Approximately 32% of public school students in New Jersey are eligible for free lunch (2025).
The public schools with the highest eligible for free lunch are listed below (where sufficient data available).
The public school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey is Essex High School with 100% of students eligible.
Eligible for Free Lunch Range: 89%
100%
Avg. Eligible for Free Lunch: 96%
Public Schools Eligible For Free Lunch in New Jersey (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Eligible for Free Lunch
Grades
Location
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Essex High School
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
369 Passaic Avenue
Fairfield, NJ 07004
(973) 815-1389
Fairfield, NJ 07004
(973) 815-1389
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: PK
121 West New York Avenue
Somers Point, NJ 08244
(609) 927-2053
Somers Point, NJ 08244
(609) 927-2053
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center
Vocational School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
350 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 286-5670
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 286-5670
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School Jackson Center
Vocational School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
850 Toms River Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 286-5665
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 286-5665
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering
(Math: 33% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
291 Lafayette Avenue
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Gifted And Talented Academy School No. 20
(Math: 37% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 2-8
19 Henry Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Preparatory Academy
(Math: 15% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
252 Boulevard
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Regional Day School
Special Education School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 10-12
1070 Old Trenton Road
Trenton, NJ 08690
(609) 588-8456
Trenton, NJ 08690
(609) 588-8456
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19
(Math: 15% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: 1-8
320 Highland Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 779-4219
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 779-4219
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: 4-6
95 Dayton Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Etta Gero School No. 9
(Math: 6% | Reading: 13%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-6
140 First St.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5509
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5509
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-3
64 Parker Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6
(Math: 4% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: PK-8
85 Hamilton Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5506
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5506
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: 7-8
63 Dayton Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: PK-K
155 Summer St.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5507
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5507
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Sonia Sotomayor School #21
(Math: 6% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-8
225 Madison Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Theodore Roosevelt School No. 10
(Math: 8% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-6
151 Harrison St.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5510
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5510
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
Thomas Jefferson School No. 1
(Math: 13% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-8
390 Van Houten Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5501
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5501
Rank: #9 - 199. - 19.
William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11
(Math: 7% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-8
390 Gregory Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5511
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5511
Rank: #20 - 2120. - 21.
Newcomers
(Math: ≤1% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: 3-11
482-506 Market Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0110
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0110
Rank: #20 - 2120. - 21.
Passaic High School No. 12
(Math: 2% | Reading: 14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: 9-12
170 Paulison Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5600
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5600
Rank: #22 - 2322. - 23.
Mario Drago School No. 3
(Math: 14% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 97%
Grades: PK-8
155 Van Houten Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5503
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5503
Rank: #22 - 2322. - 23.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 97%
Grades: PK-K
374 Broadway
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 815-8563
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 815-8563
Rank: #24 - 2624. - 26.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 96%
Grades: PK
36 Parker Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #24 - 2624. - 26.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 96%
Grades: PK
100 Fourth Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #24 - 2624. - 26.
School No. 5
(Math: 8% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 96%
Grades: K-8
168 Monroe St.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 591-6747
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 591-6747
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 92%
Grades: PK
39 Allwood Road
Clifton, NJ 07012
(973) 778-0301
Clifton, NJ 07012
(973) 778-0301
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Kipp Cooper Norcross A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
(Math: 10% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 92%
Grades: K-12
525 Clinton Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #29 - 3029. - 30.
Atlantic Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 90%
Grades: K-8
112 South New York Rd
Absecon, NJ 08205
(609) 428-4300
Absecon, NJ 08205
(609) 428-4300
Rank: #29 - 3029. - 30.
Hope Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 90%
Grades: K-8
836 S. 4th Street
Oaklyn, NJ 08107
(856) 379-3448
Oaklyn, NJ 08107
(856) 379-3448
Rank: #31 - 3531. - 35.
Hugh J. Boyd Jr. Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: PK-6
1200 Bay Boulevard
Seaside Heights, NJ 08751
(732) 793-8485
Seaside Heights, NJ 08751
(732) 793-8485
Rank: #31 - 3531. - 35.
Roseville Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-4
540 Orange Street
Newark, NJ 07107
(973) 483-4400
Newark, NJ 07107
(973) 483-4400
Rank: #31 - 3531. - 35.
School 3
(Math: 5% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-8
448 Main Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0030
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0030
Rank: #31 - 3531. - 35.
Texas Avenue School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-8
2523 Arctic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7350
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7350
Rank: #31 - 3531. - 35.
Thomas A Edison Elementary School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: PK-6
507 West St
Union City, NJ 07087
(201) 348-5965
Union City, NJ 07087
(201) 348-5965
Show 100 more public schools in NJ (out of 2,470 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Jersey average of public schools students eligible for free lunch?
The New Jersey average of public schools students eligible for free lunch is 32%% for 2025.
What are the public schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey?
The best top ranked public schools in New Jersey include Essex High School, New York Avenue Elementary School and Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center.
What is public high school and public elementary school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey?
The public high school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey is Essex High School, with a value of 100%. The public elementary school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch is Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering, with a value of 100%.
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