Top 20 Elementary Schools in New Jersey for 2026

• How the 2026 School Rankings Were Determined

• Top-Ranked Schools by County and District

• What Sets These NJ Elementary Schools Apart

This list of the Top 20 Elementary Schools in New Jersey in 2026 was published by New Jersey Digest, and we begin with the "methodology" of the report.

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The yearly study uses data from the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate schools based on math and reading proficiency, student performance, and class size. Overall, researchers analyzed close to 47,000 elementary schools across the country.

"U.S. News & World Report has released its newest list of the state’s best public elementary schools, and the results stretch from Paterson to the Shore."

Top 20 Best Elementary Schools in the Garden State

1. School 28 – Paterson
2. Cornelia F. Bradford School – Jersey City
3. Princeton Charter School – Princeton
4. Washington Elementary School – Westfield
5. Forrestdale School – Rumson
6. Wyoming School – Millburn
7. Deerfield School – Millburn
8. Alexander Hamilton School – Glen Rock
9. Sara M. Gilmore Academy – Union City
10. Wildwood Elementary School – Mountain Lakes
11. Central School – Haddonfield
12. Hatikvah International Academy Charter School
13. Navesink Elementary School – Middletown
14. Hilldale School – Montville
15. Lincoln-Hubbard Elementary School – Summit
16. Essex Fells Elementary School – Essex Fells
17. Torey J. Sabatini School – Madison
18. Harrison Elementary School – Livingston
19. South Valley Elementary School – Moorestown
20. Orchard Elementary School – Ridgewood

For parents picking a place to live or a school for their kids, these rankings show how local districts are doing. But teachers say test scores don’t tell everything. Good schools also need caring teachers, community support, and programs that help kids grow in other ways.