Port Jefferson Union Free School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Port Jefferson Union Free School District

Port Jefferson Union Free School District, serving kindergarten through grade twelve across the Port Jefferson, Setauket, and Mount Sinai area of Suffolk County, sits in a strong proficiency position relative to the county's other districts but faces acute financial pressures that will reshape the tax burden on local homeowners.

The district's recent state test results show proficiency rates above the county median. Third and seventh graders performed strongest in mathematics and English language arts. Performance varied more across grade bands; fifth-grade math and eighth-grade math each showed weaker results. English language arts was generally more consistent, with grades three and seven above or near 80 percent proficiency. Science results, where tested, landed in the middle range. In absolute terms, the district ranks in the top quartile among Suffolk County's districts on overall proficiency, and its chronic absenteeism rate sits better than midpoint for the county, suggesting steadier attendance patterns. The district spends per pupil in the upper range for the county.

Enrollment sits at approximately 900 students, with the bulk across elementary grades and a stable pipeline through high school. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial families. The district does not report free-and-reduced-price lunch rates or English learner counts, so income composition and language support needs are not visible in the data available.

The real constraint for Port Jefferson families is structural and durably affects the financial outlook. A longstanding tax settlement with LIPA, the utility company that operates the Port Jefferson Power Station within the district, is reducing the plant's assessed value by a substantial portion over roughly nine years. The steepest drops fall between 2024-25 and 2026-27. That shifting tax base means homeowners will shoulder a growing share of school operating costs. A parent or resident weighing a home purchase here should understand that property taxes will face upward pressure from this dynamic independent of curriculum or governance choices.

Compounding that is the district's recent history with capital investment. Voters rejected a combined sum in bond propositions in December 2022, then narrowly rejected a smaller capital bond by just a handful of votes in May 2023. The rejection reflected both skepticism about growth and concerns over declining enrollment. Buildings have aged notably; HVAC systems, locker rooms, music and tech spaces, and ADA-compliant bathrooms remain below contemporary standards. In May 2025, voters approved use of reserves for roof replacement, HVAC work, and asbestos abatement, so tangible facility repairs are underway. That said, the deferred infrastructure investment is a lived condition families will notice.

A further weight on the district's finances: all Child Victims Act-related lawsuits settled in November 2024 for a substantial amount. The district drew from reserves and borrowed the remainder; beginning in 2026-27, that debt converts to a long-term bond extending roughly fourteen years. This will create sizable additional pressure on future budgets and tax rates.

The three schools serving the district are Port Jefferson Elementary, Port Jefferson Middle, and Earl L. Vandermeulen High School. The district operates across pre-K through twelfth grade in a mid-sized, waterfront community on Long Island's North Shore. The local housing market there is affluent; homes are valued in the high hundreds of thousands with recent appreciation, and rental stock costs above mid-Long Island averages. That affluence sits awkwardly against the property-tax dynamics the district faces.

For families choosing between Port Jefferson and neighboring districts, the draw is solid academic performance and low absenteeism. The trade-off is an unusually transparent fiscal squeeze, rooted in factors entirely outside the school's control, that will reshape tax bills over the next five to seven years. Any family considering a home purchase should factor the LIPA settlement timeline and the upcoming bond conversions into their long-term housing cost estimates.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

908

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 15%

Black 2%

White 73%

Asian 7%

Two+ 3%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

79%

—

Gr 3

83%

72%

Gr 4

33%

62%

Gr 5

55%

72%

Gr 6

60%

69%

Gr 8

33%

65%

Math

Gr EOC

—

Gr 3

83%

76%

Gr 4

60%

72%

Gr 5

23%

60%

Gr 6

44%

78%

Science

Gr EOC

88%

—

Gr 5

33%

65%

Social studies

Gr EOC

83%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

PORT JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

EARL L VANDERMEULEN HIGH SCHOOL

PORT JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

78%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

50%

Grade 5

71%

Grade 6

82%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

56%

Grade 4

67%

Grade 5

68%

Grade 6

80%

Grade 7

59%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

57%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$775,498

Year-over-year change+6.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$750K to $843K

vs. state typical1.52x

vs. national typical2.11x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
11777	Port Jefferson	$775K	+6.0%	99.9%
11733	Setauket	$843K	+7.5%	0.1%
11766	Mount Sinai	$750K	+5.9%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,138/mo

Range across 2 ZIP codes$3,138 to $4,038/mo

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
11777	Port Jefferson	$3,138	—	99.9%
11733	Setauket	$4,038	—	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,913/mo

Home price / national median income9.3x

Annual rent / national median income45.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$775/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.