Original Research by School Decision on Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School is the sole high school in the Mountain Lakes Public School District, serving grades nine through twelve. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet institution. It sits in a borough that was originally a planned suburban community, characterized by man-made lakes, a network of stucco Craftsman-influenced homes, and a two-mile Boulevard walking path that serves as the civic spine. The community is essentially a bedroom suburb, with minimal commercial activity and residents who commute via NJ Transit on the Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken or New York City.
The student body at Mountain Lakes High School is relatively small for a four-year high school. Its composition is predominantly white, with a significant Asian student population and much smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, multiracial, and Native American students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is very low. Data on the number of students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners was not available.
State testing data for the school was not available in the materials reviewed, so a direct measure of academic proficiency cannot be reported here. A parent or resident should check directly with the school or the New Jersey Department of Education for the most recent assessment results. This high school has no reported graduation rate in the data provided, although as a school serving grades nine through twelve, that metric is ordinarily tracked. The comparison fact-set, which positions the school relative to other districts in Morris County, flagged that both proficiency and graduation data were missing, so no comparative placement can be made on those grounds.
The community context is distinguishing. Mountain Lakes is one of New Jersey's highest-income communities, with a median household income well above state figures. Housing values in the borough’s zip code are very high, with a median home price over a million dollars. The overall Morris County housing market shows a moderately strong pace of sales, with homes spending a relatively short time on the market. Property taxes in Mountain Lakes have been cited as among the highest in the state and the highest in Morris County. The borough is small in area, largely built out, and has historically resisted intrusive development. In 2024, it moved into full conformance with the Highlands Regional Master Plan, underscoring a preservation-focused posture rather than a growth trajectory. No major new housing developments were identified.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small, affluent community with high housing costs and correspondingly high taxes. The school environment reflects that economic context, with a very low share of students qualifying for subsidized meals. The absence of state testing data and graduation rate is a notable gap that a parent would want to follow up on directly. The district operates three other schools within the borough, including an elementary and a middle school, as well as a regional school for deaf and hard of hearing students, so the feeder pattern is contained within the community. The school sits in a residential setting without a downtown commercial strip, and the built environment is characterized by tree-lined streets, lakes, and parks. This is a setting that suits a family seeking a small high school in a high-cost, preservation-minded suburb with strong commuting access to New York City.
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