Best Schools in East Setauket, New York
8 schools · 5 Elementary · 2 Middle · 1 High
Choosing a school in East Setauket?
Use this page to compare every school in East Setauket 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.
Nassakeag Elementary School
Elementary · Three Village Central School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Ward Melville Senior High School
High · Three Village Central School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Paul J Gelinas Junior High School
Middle · Three Village Central School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in East Setauket for 2026 are Nassakeag Elementary School (9.2/10), Ward Melville Senior High School (9.2/10), and Paul J Gelinas Junior High School (8.9/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 8 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
8
in this city
Avg Score
8.3
out of 10
Median Home
$653,100
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
8
in this city
Avg Score
8.3
out of 10
Median Home
$653,100
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 9.2/10 despite 15% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.0 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 East Setauket schools.
Top-Rated Schools in East Setauket
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (8 of 8). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nassakeag Elementary School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Ward Melville Senior High School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 3 | Paul J Gelinas Junior High School | 8.9 / 10 |
| 4 | Robert Cushman Murphy Junior High School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Minnesauke Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 6 | Setauket Elementary School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Arrowhead Elementary School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 8 | William Sidney Mount Elementary School | 6.9 / 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
- 8.3/10
- Median household income
- $174,931
- Median home value
- $653,100
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 63%
- Avg commute
- 30 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 85%
88% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How East Setauket compares
New York rank
#13 of 475
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+2.0
above New York avg (6.2)
Median household income
$175k
187% of New York median
Schools in this city
8
About Schools in East Setauket, New York
East Setauket sits within one of Long Island's stronger public school corridors. The community is served by 8 ranked public schools, all operating within the Three Village Central School District. The average school score across those 8 schools is 7.7 out of 10 — a figure that puts this district well above most suburban benchmarks — and 6 of the 8 schools, or 75%, score 7 or higher. That kind of consistency across a full district is uncommon and signals strong systemic performance rather than a single standout campus carrying the average.
At the elementary level, the options are particularly strong. Arrowhead Elementary and Setauket Elementary both score 8.7 out of 10, tying for the top spot in the city. Minnesauke Elementary follows at 8.2, and Nassakeag Elementary rounds out the group at 7.8. Parents with younger children have four solid elementary choices, all scoring above the district average. That depth means families throughout East Setauket — regardless of attendance zone — are unlikely to draw a weak assignment.
The pipeline holds at the secondary level too. Ward Melville Senior High School scores 8.7 out of 10, matching the district's top elementary schools. A high school performing at that level suggests the academic preparation students receive in the lower grades translates rather than erodes as students progress. For families thinking beyond elementary enrollment, that continuity matters.
Practically speaking, East Setauket is one of the more straightforward school searches a parent can conduct on Long Island. The performance floor is high, the top schools are genuinely excellent by statewide standards, and there are no significant weak links pulling the district down. The main variable is individual school fit — program offerings, class size, and campus culture — rather than quality gaps between schools. Parents should use school visits and attendance-zone mapping as their primary decision tools here, since the data doesn't give a strong reason to favor one school dramatically over another within the same tier.
Elementary Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 537 students · Pre-K–6th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 633 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.4 |
| 3 | 604 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.8 |
| 4 | 565 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.0 |
| 5 | 514 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.9 |
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 651 students · 7th–9th | 8.9 |
| 2 | 672 students · 7th–9th | 8.6 |
High Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,492 students · 9th–12th | 9.2 |
Schools in East Setauket
East Setauket, New York · 8 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$174,931
Median Home Value
$653,100
Median Rent
$2,386/mo
Population
17,403
College Educated
63%
Homeownership
85%
Avg Commute
30 min
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Community Profile
East Setauket has a median household income of $174,931. It is a well-educated community where 63% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $653,100, with a median rent of $2,386/month. The local poverty rate of 4.6% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 30 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- New York
- Elementary
- 5
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 1
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in New York
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 East Setauket, New York
How many schools are in East Setauket, New York?
East Setauket has 8 schools, including 8 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in East Setauket, New York?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in East Setauket is 8.3 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 East Setauket, New York?
The top-ranked school in East Setauket on MySchoolScout is Nassakeag Elementary School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in East Setauket, New York?
The top-ranked elementary school in East Setauket on MySchoolScout is Nassakeag Elementary School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best middle school in East Setauket, New York?
The top-ranked middle school in East Setauket on MySchoolScout is Paul J Gelinas Junior High School with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best high school in East Setauket, New York?
The top-ranked high school in East Setauket on MySchoolScout is Ward Melville Senior High School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
How many school districts serve East Setauket, New York?
East Setauket is served by 1 school district: Three Village Central School District.
What is the education level in East Setauket, New York?
According to Census data, 63% of adults in East Setauket have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in East Setauket, New York?
The median household income in East Setauket is approximately $174,931 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
What is the student-teacher ratio in East Setauket, New York?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in East Setauket is 12.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in East Setauket, New York?
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.
Related reading
- Best Public Schools in New York 2026: Top Districts from NYC to the Suburbsbest schools
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- Student-Teacher Ratio by State: Complete 2026 Rankingsdata insights
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New York State Education Dept., and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.