Half Hollow Hills Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Half Hollow Hills Central School District

Half Hollow Hills Central School District serves a student population across kindergarten through twelfth grade, spanning communities in central Suffolk County. The district encompasses roughly equal numbers of students across its elementary, middle, and high schools, with two separate high school campuses serving the upper grades.

State testing data from 2024-25 shows proficiency rates in the mid-to-upper range across grades three through eight. In math, proficiency sits in the high seventies for third and fifth grades, dropping slightly through sixth grade to the low seventies. English language arts proficiency begins lower, in the mid-sixties for grades three and four, climbs to mid-seventies in grade five, then settles back into the low-to-mid sixties in middle school. Fifth-grade science proficiency stands at about two-thirds of students meeting the standard. Eighth-grade science shows lower results, though testing participation at that level is notably partial, which affects how that picture reads. Across the tested grades, the district's overall proficiency falls in the top quartile among Suffolk County's districts.

The district's student body reflects substantial racial and ethnic diversity. Asian students make up roughly a fifth of enrollment, white students slightly less than half, Hispanic and Black students each comprise a meaningful portion of the population, and the remainder identifies as multiracial or another group. The enrollment is substantial and appears stable across grade levels, with slightly more students in the middle and high school grades than in elementary.

Chronic absenteeism in the district sits above the county midpoint but well below the high end of the county range, placing the district in the better half of its peers on attendance. Per-pupil spending falls in the upper-middle range among county districts, reflecting the local property tax base and district priorities.

The district has pursued a distinctive approach to facility funding over the past several years. Rather than issue bonds to pay for capital projects, the district established reserve funds approved by voters in separate votes. A roof replacement reserve was approved in 2022, and a second building improvements reserve passed in 2024 by a wide margin. This strategy means the district aims to finance major facility upgrades from accumulated reserves, avoiding the interest and long-term debt obligations that bonds carry. The district has stated a goal of becoming debt-free by the end of the 2026-2027 school year. For families considering the area, this fiscal structure bears on long-term tax outlook and the pace and scope of facility maintenance and upgrades.

The housing market in the district's towns reflects mid-to-high suburban values. Weighted median home values across the served communities sit in the upper range, with some neighborhoods notably higher than others depending on proximity to Huntington or Melville versus areas like Farmingdale or Wyandanch. Rental costs have risen and continue to climb year-over-year. The market has shown modest appreciation, though inventory and sales velocity fluctuate seasonally. Affordability measures suggest that mortgages and rent each claim substantial shares of household income, positioning this as a market for families with above-average financial capacity.

State testing data for grades seven and eight shows notably lower participation rates, which limits how fully those grade-level snapshots describe district performance. A parent reviewing the district may want to inquire with the schools about the reason for partial testing at the secondary level and what assessments or benchmarks inform instruction and placement decisions in those grades. High school outcomes data was not available from the state, so the public record does not show graduation rates, Regents exam results, or college-readiness metrics for this district.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

7,248

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 16%

Black 13%

White 45%

Asian 21%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

83%

—

Gr 3

50%

72%

Gr 4

52%

73%

Gr 5

62%

80%

Gr 6

42%

70%

Gr 7

46%

70%

Gr 8

54%

69%

Math

Gr EOC

50%

—

Gr 3

66%

84%

Gr 4

56%

81%

Gr 5

61%

80%

Gr 6

40%

82%

Gr 7

57%

84%

Gr 8

57%

77%

Science

Gr EOC

64%

—

Gr 5

44%

75%

Gr 8

48%

50%

Social studies

Gr EOC

80%

—

Schools in this District

9 schools are officially reported under this district.

CANDLEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL

HALF HOLLOW HILLS HIGH SCHOOL EAST

HALF HOLLOW HILLS HIGH SCHOOL WEST

OTSEGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PAUMANOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SIGNAL HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

VANDERBILT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WEST HOLLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL

SUNQUAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

80%

Grade 3

74%

Grade 4

75%

Grade 5

73%

Grade 6

78%

Grade 7

70%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

67%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

76%

Grade 5

64%

Grade 6

65%

Grade 7

65%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

67%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$798,916

Year-over-year change+2.1%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$562K to $904K

vs. state typical1.57x

vs. national typical2.17x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
11746	South Huntington	$779K	+3.6%	45.0%
11747	Melville	$882K	+0.1%	36.7%
11735	Farmingdale	$722K	+5.9%	7.0%
11798	Wyandanch	$562K	-1.2%	6.8%
11743	Huntington	$904K	+1.3%	2.0%
11731	East Northport	$759K	+2.3%	1.4%
11729	Deer Park	$651K	-0.1%	1.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,608/mo

Year-over-year change+5.6%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$2,500 to $4,392/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
11746	South Huntington	$3,136	+5.7%	45.0%
11747	Melville	$4,392	—	36.7%
11735	Farmingdale	$2,763	—	7.0%
11743	Huntington	$3,548	+5.2%	2.0%
11731	East Northport	$2,500	—	1.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$4,031/mo

Home price / national median income9.5x

Annual rent / national median income51.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$424/mo

Market Activity: Suffolk County

Median listing price$949,000

Median listing price YoY+2.0%

Median price per sq ft$507

Median price per sq ft YoY+2.2%

Median days on market47.0 days

Median days on market YoY-12.2%

Active listings3,712

Active listings YoY-0.7%

New listings2,016

New listings YoY+3.7%

Pending listings2,047

Pending listings YoY-34.2%

Hotness: median listing price$987,500

Hotness: median listing price YoY+4.0%

Supply score59.3

Supply score YoY+50.5%

Demand score36.0

Demand score YoY+26.3%

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.