Eight Suffolk districts crack state’s top 50 in new Niche rankings

Suffolk County claimed eight spots among the state’s top 50 school districts in Niche’s 2026 Best School Districts and High Schools rankings, with Half Hollow Hills Central School District leading the way.

The ranking firm, which officially released its annual report on Monday, evaluated thousands of districts nationwide based on academics, teachers, college preparation, resources, facilities, diversity, and parent and student reviews to determine the best public school systems in America.

Half Hollow Hills in Dix Hills — with 7,248 students across nine schools — earned the top spot among Suffolk districts, receiving an A+ overall grade. Students and parents praised the district’s supportive teachers and strong academic programs.

Three Village in Stony Brook ranked second in the county, serving 5,686 students across eight schools. The district earned recognition for its unique programs, including an excellent jazz program, marching band, Science Olympiad team and INSTAR Program.

Cold Spring Harbor is third among Suffolk districts. Rounding out the top five were Harborfields in Greenlawn at No. 4 and Mount Sinai at No. 5.

All but one of the eight Suffolk school district’s in the state’s top 50 received an A+ overall grades from Niche.

1. Half Hollow Hills

State rank: No. 3
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: A in Resources & Facilities
Number of students: 7,248
Graduation rate: 96%
Money spent per student: $34,474
Average SAT score: 1310

2. Three Village

State rank: No. 16
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B- in Diversity
Number of students: 5,686
Graduation rate: 98%
Money spent per student: $36,170
Average SAT score: 1300

3. Cold Spring Harbor

State rank: No. 26
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: C in Diversity
Number of students: 1,566
Graduation rate: 95%
Money spent per student: $40,611
Average SAT score: 1370

4. Harborfields

State rank: No. 27
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B in Diversity
Number of students: 2,855
Graduation rate: 98%
Money spent per student: $28,506
Average SAT score: 1280

5. Mount Sinai

State rank: No. 28
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B- in Diversity
Number of students: 2,074
Graduation rate: 96%
Money spent per student: $28,757
Average SAT score: 1260

6. Elwood

State rank: No. 44
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B- in Food
Number of students: 1,978
Graduation rate: 95%
Money spent per student: $30,226
Average SAT score: 1280

7. Westhampton Beach

State rank: No. 46
Niche overall grade: A+
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B+ in both Sports and Diversity
Number of students: 1,740
Graduation rate: 94%
Money spent per student: $31,086
Average SAT score: 1250

8. Commack

State rank: No. 50
Niche overall grade: A
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: B- in Diversity
Number of students: 5,518
Graduation rate: 98%
Money spent per student: $33,397
Average SAT score: 1270

9. Smithtown

State rank: No. 55
Niche overall grade: A
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: C+ in Diversity
Number of students: 7,705
Graduation rate: 97%
Money spent per student: $32,645
Average SAT score: 160

10. South Huntington

State rank: 56
Niche overall grade: A
Teacher category grade: A+
Lowest Niche grade: A- in Academics
Number of students: 5,596
Graduation rate: 93%
Money spent per student: $32,842
Average SAT score: 1240

New York’s top 20 school districts, per Niche

1. Syosset — Nassau
2. Roslyn — Nassau
3. Half Hollow Hills — Suffolk
4. Jericho — Nassau
5. Scarsdale — Westchester
6. Great Neck — Nassau
7. Manhasset — Nassau
8. East Williston — Nassau
9. Bethpage — Nassau
10. Hewlett-Woodmere — Nassau
11. Herricks — Nassau
12. Chappaqua — Westchester
13. Briarcliff Manor — Westchester
14. Bellmore-Merrick — Nassau
15. Pittsford — Monroe
16. Three Village — Suffolk
17. Pelham — Westchester
18. Plainview-Old Bethpage — Nassau
19. Edgemont — Westchester
20. Brighton — Monroe

School District	State
26. East Williston*	New York
27. Northville	Michigan
28. New Canaan	Connecticut
29. Bethpage*	New York
30. Northern Valley Regional	New Jersey
31. Public Schools of Brookline	Massachusetts
32. Wayzata	Minnesota
33. Niles Township Community No. 219	Illinois
34. Hewlett-Woodmere*	New York
35. ISU Laboratory	Illinois
36. Indian Prairie Community Unit No. 204	Illinois
37. Tredyffrin-Easttown	Pennsylvania
38. Barrington Community Unit No. 220	Illinois
39. West Lafayette Community Corporation	Indiana
40. Herricks*	New York
41. Mariemont City	Ohio
42. Clayton	Missouri
43. San Marino Unified	California
44. Chappaqua Central	New York
45. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified	California
46. Homewood City	Alabama
47. Mason City	Ohio
48. South Pasadena Unified	California
49. Minnetonka	Minnesota
50. Fremont Union	California

School District	State
51. Naperville Community Unit No. 203	Illinois
52. Redondo Beach Unified	California
53. Township HS District No. 214	Illinois
54. Piedmont City Unified	California
55. Solon City	Ohio
56. Arcadia Unified	California
57. West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional	New Jersey
58. Acalanes Union	California
59. South Texas Independent	Texas
60. Troy	Michigan
61. Weston	Massachusetts
62. Carroll Independent	Texas
63. Blue Valley Unified	Kansas
64. Briarcliff Manor Union Free	New York
65. Carmel Unified	California
66. Carmel Clay	Indiana
67. Bellmore-Merrick*	New York
68. Mt. Lebanon	Pennsylvania
69. Fox Chapel Area	Pennsylvania
70. San Mateo Union	California
71. Lexington	Massachusetts
72. Darien	Connecticut
73. Hopkinton	Massachusetts
74. Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science (NUAMES)	Utah
75. Elmbrook	Wisconsin

School District	State
76. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent	Texas
77. Lower Merion	Pennsylvania
78. Tamalpais Union	California
79. Coppell Independent	Texas
80. Community HS District No. 155	Illinois
81. Tenafly Public	New Jersey
82. Ridgewood Public	New Jersey
83. Pleasanton Unified	California
84. Pittsford Central	New York
85. Vestavia Hills City	Alabama
86. Oak Park Unified	California
87. Auburn City	Alabama
88. Wilton	Connecticut
89. Madison City	Alabama
90. Dover-Sherborn Regional	Massachusetts
91. Fort Mill	South Carolina
92. Three Village*	New York
93. Mountain Lakes	New Jersey
94. Pelham	New York
95. Belmont	Massachusetts
96. Grayslake Community No. 127	Illinois
97. Elmhurst No. 205	Illinois
98. Princeton	New Jersey
99. Lincoln-Way Community No. 210	Illinois
100. Greenwich	Connecticut

_{Top: Half Hollow Hills Central School District elementary school classroom lesson earlier this month (Facebook).}