The merit score in year 9 is the most widely used measure of school results in Sweden. But which municipalities are at the top — and which are falling behind? We have calculated the average for all 286 municipalities with sufficient data.
The national average across these 286 municipalities is 218 points (municipal mean). Note that high merit scores strongly co-vary with socioeconomic factors — municipal demographics explain a large part of the differences.
Top 15 — highest merit score
| # | Municipality | Avg merit score | Certified teachers | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danderyd | 279 | 81% | 24 |
| 2 | Lomma | 269 | 80% | 10 |
| 3 | Nacka | 267 | 79% | 60 |
| 4 | Vaxholm | 263 | 77% | 5 |
| 5 | Lidingö | 258 | 76% | 26 |
| 6 | Sollentuna | 255 | 76% | 53 |
| 7 | Storfors | 254 | 73% | 6 |
| 8 | Ekerö | 254 | 75% | 18 |
| 9 | Täby | 253 | 76% | 50 |
| 10 | Vellinge | 253 | 77% | 18 |
| 11 | Kävlinge | 252 | 77% | 19 |
| 12 | Lund | 251 | 80% | 82 |
| 13 | Sundbyberg | 249 | 75% | 19 |
| 14 | Staffanstorp | 247 | 76% | 15 |
| 15 | Värmdö | 247 | 81% | 28 |
The top is dominated by university towns and affluent metropolitan suburbs. Danderyd leads with an average of 279 points.
Bottom 10 — lowest merit score
| # | Municipality | Avg merit score | Certified teachers | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 286 | Essunga | 178 | 70% | 11 |
| 285 | Östra Göinge | 179 | 73% | 12 |
| 284 | Gullspång | 179 | 77% | 5 |
| 283 | Sjöbo | 182 | 71% | 15 |
| 282 | Svalöv | 184 | 67% | 16 |
| 281 | Älmhult | 186 | 68% | 26 |
| 280 | Töreboda | 188 | 59% | 12 |
| 279 | Kramfors | 188 | 67% | 14 |
| 278 | Lindesberg | 189 | 66% | 20 |
| 277 | Ljusnarsberg | 189 | 70% | 3 |
The municipalities at the bottom often have small populations, rural characteristics and a high proportion of recently arrived pupils. Comparing these municipalities with metropolitan suburbs without adjusting for pupil background gives a misleading picture.
See the story about income and school results for a deeper analysis of the correlations.