Best Schools in Plainfield, New Jersey
22 schools · 10 Elementary · 2 Middle · 4 High · 6 Other
Choosing a school in Plainfield?
Use this page to compare every school in Plainfield by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Frederic W. Cook Elementary School
Elementary · Plainfield Public School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Emerson Community School
Elementary · Plainfield Public School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
College Achieve Central Charter School
Other · College Achieve Central Charter School. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Plainfield for 2026 are Frederic W. Cook Elementary School (7.8/10), Emerson Community School (7.6/10), and College Achieve Central Charter School (7.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 19 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
22
19 public · 3 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$368,867
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Schools
22
19 public · 3 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$368,867
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Rates 7.8/10 despite 63% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.5 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Plainfield schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Plainfield
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 19 rated schools; 22 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederic W. Cook Elementary School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Emerson Community School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | College Achieve Central Charter School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Jefferson Elementary School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Hubbard Middle School | 6.9 / 10 |
| 6 | The Queen City Academy Charter School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School | 6.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies | 6.4 / 10 |
| 9 | Maxson Middle School | 6.2 / 10 |
| 10 | Clinton Elementary School | 6.2 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.8/10
- Median household income
- $85,144
- Median home value
- $368,867
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 25%
- Avg commute
- 31 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 54%
27% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Plainfield compares
New Jersey rank
#271 of 344
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.6
below New Jersey avg (6.4)
Median household income
$85k
72% of New Jersey median
Schools in this city
22
Plainfield Public School District runs 74% of Plainfield's public schools
Plainfield touches 6 districts, but Plainfield Public School District is the one most addresses actually attend.
Plainfield Public School District accounts for 14 of 19 public schools (74%). The other 5 districts hold the remaining 5.
Among 19 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.8 to 7.8 — the spread is inside Plainfield, not a citywide average.
- Plainfield Public School District14 public · 74%
- College Achieve Central Charter School1 public · 5%
- Cresthaven Academy Charter School1 public · 5%
- The Barack Obama Green Charter High School District1 public · 5%
- The Queen City Academy Charter School District1 public · 5%
About Schools in Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey has 18 ranked public schools, giving parents a meaningful range of options to evaluate across the city. The district skews toward elementary education, with the strongest performers concentrated at that level. The city's average school score sits at 5.5 out of 10 — a useful baseline when comparing individual schools against the broader landscape.
Only one school in Plainfield, 6% of the ranked total, scores 7 or above. That school is Frederic W. Cook Elementary, which leads the city at 7.2 and stands noticeably above the pack. Charles H. Stillman Elementary follows at 6.8, and Jefferson Elementary and Cresthaven Academy Charter School round out the upper tier at 6.4 and 6.3 respectively. Clinton Elementary closes out the top five at 6.1. The clustering of top performers at the elementary level means parents of younger children have the clearest concentration of above-average options.
Below the top five, scores drop toward and below the city average of 5.5. That spread matters: a parent choosing between two schools in Plainfield is often choosing between a school well above average and one that falls short of it. The gap between the top-rated school and the city mean is 1.7 points — meaningful when scores run on a 10-point scale.
Cresthaven Academy Charter School is the only charter in the top five, worth noting for parents who want to weigh traditional district schools against charter alternatives at the elementary level.
For parents beginning their search, Cook Elementary is the clear starting point for elementary-age children, followed closely by Stillman. Families zoned outside those schools should check scores for their assigned school against the 5.5 city average before assuming proximity equals quality. With only one school crossing the 7-point threshold, location and zoning decisions carry more weight here than in cities with a broader band of high performers. Visiting multiple schools and reviewing current test performance data on each school's MySchoolScout profile will give the most complete picture before enrollment decisions are made.
Elementary Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 144 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.8 |
| 2 | 424 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 392 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.0 |
| 4 | 422 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.5 |
| 5 | 390 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.2 |
| 6 | 663 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.9 |
| 7 | 540 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.2 |
| 8 | 423 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.4 |
| 9 | 331 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.4 |
| 10 | 604 students · Kindergarten–7th | 4.0 |
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 771 students · 6th–8th | 6.9 |
| 2 | 798 students · 6th–8th | 6.2 |
High Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 345 students · 7th–12th | 6.4 |
| 2 | 311 students · 6th–12th | 4.1 |
| 3 | 70 students · 9th–12th | 2.8 |
| 4 | 2,145 students · 9th–12th | 2.8 |
Other Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,428 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.0 | ||
| 2 | 300 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.7 | ||
| 3 | 326 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.0 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 70 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | First Children SchoolPrivate 78 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Koinonia AcademyPrivate 271 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Plainfield
Plainfield, New Jersey · 22 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$85,144
Median Home Value
$368,867
Median Rent
$1,722/mo
Population
77,111
College Educated
25%
Homeownership
54%
Avg Commute
31 min
Poverty Rate
15.1%
Community Profile
Plainfield has a median household income of $85,144. It is an area where 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $368,867, with a median rent of $1,722/month. The area has a poverty rate of 15.1%. The average commute for residents is 31 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- New Jersey
- Elementary
- 10
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 4
- Other
- 6
Resources
School Districts (6)
The Queen City Academy Charter School District
1 school · 300 students
Union County TEAMS Charter School-High School/College LA
1 school · 326 students
The Barack Obama Green Charter High School District
1 school · 311 students
College Achieve Central Charter School
1 school · 1,428 students
Cresthaven Academy Charter School
1 school · 605 students
Plainfield Public School District
15 schools · 10,436 students
Other Major Cities in New Jersey
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Plainfield, New Jersey
How many schools are in Plainfield, New Jersey?
Plainfield has 22 schools, including 19 public and 3 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Plainfield is 5.8 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The top-ranked school in Plainfield on MySchoolScout is Frederic W. Cook Elementary School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The top-ranked elementary school in Plainfield on MySchoolScout is Frederic W. Cook Elementary School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The top-ranked middle school in Plainfield on MySchoolScout is Hubbard Middle School with a composite score of 6.9/10.
What is the best high school in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The top-ranked high school in Plainfield on MySchoolScout is Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies with a composite score of 6.4/10.
How many school districts serve Plainfield, New Jersey?
Plainfield is served by 6 school districts: The Queen City Academy Charter School District, Union County Teams Charter School-High School/college La, The Barack Obama Green Charter High School District, College Achieve Central Charter School, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Plainfield Public School District.
What is the education level in Plainfield, New Jersey?
According to Census data, 25% of adults in Plainfield have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The median household income in Plainfield is approximately $85,144 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Plainfield, New Jersey?
Yes, Plainfield has 3 private schools alongside 19 public schools. The top-rated private school is Salahuddin Future Academy, Plainfield Branch with a score of 7.9/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Plainfield, New Jersey?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Plainfield is 13.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Plainfield, New Jersey?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New Jersey Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.