Skaneateles Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Skaneateles Central School District

Skaneateles Central School District is a small upstate New York district spanning pre-K through grade twelve, serving communities in and around Skaneateles in Onondaga County. The district maintains four school buildings: two elementary and intermediate schools (Waterman Elementary and State Street Intermediate), a middle school, and a senior high school. Total enrollment is small, under two thousand students, with a student body that is predominantly white and drawn from a fairly affluent residential setting.

Academic proficiency in the district is solid. Across tested elementary grades, math proficiency runs in the low-to-mid eighties in third and sixth grades and climbs to above mid-eighties by seventh grade, while fourth and fifth grade show mid-seventies performance. English language arts proficiency is somewhat softer, sitting in the mid-to-upper sixties in fourth and fifth grade, then moving to the mid-seventies and upper seventies by grades six and eight. Science testing, available for grades five and eight, shows mid-sixties proficiency. Taken together, these results place the district in the top quartile across tested subjects and grades when compared to other districts in Onondaga County. Participation rates in the testing window are generally strong in the elementary and middle grades, though eighth-grade math and science show notably lower participation, which a parent may want to understand more fully with the school.

Chronic absenteeism in the district stands at a level well below the county median, another indicator of school engagement. The district's per-pupil spending is in the upper-middle range for the county, reflecting a modest resource commitment.

The district is navigating significant budget and staffing pressure. The 2025-2026 budget included a property tax increase and eliminated a substantial number of full-time and part-time positions—a staffing reduction that will affect class sizes and resource availability. In May 2026, voters narrowly approved a separate large increase to the local library's tax levy to fund a new library building and its operations, a measure that, while independent of the school budget, appears on the school district ballot and adds to property tax bills for households in the district. These are material costs for a prospective resident to weigh.

On the positive side, the district has completed a voter-approved capital project that included facility upgrades to gymnasiums, restrooms, the high school family and consumer sciences classroom, and athletic surfaces. The district has also undertaken instructional improvements, implementing a new English language arts curriculum and expanding inclusive special education frameworks centered on early intervention and multi-tiered support systems, both aimed at strengthening academic and social-emotional outcomes.

The housing market in the district's core zip codes, particularly Skaneateles, is relatively strong. Home values have appreciated steadily, and the market shows high buyer demand. Rental stock is limited in the district's primary service area, and inventory is tighter than the county median. This is not a district known for affordability; prospective buyers should expect property values and tax obligations substantially above county and state medians.

Skaneateles Central is an academically solid, well-resourced district in a desirable residential setting, best suited to families prioritizing academic attainment and stable school culture and who can absorb the financial demands of the area. The recent staffing reductions and ongoing tax pressure reflect the fiscal constraints many upstate districts face and warrant conversation with school leadership about how those changes will affect day-to-day classroom experience.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,244

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 3%

White 94%

Asian 1%

Two+ 2%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

78%

—

Gr 3

57%

76%

Gr 4

42%

70%

Gr 5

36%

73%

Gr 6

64%

81%

Gr 7

54%

77%

Gr 8

57%

81%

Math

Gr EOC

100%

—

Gr 3

71%

82%

Gr 4

33%

77%

Gr 5

50%

78%

Gr 6

82%

84%

Gr 7

69%

91%

Gr 8

86%

82%

Science

Gr EOC

79%

—

Gr 5

36%

71%

Gr 8

57%

69%

Social studies

Gr EOC

81%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

SKANEATELES MIDDLE SCHOOL

SKANEATELES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

STATE STREET INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

WATERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

81%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

74%

Grade 5

84%

Grade 6

87%

Grade 7

83%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

67%

Grade 4

67%

Grade 5

78%

Grade 6

73%

Grade 7

78%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

65%

Grade 5

67%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$544,739

Year-over-year change+9.4%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$219K to $670K

vs. state typical1.07x

vs. national typical1.48x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13152	Skaneateles	$670K	+10.8%	71.6%
13021	Auburn	$219K	+5.9%	27.2%
13108	Marcellus	$333K	+6.6%	0.6%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,167/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
13021	Auburn	$1,167	—	27.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,749/mo

Home price / national median income6.5x

Annual rent / national median income16.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,582/mo

Market Activity: Onondaga County

Median listing price$345,000

Median listing price YoY-13.5%

Median price per sq ft$211

Median price per sq ft YoY+12.2%

Median days on market48.0 days

Median days on market YoY-5.9%

Active listings439

Active listings YoY+1.1%

New listings432

New listings YoY-6.1%

Pending listings1,146

Pending listings YoY+34.0%

Hotness: median listing price$304,950

Hotness: median listing price YoY-23.8%

Supply score57.2

Supply score YoY+25.6%

Demand score96.3

Demand score YoY-0.4%

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.