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potential students within a 120-minute radius, and a clear path to growth.
Darrow School, located in New Lebanon, New York, commissioned MTM to analyze its current student demographics, assess recruitment performance, and identify potential growth opportunities.
Our analysis mapped the residential locations of current students, with each point representing one or more students. The map also visualized estimated rush-hour travel times in 10-minute intervals. As expected, most students reside within a 30-minute commute, though students are also distributed throughout the country. Concentrations are notable in New York City, Newark, and Manchester, with additional clusters in Schenectady and New Lebanon.
A visual breakdown by age range reveals that:
29% of students live within 60 minutes of the school.
35% of students live within 120 minutes of the school.
These insights suggest opportunities for targeted marketing efforts in specific geographic areas.
We categorized current Darrow School families into key lifestyle segments:
33% are classified as Aspiring Consumers – families that are less likely to be married and have lower-than-average incomes.
27% are classified as Enterprising Households – families with average incomes and mid-level education, often entrepreneurial in nature.
22% are classified as Prosperous Families – families in the top 10% of household incomes.
Comparing these profiles to families within Darrow School’s 120-minute catchment area reveals:
30% are Aspiring Consumers.
26% are Prosperous Families.
Overall, the catchment area is more affluent than both New York State and the United States average, highlighting an advantageous recruitment environment.
Mapping the ZIP codes within the 120-minute travel zone revealed significant market potential. Each point on the map represents a ZIP code, with point size reflecting the estimated number of children aged 14 to 17 expected to consider a school like Darrow.
Key insights include:
An estimated 632,421 teens aged 14 to 17 live within the 120-minute travel radius.
Within a 60-minute radius, strong potential markets include Albany, Troy, and Schenectady.
Beyond this, New York City and Worcester present additional opportunities, albeit requiring a different recruitment strategy due to distance.
Despite the sizable potential market, Darrow School currently enrolls just 29 students from within the 120-minute travel radius, equating to a 0% market share.
To expand recruitment, targeting untapped markets in nearby cities like Troy and Albany offers the most immediate growth potential. For more distant areas like New York City and Worcester, a specialized outreach strategy could help improve market penetration.
Based on these insights, we recommend:
Targeted marketing campaigns in Albany, Troy, and Schenectady.
Strategic outreach efforts for distant markets like New York City and Worcester, potentially involving partnerships, digital marketing, or outreach events.
Refinement of messaging to better engage each identified lifestyle segment.
By implementing these strategies, Darrow School can capitalize on its market potential and enhance student recruitment efforts.
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