Garden City Union Free School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Garden City Union Free School District

Garden City Union Free School District serves a small community in Nassau County on Long Island through seven schools spanning kindergarten through grade twelve. The district operates two secondary schools alongside five elementary and middle schools, with an enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades.

The district's academic profile shows strength in math through the early and middle grades. In third and fourth grade, proficiency runs high. By fifth grade, math proficiency softens somewhat but remains solid. Middle-grade math in sixth and seventh grade rebounds to strong levels. English language arts proficiency runs somewhat lower across tested grades, with notable gaps appearing in middle school where sixth-grade proficiency dips below three-quarters of students and eighth-grade proficiency settles in the mid-to-upper seventies. Science proficiency in fifth grade reaches about seven-tenths of students; eighth-grade science proficiency sits somewhat higher. Across the district, participation rates in state testing remain high, typically in the low-to-mid nineties in elementary and middle grades, though some eighth-grade testing participation is notably lower.

Among Nassau County's districts, Garden City ranks in the top quartile on an overall proficiency index. The district also stands in the top quartile for chronic absenteeism rates, meaning families can expect to see relatively few absences among the student body. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range of the county, toward the lower end of that band.

The district's student body is predominantly white, with smaller populations of Asian students, Hispanic students, and other groups. Specific data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available. Similarly, counts of students with IEPs and English learners were not reported in the available data.

Recent district developments reflect active community investment in facilities. A February 2024 bond referendum, approved by voters, funded a tax-neutral capital improvement plan that has delivered new turf athletic fields now open and in use, a new high school fitness center with concessions and outdoor restrooms, and upgrades including boiler replacements, bleacher improvements, and air conditioning at middle and primary buildings. In May 2026, residents again approved a budget and two capital propositions that fund roof and window replacements at the middle school, Hemlock, and the administration building with no additional tax impact, and that establish a capital reserve fund for future building needs.

The district launched a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program in September 2025, enrolling eligible four-year-old residents through a lottery system. The program is taught by state-certified teachers following New York State standards.

The 2026-2027 budget proposed by the district carries a tax levy increase within the state's allowable cap and reflects a spending increase. District officials have flagged the state-mandated transition to electric school buses as a coming cost pressure affecting the district's future financial trajectory, a factor families weighing property-tax trajectory may want to track.

Housing values in the district's service area are high. Homes in the primary Garden City zipcode are valued substantially above regional and state benchmarks. Rental costs also run well above typical levels. The affordability calculation suggests families would spend a large share of income on housing, whether through mortgage or rent, compared to national norms. The real estate market has been moderately active, with steady listing supply and relatively brisk sales.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,964

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

Black 1%

White 77%

Asian 12%

Two+ 2%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

90%

—

Gr 3

86%

85%

Gr 4

56%

84%

Gr 5

80%

82%

Gr 6

45%

76%

Gr 7

86%

82%

Gr 8

52%

79%

Math

Gr EOC

92%

—

Gr 3

86%

93%

Gr 4

82%

95%

Gr 5

80%

86%

Gr 6

64%

91%

Gr 7

94%

95%

Gr 8

75%

87%

Science

Gr EOC

100%

—

Gr 5

80%

69%

Gr 8

79%

73%

Social studies

Gr EOC

100%

—

Schools in this District

7 schools are officially reported under this district.

GARDEN CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL

GARDEN CITY HIGH SCHOOL

HOMESTEAD SCHOOL

LOCUST SCHOOL

STEWART SCHOOL

STRATFORD AVENUE SCHOOL

HEMLOCK SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

93%

Grade 3

95%

Grade 4

86%

Grade 5

90%

Grade 6

95%

Grade 7

86%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

86%

Grade 3

83%

Grade 4

82%

Grade 5

74%

Grade 6

82%

Grade 7

77%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

69%

Grade 5

73%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.28M

Year-over-year change+9.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$820K to $1.3M

vs. state typical2.52x

vs. national typical3.49x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
11530	Garden City	$1.3M	+9.2%	96.9%
11501	Mineola	$820K	+5.1%	2.8%
11040	New Hyde Park	$970K	+4.8%	0.3%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$4,849/mo

Year-over-year change+6.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$3,649 to $4,886/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
11530	Garden City	$4,886	—	96.9%
11501	Mineola	$3,649	+6.0%	2.8%
11040	New Hyde Park	$4,050	—	0.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,481/mo

Home price / national median income15.3x

Annual rent / national median income69.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,632/mo

Market Activity: Nassau County

Median listing price$949,995

Median listing price YoY+5.7%

Median price per sq ft$549

Median price per sq ft YoY+6.0%

Median days on market38.0 days

Median days on market YoY-8.4%

Active listings2,454

Active listings YoY+5.8%

New listings1,564

New listings YoY-1.3%

Pending listings1,616

Pending listings YoY-36.8%

Hotness: median listing price$934,000

Hotness: median listing price YoY+3.9%

Supply score81.9

Supply score YoY+19.1%

Demand score35.3

Demand score YoY+15.1%

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$510,449 (+5.0% 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.