State district guide

New York public school districts

Compare district systems across New York by enrollment scale, school count, county context, generated guide coverage, and the parent checks that matter before choosing where to live.

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Direct answer for parents

What this district ranking can and cannot tell you

If you are searching for the best school districts in New York, start with the largest and most data-rich district systems below, then verify the specific school assigned to each address. SchoolsByCounty orders districts by reported enrollment and school count because those fields are consistent in NCES. It does not convert district size into a quality rating.

Start with scale

NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #31

56,788 reported students

Check county context

Putnam County

89/100 county score

Verify locally

Address fit

Attendance boundaries and transfers are not in NCES

District table

Largest public school districts in New York

The first 60 rows show the largest district systems by reported enrollment. Open district guides where available, or use the county profile when a detailed district page is not generated yet.

1,103 districts in state file

New York public school districts ranked by reported enrollment.
Rank	District	County context	Students	Schools	Parent lens
1	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #31 LEA ID 3600103 Richmond County74 schools	Richmond County 55/100 county score	56,788	74	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
2	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 LEA ID 3600077 New York County118 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	54,297	118	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
3	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #24 LEA ID 3600098 Queens County57 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	49,065	57	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
4	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #20 LEA ID 3600151 Kings County45 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	44,161	45	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
5	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #10 LEA ID 3600087 Bronx County84 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	42,282	84	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
6	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #27 LEA ID 3600123 Queens County63 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	38,395	63	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
7	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #28 LEA ID 3600100 Queens County50 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	35,408	50	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
8	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #30 LEA ID 3600102 Queens County51 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	34,704	51	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
9	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #25 LEA ID 3600122 Queens County46 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	33,496	46	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
10	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #21 LEA ID 3600152 Kings County40 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	33,390	40	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
11	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #11 LEA ID 3600088 Bronx County62 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	30,451	62	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
12	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #22 LEA ID 3600153 Kings County40 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	29,732	40	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
13	BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3605850 Erie County60 schools	Erie County 59/100 county score	29,507	60	elementary, high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
14	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #26 LEA ID 3600099 Queens County34 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	28,662	34	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
15	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #15 LEA ID 3600092 Kings County49 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	26,693	49	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
16	NYC SPECIAL SCHOOLS - DISTRICT 75 LEA ID 3600135 Bronx County59 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	25,872	59	elementary, high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
17	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 9 LEA ID 3600086 Bronx County69 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	25,096	69	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
18	YONKERS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3631920 Westchester County40 schools	Westchester County 73/100 county score	24,013	40	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
19	ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3624750 Monroe County46 schools	Monroe County 60/100 county score	22,378	46	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
20	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 8 LEA ID 3600085 Bronx County51 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	22,248	51	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
21	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #29 LEA ID 3600101 Queens County46 schools	Queens County 44/100 county score	21,532	46	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
22	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #13 LEA ID 3600091 Kings County40 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	19,011	40	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
23	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 3 LEA ID 3600078 New York County44 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	18,795	44	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
24	SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3628590 Onondaga County31 schools	Onondaga County 58/100 county score	18,352	31	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
25	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #19 LEA ID 3600120 Kings County52 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	17,956	52	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
26	BRENTWOOD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3605280 Suffolk County17 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	17,826	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
27	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #17 LEA ID 3600095 Kings County49 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	17,250	49	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
28	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 6 LEA ID 3600083 New York County46 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	17,073	46	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
29	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #12 LEA ID 3600090 Bronx County46 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	16,266	46	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
30	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #14 LEA ID 3600119 Kings County38 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	15,212	38	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
31	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 7 LEA ID 3600084 Bronx County40 schools	Bronx County 39/100 county score	14,326	40	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
32	SACHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3625350 Suffolk County15 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	11,727	15	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
33	NEWBURGH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3620700 Orange County12 schools	Orange County 68/100 county score	10,895	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
34	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 4 LEA ID 3600079 New York County29 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	10,807	29	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
35	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #18 LEA ID 3600096 Kings County33 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	10,320	33	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
36	WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3629880 Dutchess County15 schools	Dutchess County 61/100 county score	10,289	15	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
37	GREECE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3612630 Monroe County17 schools	Monroe County 60/100 county score	10,152	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
38	NEW ROCHELLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3620490 Westchester County10 schools	Westchester County 73/100 county score	9,906	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
39	EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (SPRING VALLEY) LEA ID 3627810 Rockland County14 schools	Rockland County 64/100 county score	9,815	14	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
40	WILLIAMSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3631470 Erie County13 schools	Erie County 59/100 county score	9,624	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
41	MIDDLE COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3619200 Suffolk County14 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	9,404	14	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
42	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 1 LEA ID 3600076 New York County26 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	9,394	26	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
43	SHENENDEHOWA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3626670 Saratoga County12 schools	Saratoga County 78/100 county score	9,389	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
44	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #32 LEA ID 3600097 Kings County27 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	9,304	27	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
45	UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3629370 Oneida County13 schools	Oneida County 58/100 county score	9,075	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
46	WILLIAM FLOYD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3618690 Suffolk County9 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	8,963	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
47	SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3626010 Schenectady County15 schools	Schenectady County 55/100 county score	8,879	15	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
48	LONGWOOD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3619230 Suffolk County7 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	8,725	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
49	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 5 LEA ID 3600081 New York County28 schools	New York County 54/100 county score	8,024	28	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
50	WEBSTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3630360 Monroe County11 schools	Monroe County 60/100 county score	8,006	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
51	ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3602460 Albany County16 schools	Albany County 63/100 county score	7,965	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
52	NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3621210 Onondaga County11 schools	Onondaga County 58/100 county score	7,876	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
53	SMITHTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3627060 Suffolk County12 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	7,808	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
54	SEWANHAKA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3626520 Nassau County5 schools	Nassau County 81/100 county score	7,771	5	high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
55	CLARKSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3620340 Rockland County16 schools	Rockland County 64/100 county score	7,754	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
56	CENTRAL ISLIP UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3606870 Suffolk County8 schools	Suffolk County 73/100 county score	7,734	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
57	HAVERSTRAW-STONY POINT CSD (NORTH ROCKLAND) LEA ID 3614010 Rockland County8 schools	Rockland County 64/100 county score	7,710	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
58	ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3603270 Dutchess County11 schools	Dutchess County 61/100 county score	7,698	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
59	EAST MEADOW UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEA ID 3609840 Nassau County9 schools	Nassau County 81/100 county score	7,649	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
60	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #23 LEA ID 3600121 Kings County28 schools	Kings County 41/100 county score	7,390	28	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide

— = enrollment not reported in the district record. District rows are informational and must be paired with local assignment tools before a housing decision.

Methodology

How to use district rankings without overreading them

District-level data is useful because it shows the operating system around a public school search: how many schools exist, which county record anchors the district, how much enrollment is reported, and whether a detailed district guide is available. It is not enough to decide where a student should enroll.

Ranking basis

Rows are ordered by reported enrollment, then school count. The method favors broad, data-rich systems because those are the districts parents most often need to research before relocation.

County context

Each district is attached to a primary county record when available. County school scores are context signals, not district ratings, and nearby counties can still matter for commute and housing decisions.

Grade pathway

Elementary, middle, and high school counts help parents spot whether a district looks like a full K-12 pathway or a narrower operating unit. Feeder patterns still require local verification.

Address verification

The final decision happens at the address level. Confirm attendance zones, open-enrollment rules, magnet admissions, charter lotteries, and transfer windows with official district sources.

County context

Districts anchored in higher-scoring county contexts

These rows pair district records with the county-level SchoolsByCounty score. Treat this as a shortlist for deeper research, not a district quality ranking.

MAHOPAC CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 3,807
Schools: 6

Open district guide

CARMEL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 3,743
Schools: 5

Open district guide

BREWSTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 2,927
Schools: 4

PUTNAM VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 1,530
Schools: 3

HALDANE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 803
Schools: 3

GARRISON UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Putnam County

Students: 225
Schools: 1

Parent checklist before relying on a district ranking

Use this page to narrow the field, then answer these local questions before treating any district as a fit for a specific home.

Which school does this address actually feed into?

Use the district address lookup and confirm edge cases near attendance-zone borders.

What happens at transition grades?

A strong elementary fit can split into several middle or high school paths.

Are choice programs realistic for this student?

Magnet, charter, virtual, and transfer options can involve lotteries, applications, or deadlines.

Is the county context aligned with housing tradeoffs?

Pair school research with taxes, commute, home prices, and safety before choosing where to live.

Frequently Asked Questions About New York School Districts

What are the best school districts in New York?

NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #31, NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2, NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #24 are the largest New York district systems by reported enrollment in the NCES file. SchoolsByCounty does not call them the best districts; use this page to find data-rich district systems, then verify assigned schools, program rules, and local fit.

How are New York districts ranked here?

Districts are ordered by reported student enrollment, then school count, using NCES public school district records. This is a research-priority ranking, not a quality rating.

Why do only 176 New York districts have district guide links?

SchoolsByCounty statically generates detailed district guides for the largest district systems nationally so the pages stay fast and substantive. Districts without guide links remain represented through county and state context pages.

Do these district pages show attendance boundaries?

No. Attendance zones, transfer rules, magnet eligibility, charter admission, transportation, and program availability must be verified with official district or local assignment tools before choosing a home.

Does a large district mean better schools?

No. Larger districts usually have more school options and more public data, but enrollment size is not a school-quality measure. Compare school-level records and official local sources before treating a district as a fit.

How many districts are included for New York?

This page includes 1,103 New York public school districts from the current NCES district file, alongside county context and generated district-guide availability where available.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jun 9, 2026

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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