Livingston, NJ Schools: The Complete District Guide

Livingston Public Schools serve roughly 6,500 students across nine schools, from six neighborhood K–5 elementary schools up through Mount Pleasant Middle (grade 6), Heritage Middle (grades 7–8), and Livingston High School (grades 9–12). The district ranks among New Jersey's top ten, with proficiency scores that sit far above state averages, a well-regarded STEM and Advanced Placement program at the high school, and a graduation rate around 98%. That academic strength is inseparable from real estate: it creates a deep, durable pool of buyer demand that supports Livingston home values through market cycles. For a family relocating from New York, the district is often the entire reason for the move — but because Livingston is large and elementary attendance areas vary across town, the single most important step is to confirm the exact schools that serve any specific address before you buy. Rankings and boundaries change; verify current details directly with the district.

Livingston Public Schools is a PK–12 district of about 6,500 students across nine schools, with a student-teacher ratio around 12:1. It consistently ranks among New Jersey's strongest districts — recently placed ninth in the state (up from twelfth the prior year) in one widely cited ranking — on the strength of high proficiency scores, strong college outcomes, and a deep slate of academic and enrichment programs.

The structure is straightforward: six neighborhood K–5 elementary schools feed into Mount Pleasant Middle School for grade 6, then Heritage Middle School for grades 7–8, and finally Livingston High School for grades 9–12. The district also runs gifted-and-talented and enrichment programming, special education services, counseling and student-support programs, and a full range of athletics and activities. Here's how the pieces fit together:

Livingston's six K–5 elementary schools — Burnet Hill, Collins, Harrison, Hillside, Mount Pleasant, and Riker Hill — are neighborhood schools of roughly 400 to 500 students each, which keeps them personal in feel while drawing on district-wide resources. Assignment is by attendance area, so which elementary school a home feeds into depends on its location within town.

Academically, they perform at a very high level. Mount Pleasant Elementary, for example, has ranked around 35th out of more than 1,300 New Jersey elementary schools, with English and math proficiency rates well into the 70s, 80s, and low 90s — far above state averages — and the district's elementary schools generally carry strong independent ratings. Because performance and, more importantly, attendance zones vary from one part of Livingston to another, the elementary school is often where a family's home search really gets specific. We'll help you match a target home to the school that actually serves it.

After elementary, all students converge on the same path, which is part of what builds the town's strong community. Mount Pleasant Middle School handles the grade-six transition year, then Heritage Middle School takes grades seven and eight — about a thousand students, with a wide athletics program (from cross country and soccer to basketball, lacrosse, and more) and clubs spanning the arts and academics.

Livingston High School is the district's capstone: a large, well-resourced school of roughly 2,081 students with a graduation rate around 98%, a strong independent rating, and a well-regarded STEM and Advanced Placement program that feeds solid college outcomes. Its size supports a breadth of courses, arts, and athletics that a smaller school can't match, while the district's resources keep the experience high-quality. For families focused on the full K–12 arc, that combination — strong elementary foundations, a steady middle-school bridge, and a high-performing, comprehensive high school — is exactly the appeal.

For buyers, the district does two things. First, it's the demand engine — the reason Livingston stays in high demand and holds value well, as we cover in our market analysis. Buying into a top-ten district is, in real estate terms, buying into a durable value floor. Second, it makes location within town matter: because elementary attendance areas vary, two similar homes can feed into different schools, so the school question becomes address-specific.

The practical playbook: decide what matters to your family, then confirm the exact schools serving any home directly with the district before you fall for it — never assume from a listing. For New York families relocating for education, Livingston delivers a top district with suburban space that a city budget rarely buys. We'll help you line up the right home, the right schools, and an honest read on the commute (see our commute guide) and the property taxes. Browse current Livingston homes for sale to begin.

Don't rely on a listing's "assigned schools" field — confirm the elementary attendance zone for the exact address with the district before you write an offer. Boundaries can run down the middle of a neighborhood, and portals sometimes show the nearest school rather than the assigned one. If a specific elementary school is part of why you're buying, a five-minute verification protects a six-figure decision. The high school is the same for everyone in town, but the elementary and the walk-vs-bus reality are address-specific — get them in writing.

"Nine out of ten Livingston buyers I work with lead with the schools — and they're right to. But I always slow them down on one point: this is a big town, and the elementary zones matter. I've seen families assume a home fed a certain school and find out otherwise. We confirm the exact zone for every address up front. Get that right, and you're buying into one of the best districts in New Jersey with total confidence."

— Anthony Licciardello, Broker, The Prodigy Team

Matching a New York family to the right home and the right Livingston school zone is exactly the local expertise a cross-border broker should bring. I'm Anthony Licciardello, Broker of The Prodigy Team — dual-licensed in New York and New Jersey and a leading broker for cross-border New York–New Jersey transactions, bringing the New York market to New Jersey sellers — and guiding families into the right district is work we do every week.

Our Above the Streets cinematic drone series extends that reach — aerial storytelling that markets entire towns, not just listings, with audience performance exceeding industry benchmarks for real estate media.

Anthony Licciardello · Broker, The Prodigy Team · 718-873-7345

Tell us which schools matter to your family, and we'll match you to homes that actually feed them — and handle the whole move from New York.

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How good are Livingston's public schools?

Among the best in New Jersey. Livingston Public Schools recently ranked ninth in the state, with proficiency scores well above state averages and a Livingston High School graduation rate around 98% plus a strong STEM and AP program. It's the leading reason families relocate here and the biggest driver of home values. Rankings shift year to year, so confirm current data with the district.

How is the Livingston school district organized?

It's a PK–12 district of about 6,500 students across nine schools: six K–5 elementary schools (Burnet Hill, Collins, Harrison, Hillside, Mount Pleasant, and Riker Hill), Mount Pleasant Middle School for grade 6, Heritage Middle School for grades 7–8, and Livingston High School for grades 9–12. Elementary assignment is by attendance area.

Do all homes in Livingston feed the same schools?

Not for elementary. Livingston is a large township, and the six elementary schools are assigned by attendance area, so different homes can feed different elementary schools. Middle school and Livingston High School are district-wide. Always confirm the exact elementary attendance zone for a specific address with the district before buying — don't rely on a listing's school field.

Do the schools affect Livingston home values?

Significantly. The top-ranked district creates steady, renewable buyer demand that supports Livingston home values through market cycles — it's the main reason the town holds value well. Buying into a top-ten district is, in real-estate terms, buying into a durable value floor, though as always past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

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