Plainfield Public School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Plainfield Public School District

Plainfield Public School District is a large district serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade across roughly a dozen and a half schools. Its enrollment is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a smaller Black population and very small shares of other racial groups. Information about the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data we reviewed.

On state assessments, the district’s performance sits well below the middle among Union County’s districts. In math, the share of students scoring at proficient or advanced levels declines from the early elementary grades through middle school. In English language arts, proficiency rates are broadly similar across grades from third through eighth, hovering around a quarter of students. In science, tested in fifth and eighth grades, the proficiency rates are very low. The district’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile of Union County’s districts.

Chronic absenteeism is another challenge. The rate is high and also falls in the bottom quartile among county districts, meaning a substantial portion of students are missing enough school to affect learning. A parent considering this district may want to speak with the schools about what attendance support and interventions are in place.

Graduation rate data for the district was not reported in the information we had, so we cannot speak to how many students finish high school in four years. That is a meaningful gap for a family evaluating the full academic pathway.

Per-pupil spending is in the lower range among Union County’s districts, slightly below the county median. The district has made a notable facilities investment in recent years. In 2023, it opened a new elementary school, the Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School, a large facility built with assistance from the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. That school replaced two older buildings and has changed school assignments for families in the district.

Housing in the area the district covers shows a mix. Home values are moderately above the national median but below the New Jersey state benchmark. Rents are around the national affordability threshold. The county housing market appears active, with a supply score that indicates tight inventory and a demand score that suggests solid interest from buyers, though the number of new listings has declined recently. For a family, this points to a market where finding a home may take effort and where monthly costs are a significant share of household income.

Plainfield Public School District is a large, heavily Hispanic district with low academic proficiency on state tests, a high rate of chronic absenteeism, and spending slightly below the county average. A new elementary school is the most visible recent change. Families considering this district should look closely at individual school programs, student support services, and attendance patterns to understand the day-to-day experience for their child.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

10,436

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 81%

Black 16%

White 1%

Asian 0%

Two+ 0%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

22%

29%

Gr 4

21%

26%

Gr 5

24%

32%

Gr 6

27%

25%

Gr 7

25%

Gr 8

25%

22%

Math

Gr 3

29%

30%

Gr 4

20%

25%

Gr 5

18%

22%

Gr 6

14%

Gr 7

15%

14%

Gr 8

11%

Science

Gr 5

Gr 8

Schools in this District

15 schools are officially reported under this district.

Pinnacle Academy High School

Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies

Plainfield High School

Hubbard Middle School

Maxson Middle School

Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School

Cedarbrook Elementary School

Clinton Elementary School

Frederic W. Cook Elementary School

Emerson Community School

Evergreen Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School

Charles H. Stillman Elementary School

Washington Community School

Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

29%

Grade 3

21%

Grade 4

19%

Grade 5

14%

Grade 6

15%

Grade 7

10%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

23%

Grade 3

22%

Grade 4

26%

Grade 5

26%

Grade 6

25%

Grade 7

24%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$509,959

Year-over-year change+0.8%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$487K to $581K

vs. state typical0.89x

vs. national typical1.39x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
07060	Plainfield	$524K	+0.4%	52.3%
07062	Plainfield	$496K	+2.4%	28.3%
07063	Plainfield	$487K	-0.3%	18.3%
08812	Dunellen	$581K	+0.4%	1.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,128/mo

Year-over-year change-0.8%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2,119 to $2,557/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
07060	Plainfield	$2,119	-0.8%	52.3%
08812	Dunellen	$2,557	—	1.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,573/mo

Home price / national median income6.1x

Annual rent / national median income30.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$445/mo

Market Activity: Union County

Median listing price$625,000

Median price per sq ft$343

Median price per sq ft YoY-5.8%

Median days on market26.5 days

Median days on market YoY+10.4%

Active listings590

Active listings YoY+9.9%

New listings388

New listings YoY-17.8%

Pending listings534

Pending listings YoY-0.4%

Hotness: median listing price$599,999

Hotness: median listing price YoY+0.0%

Supply score97.2

Supply score YoY-0.3%

Demand score80.7

Demand score YoY+5.2%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$571,373 (+3.4% 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.