Wattsburg Area Sd, PA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Wattsburg Area Sd

Wattsburg Area School District serves a small community in Erie County, Pennsylvania, spanning kindergarten through grade twelve across three buildings: an elementary center, a middle school, and Seneca High School. The district enrollment is small, with roughly equal numbers of students in each grade band, though kindergarten runs somewhat larger than the grades that follow.

The student body is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and the count of students with disabilities or English learners was not available, so a parent seeking detail on those populations should ask the district directly.

On the most recent state assessments covering grades three through eight, about half the district's students scored at proficiency in math, and slightly more than half met proficiency in English language arts. Among Erie County's districts, the district's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint. This is a straightforward weakness worth examining closely if academic outcomes matter most to your family. A parent evaluating whether this trajectory fits their child would want to ask the school about the specific supports in place for students not yet at grade level, and what growth the district has seen in prior years.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate is notably low, landing in the top quartile countywide. That suggests strong family and school connection and day-to-day engagement.

Per-pupil spending is in the upper range for the county, reflecting an invested resource commitment relative to peers.

The district has recently made deliberate moves in special education. In 2023 it opened its own in-house Autistic Support Classroom at the elementary level, ending a prior practice of sending students out-of-district. The district has also flagged that a middle or high school Autistic Support room may be needed in the coming years as enrollment in that service grows, indicating an ongoing build-out of special-education capacity.

On the career-technical side, Wattsburg high school students attend Erie County Technical School on a half-day basis. A renovation at ECTS recently added classroom space and enabled new vocational program offerings, directly expanding the range of career pathways available to Wattsburg students. A meaningful share of the high school cohort participates in this dual-enrollment model, so families interested in hands-on, work-linked learning have real options here.

Housing in the district communities is modestly valued, well below the state average, with mortgage payments notably lower than the national typical. Rental housing is also available and affordable, making the area accessible to families on varied incomes. Home values have been rising modestly year over year. The employment environment is steady, with unemployment rates holding stable at modest levels.

The district's comprehensive plan signals ongoing attention to curriculum and program building, and the visible shift toward keeping special education services in-district rather than outsourcing them suggests a district trying to deepen its capacity and meet families where they are. Test results are the soft spot here; a family for whom academic proficiency at or above grade level is central should have a direct conversation with the district about how they support students who arrive below benchmark and what measurable progress looks like.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,276

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 3%

Black 1%

White 94%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

38%

—

Gr 4

64%

—

Gr 5

36%

—

Gr 6

42%

—

Gr 7

41%

—

Gr 8

39%

—

Gr 38

44%

—

Math

Gr 3

50%

—

Gr 4

54%

—

Gr 5

29%

—

Gr 6

42%

—

Gr 7

23%

—

Gr 8

12%

—

Gr 38

35%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

Wattsburg Area El Ctr

Seneca HS

Wattsburg Area MS

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

48%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

53%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$243,910

Year-over-year change+6.0%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$163K to $306K

vs. state typical0.85x

vs. national typical0.66x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
16442	Wattsburg	$264K	+7.0%	35.3%
16428	North East	$261K	+7.6%	19.8%
16438	Union City	$163K	+2.3%	18.7%
16441	Waterford	$306K	+6.2%	9.9%
16510	Erie	$205K	+6.4%	8.5%
16509	Erie	$268K	+5.7%	7.8%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,018/mo

Range across 2 ZIP codes$994 to $1,044/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
16510	Erie	$994	—	8.5%
16509	Erie	$1,044	—	7.8%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,231/mo

Home price / national median income2.9x

Annual rent / national median income14.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$213/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$286,387 (+2.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.