in areas where the median price is below $800,000.

Its girls achieved a 77% achievement rate, while homes in its zone typically cost around $765,000.

Otago Girls’ High School in Dunedin ranked next with a 76% achievement rate and $650,000 median sales price in its school zone.

Mākoura College has the highest NCEA level 3 pass rate among large state schools in areas with housing under $600,000.

House prices under $600,000

Mākoura College’s 65% achievement rate is the highest among schools with nearby houses costing less than $600,000.

Homes in the Masterton school catchment typically cost around $560,000, its nearby suburbs being Ōpaki, Upper Plain, Te Ore Ore, Kuripuni, Lansdowne, Matahiwi, Solway and Homebush.

Ōpunakē High School in Taranaki has the next highest achievement rate at 61% with a $420,000 median sales price.

*Despite being high-achieving, Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae doesn’t appear in our tables as it had only 15 students graduate in 2023 and the minimum to appear in the tables is 20 graduates.

Please note that the “Percentage of Demographic Group with NCEA Level 3 or Above” does not include students achieving University Entrance (UE). There are scenarios in which students can obtain University Entrance without obtaining NCEA Level 3 or equivalent, including students who attain Year 12 Cambridge International Exams.