Towns with the best public schools in New Jersey
Ranked by how far each town's public schools score above or below the New Jersey average in math and reading proficiency, weighted by enrollment. 457 towns with 2,500+ residents.
Where Maple Shade lands: #407 of 457
−16.4 pts vs. the NJ average in math + reading · Visit Maple Shade →
1
Millburn
Essex County
+38.6 pts
Math 70.2% · Reading 79.7%
2
Mendham
Morris County
+35.1 pts
Math 68.3% · Reading 74.5%
3
Upper Saddle River
+33.7 pts
Math 69.6% · Reading 70.5%
WestamptonBurlington County · Burlington County Institute of Technology School District
16.2%
42%
How this ranking works
For every public school in a town we take its latest math and reading proficiency and subtract the New Jersey average for the same test. The town’s score is the average of those gaps, weighted by each school’s enrollment, so a big high school counts more than a small annex. Private schools aren’t included.
Each state writes its own tests, so these scores compare towns within New Jersey only. We don’t rank a town unless at least 150 students in its schools were tested. Test data: EDFacts via Urban Institute Education Data Portal (SY2020-21).
Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.