NJ School Aid: 200 Districts Who Got The Least Help

Ever wonder why your property taxes may be so high? School districts typically blame the state, saying New Jersey should give more money to offset costs.

Patch looked at 200 school districts that got the least amount of money from the state this year — and, perhaps not coincidentally, they're the towns that have among the highest property taxes in the state.

Most of these districts, such as North Caldwell and Ridgewood, are among the wealthiest in the state. Since the Abbott v. Burke state Supreme Court case from nearly 40 years ago, New Jersey has had to funnel more state aid toward so-called "poor" districts and less toward the so-called "wealthy."

Indeed, the Christie administration has worked recently to reverse the court's decision, arguing that all districts should get a fairer share of aid to offset escalating property taxes that are the highest in the country.

But there are some on this list — such as Manasquan or Point Pleasant Boro — that may not fall under the category of "wealthy."

We looked at the 200 districts that get the least amount per pupil. Here they are:

1. NORTH CALDWELL BORO $358.3536404
2. HADDONFIELD $361.6488722
3. LITTLE SILVER BORO $380.6568047
4. ALLENDALE BORO $382.960177
5. MANASQUAN BORO $387.733418
6. RIDGEWOOD $389.3962231
7. MADISON $396.3011884
8. NEW PROVIDENCE BORO $397.7464376
9. CALDWELL-WEST CALDWELL $400.2003831
10. CLOSTER BORO $400.2368186
11. TENAFLY BORO $400.5117892
12. RUMSON BORO $403.822863
13. SUMMIT CITY $404.6120005
14. RIVER VALE TWP $405.1817413
15. GLEN RIDGE BORO $411.6457565
16. RIVER EDGE BORO $415.8309137
17. MILLBURN TWP $416.3200082
18. RIVER DELL REGIONAL $417.6023143
19. VERONA BORO $427.460014
20. TOTOWA BORO $429.1396855
21. CRESSKILL BORO $429.6098379
22. FAIR HAVEN BORO $429.9960474
23. EMERSON BORO $432.6865417
24. WYCKOFF TWP $436.6333816
25. MONROE TWP (Middlesex) $438.6892813
26. LIVINGSTON TWP $442.1045408
27. UPPER SADDLE RIVER BORO $444.8161107
28. SOMERSET HILLS REGIONAL $446.7723658
29. NORTHERN HIGHLANDS REG $446.9805097
30. NORTHVALE BORO $447.1701721
31. BERKELEY HEIGHTS TWP 448.9971873
32. MENDHAM BORO $452.9628975
33. RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN REG $457.5119471
34. GLEN ROCK BORO $459.6744571
35. BAY HEAD BORO $460.1812081
36. CARLSTADT BORO $461.0980392
37. WATCHUNG HILLS REGIONAL $462.7642807
38. OAKLAND BORO $463.8976271
39. ORADELL BORO $467.8994709
40. RAMSEY BORO $468.217161
41. HARRINGTON PARK BORO $468.4533965
42. SECAUCUS $471.7045776
43. SHREWSBURY BORO $471.9589844
44. CLARK TWP $473.4293228
45. WOODCLIFF LAKE BORO $477.1331593
46. SCH DIST OF THE CHATHAMS $482.3038036
47. ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS BORO $483.2996942
48. METUCHEN BORO $483.8412912
49. WESTFIELD $484.1179569
50. CEDAR GROVE TWP $484.2079701
51. WEST LONG BRANCH BORO $488.6931034
52. PARK RIDGE BORO $488.7323711
53. ESSEX FELLS BORO $490.6829268
54. FAIRFIELD TWP (Essex) $491.2899225
55. NORTHERN VALLEY REGIONAL $497.3301301
56. MONTVILLE TWP $498.2968067
57. DEMAREST BORO $498.4662669
58. WAYNE TWP $504.020197
59. MONTVALE BORO $513.778
60. HAWORTH BORO $514.1646778
61. MOUNTAIN LAKES BORO $516.990151
62. FLORHAM PARK BORO $518.5072917
63. PARAMUS BORO $527.6139086
64. HANOVER PARK REGIONAL $539.4392283
65. OLD TAPPAN BORO $539.9161932
66. ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS BORO $549.7171533
67. SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD REG $550.0850365
68. PASCACK VALLEY REGIONAL $551.4531781
69. CHESTERFIELD TWP $554.0672823
70. WALDWICK BORO $560.1739968
71. RAMAPO-INDIAN HILL REG $562.803956
72. FORT LEE BORO $564.3300658
73. BERNARDS TWP $577.2789502
74. SPRINGFIELD TWP $597.269163
75. NORTH HALEDON BORO $603.4623188
76. HANOVER TWP $605.2933516
77. CRANFORD TWP $609.6526221
78. LITTLE FALLS TWP $618.4141876
79. MENDHAM TWP $619.3432203
80. WEST ESSEX REGIONAL $619.7243004
81. MONMOUTH BEACH BORO $621.8446215
82. SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD $626.8287253
83. HASBROUCK HEIGHTS BORO $628.8034326
84. HOLMDEL TWP $631.6118044
85. WATCHUNG BORO $635.170088
86. WESTWOOD REGIONAL $635.2689152
87. ROSELAND BORO $639.5328798
88. FRANKLIN LAKES BORO $654.1040068
89. MIDLAND PARK BORO $654.4902163
90. POINT PLEASANT BEACH $654.8799472
91. SADDLE BROOK TWP $661.8725519
92. WOOD-RIDGE BORO $668.8931876
93. PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS TWP $671.6
94. MOUNTAINSIDE BORO $690.4480874
95. SOUTHERN REGIONAL $692.9469842
96. EAST HANOVER TWP $699.3030928
97. WARREN TWP $701.3445756
98. NORWOOD BORO $705.0328152
99. HILLSDALE BORO $711.886172
100. FAIR LAWN BORO $715.0659008
101. SEA GIRT BORO $715.5228758
102. OCEANPORT BORO $727.5960912
103. SHORE REGIONAL $735.189811
104. EAST RUTHERFORD BORO $739.9491525
105. RIVERDALE BORO $743.6345029
106. DENVILLE TWP $746.1423313
107. KINNELON BORO $771.6218294
108. HO HO KUS BORO $772.3090615
109. HOPEWELL VALLEY REGIONAL $777.9767028
110. PASSAIC VALLEY REGIONAL $781.0921002
111. MAHWAH TWP $787.4596409
112. HARDING TOWNSHIP $788.2310231
113. W WINDSOR-PLAINSBORO REG $790.3358834
114. STONE HARBOR BORO $793.6911765
115. LONG HILL TWP $795.1254568
116. CARLSTADT-EAST RUTHERFORD $797.6416938
117. BRIELLE BORO $799.2722323
118. WOODLAND PARK $799.9035581
119. MOORESTOWN TWP $822.8508116
120. ROBBINSVILLE TWP $834.3398627
121. READINGTON TWP $851.1290323
122. LYNDHURST TWP $856.200542
123. MONTGOMERY TWP $857.8139828
124. RED BANK REGIONAL $863.3713806
125. BOONTON TOWN $876.2428256
126. ROCKAWAY BORO $889.0137221
127. HAWTHORNE BORO $894.1764959
128. LAWRENCE TWP $896.96826
129. NEW MILFORD BORO $902.2440984
130. CHESTER TWP $932.7756184
131. EDISON TWP $934.4845035
132. SPRING LAKE BORO $944.0669856
133. SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS BORO $946.6734104
134. ALPINE BORO $959.6143791
135. CRANBURY TWP $967.5630081
136. ROCHELLE PARK TWP $973.7157895
137. MANSFIELD TWP $987.9149278
138. PRINCETON $987.9556685
139. WALL TWP $1004.866074
140. RUTHERFORD BORO $1008.43162
141. SOUTH HACKENSACK TWP $1016.729508
142. NORTH ARLINGTON BORO $1026.552758
143. MONTCLAIR $1030.026715
144. PEQUANNOCK TWP $1039.252254
145. BOONTON TWP $1048.969027
146. GREEN BROOK TWP $1051.331133
147. MOUNT LAUREL TWP $1054.080599
148. WEST ORANGE TOWN $1054.805508
149. COLTS NECK TWP $1058.493194
150. EDGEWATER BORO $1063.642312
151. BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN REG $1109.205679
152. FREEHOLD TWP $1113.49477
153. BERKELEY TWP $1128.055107
154. FRANKLIN TWP (Hunterdon) $1137.901024
155. ROCKAWAY TWP $1149.378908
156. PALISADES PARK $1166.829415
157. CHERRY HILL TWP $1177.474852
158. SADDLE RIVER BORO $1207.196629
159. CLIFFSIDE PARK BORO $1223.294844
160. MORRIS COUNTY VOCATIONAL $1226.320239
161. AVON BORO $1228.239726
162. LAVALLETTE BORO $1231.146853
163. MAYWOOD BORO $1231.292658
164. ELMWOOD PARK $1238.690297
165. GARWOOD BORO $1250.648352
166. UNION TWP $1284.084633
167. MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT $1300.545037
168. BEDMINSTER TWP $1309.189189
169. MOONACHIE BORO $1309.576052
170. MORRIS PLAINS BORO $1313.942053
171. HADDON HEIGHTS BORO $1322.172706
172. ALLAMUCHY TWP $1350.491686
173. BRANCHBURG TWP $1354.553438
174. MARGATE CITY $1384.887218
175. TEWKSBURY TWP $1432.195326
176. HARMONY TWP $1453.511905
177. TEANECK TWP $1468.818593
178. AVALON BORO $1502.22449
179. LITTLE FERRY BORO $1529.012308
180. RIDGEFIELD $1530.060624
181. MILLTOWN BORO $1602.863541
182. MOUNT ARLINGTON BORO $1641.087087
183. CLINTON TWP $1674.416006
184. WEST MORRIS REGIONAL $1713.654696
185. BUTLER BORO $1739.02698
186. LINCOLN PARK BORO $1742.306952
187. WOODBRIDGE TWP $1752.926615
188. MEDFORD TWP $1754.638705
189. NUTLEY TOWN $1762.319175
190. OCEAN CITY $1768.009337
191. ABSECON CITY $1788.011601
192. BELMAR BORO $1790.47482
193. FRANKLIN TWP (Somerset) $1813.524063
194. SPARTA TWP $1825.461597
195. MIDDLETOWN TWP $1852.783029
196. MANCHESTER TWP $1874.177254
197. VOORHEES TWP $1879.369595
198. LINWOOD CITY $1898.671875
199. RIVERTON $1902.673611
200. LEBANON BORO $1910.92

Patch file photo