Hammond Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Hammond Central School District

Hammond Central School District serves all students, prekindergarten through twelfth grade, in a single building located in the towns of Hammond and Redwood in St. Lawrence County, in far northern New York. The district's enrollment is small, running around 240 students across all grade bands.

On state testing, Hammond Central's results show a mixed academic picture that trends upward as students move into the middle grades. In English language arts, early elementary grades (third and fourth) show proficiency around the middle range, but fourth grade dips notably lower. Fifth grade improves somewhat, and by sixth grade students reach stronger performance. Seventh grade shows a dip in ELA, though eighth grade recovers to roughly middle performance. Mathematics follows a similar pattern: third grade starts near the middle, fourth and fifth grades drop considerably, then grades six through eight show improvement, with eighth grade reaching notably stronger proficiency. Science results are available only for grades five and eight; fifth grade shows lower proficiency, while eighth grade improves substantially. Overall, the district's proficiency index sits below the median among St. Lawrence County's other districts, though the upward trajectory through the middle grades warrants attention. State testing data does not capture graduation rates or high school course outcomes, so readers cannot assess college and career readiness from these measures.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits above the midpoint among county districts, meaning a meaningful share of students are missing school regularly enough to disrupt learning. Attendance is a concrete lever families can observe and discuss with the school.

Per-pupil spending in Hammond Central falls in the upper range for the county, substantially above the median. This spending figure reflects the cost structure of maintaining a small, consolidated district building and reflects debt service on a capital project voters approved in May 2023. That project, now under construction, includes window replacements, siding, stonework, and a paved perimeter walking trail. The project carries ongoing tax implications: principal and interest payments drive a recurring portion of budget increases, though New York State building aid reimburses roughly half of those debt costs. For families weighing a move to the area, the property tax trajectory tied to this debt is a tangible consideration.

A state comptroller audit released in 2024 found that Hammond Central overestimated its budgetary appropriations and levied more property tax than necessary to fund operations from 2020-21 through 2022-23. The audit noted the district was not transparent with taxpayers about those overages. This is a direct signal for families and residents assessing the district's financial stewardship.

The district recently rolled out curriculum updates aligned with New York State Standards and expanded elective offerings in grades seven through twelve, a programmatic change that gives middle and high school students more choice in their coursework going forward.

The housing market in Hammond and the surrounding communities shows affordability below state averages. Home values have grown modestly over the past year. The community is rural and remote; all students attend the single district building. The district's student population is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and on special education and English learner populations were not available.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

243

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

White 97%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

73%

—

Gr 3

25%

71%

Gr 4

29%

Gr 5

31%

40%

Gr 6

33%

83%

Gr 7

22%

50%

Gr 8

57%

56%

Math

Gr EOC

80%

—

Gr 3

25%

71%

Gr 4

18%

33%

Gr 5

23%

20%

Gr 6

33%

83%

Gr 7

44%

100%

Gr 8

60%

86%

Science

Gr 5

31%

40%

Gr 8

57%

56%

Social studies

Gr EOC

83%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

HAMMOND CENTRAL SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

24%

Grade 4

22%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 6

67%

Grade 7

75%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

17%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 6

33%

Grade 7

56%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

33%

Grade 5

56%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$174,128

Year-over-year change+5.3%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$169K to $215K

vs. state typical0.34x

vs. national typical0.47x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13646	Hammond	$169K	+5.3%	89.2%
13679	Redwood	$215K	+5.2%	10.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$879/mo

Home price / national median income2.1x

Market Activity: St. Lawrence County

Median listing price$189,000

Median listing price YoY-0.5%

Median price per sq ft$117

Median days on market110.5 days

Median days on market YoY+52.4%

Active listings336

Active listings YoY+17.5%

New listings128

New listings YoY+14.3%

Pending listings157

Pending listings YoY-2.5%

Hotness: median listing price$179,975

Hotness: median listing price YoY-4.1%

Supply score0.8

Supply score YoY-92.5%

Demand score44.3

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$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.