West Windsor-plainsboro Regional School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on West Windsor-plainsboro Regional School District

West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District serves a large student population across PK through 12 in a regional arrangement covering parts of Mercer County. The district is known for strong academic performance overall, but the picture has nuance. State assessment results show consistently high proficiency in English language arts and mathematics through the elementary and middle school grades, with the district ranking in the top quartile among Mercer County's districts on overall proficiency. For example, in English language arts, the proportion of students meeting the state's proficiency standard in grades three through seven is robust and in several grades reaches well into the high range. Math proficiency in those same grades is also strong. However, there is a sharp drop in eighth-grade math, where only a small share of test-takers hit the proficiency mark. That is a notable outlier compared with the rest of the district's math performance. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what supports or curriculum shifts might be in play at that level. Science proficiency in grades five and eight sits at a moderate level, neither exceptionally high nor low.

The district's enrollment is large, and the student body is demographically distinctive. Roughly three-quarters of students are Asian, with a much smaller white population, and modest shares of Black and Hispanic students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, nor was the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The civil rights and outcomes data were also missing, so a complete picture of discipline patterns or graduation rates is not in hand. The district's high schools are two comprehensive campuses, High School North and High School South.

Housing in the communities served by the district is expensive, with home values well above both the state and national medians. Rents are also high. The typical home costs many times the national median household income, making this a high-cost area for families. The communities include Plainsboro and the Princeton Junction area, among others. The district is in a high-amenity part of central New Jersey, close to Princeton and with access to the Northeast Corridor rail line.

Recent district-level changes carry real implications for families. For the 2024-2025 school year, the board approved a budget with a property-tax increase, meaning a notable ongoing cost increase for homeowners in both West Windsor and Plainsboro. Also in 2024-2025, the district adopted a new elementary math curriculum, i-Ready Classroom Mathematics, to provide a more cohesive and standards-aligned program. In 2021, the board approved a redistricting plan that moved some students from High School North to High School South to address an enrollment imbalance, which directly affects which high school a student attends. And in 2022, the district adopted an equity policy and created an equity committee as part of a settlement of a federal lawsuit filed by Chinese American parents over a different redistricting plan. That policy commits the district to equal educational opportunities and establishes ongoing equity oversight.

The district's per-pupil spending sits in the middle range, upper half, among Mercer County districts. Chronic absenteeism is roughly at the midpoint for the county.

For a family considering this district, the combination of strong elementary and middle school test performance, a high-cost housing market, and a large student population shaped by a predominantly Asian demographic is the defining context. The eighth-grade math result is an anomaly worth probing, and the recent tax increase and high school redistricting are concrete factors that affect household finances and assignment.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

9,015

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 5%

Black 5%

White 13%

Asian 73%

Two+ 4%

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

26%

67%

Gr 4

31%

75%

Gr 5

39%

77%

Gr 6

37%

82%

Gr 7

38%

84%

Gr 8

52%

91%

Math

Gr 3

25%

79%

Gr 4

29%

76%

Gr 5

27%

75%

Gr 6

37%

81%

Gr 7

29%

74%

Gr 8

16%

Science

Gr 5

22%

60%

Gr 8

28%

59%

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

Village Elementary School

West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North

Thomas R Grover Middle School

Town Center Elementary School at Plainsboro

West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South

Dutch Neck Elementary School

Maurice Hawk Elementary School

J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary School

Community Middle School

Millstone River School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

71%

Grade 5

76%

Grade 6

68%

Grade 7

10%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

74%

Grade 5

78%

Grade 6

80%

Grade 7

87%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

57%

Grade 5

56%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$922,452

Year-over-year change+2.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$663K to $1.0M

vs. state typical1.61x

vs. national typical2.51x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
08550	Princeton Junction	$1.0M	+1.6%	51.3%
08540	Princeton	$974K	+2.7%	23.9%
08536	Plainsboro	$663K	+3.0%	20.2%
08512	Cranbury Township	$760K	+1.9%	4.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,948/mo

Year-over-year change-1.3%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$2,153 to $3,383/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
08550	Princeton Junction	$3,059	—	51.3%
08540	Princeton	$3,383	-1.5%	23.9%
08536	Plainsboro	$2,153	-1.0%	20.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$4,655/mo

Home price / national median income11.0x

Annual rent / national median income42.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,706/mo

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.