Highland Park NJ Real Estate Agent: Homes for Sale, Taxes & Schools

On this page: Schools · Property taxes · Rent control · Commute · Downtown & parks · Older homes · Selling · FAQ

How do Highland Park schools work?

Highland Park Public Schools serves only the borough, with about 1,600 students in four schools: Irving School (pre-K–1), Bartle School (2–5), Highland Park Middle School (6–8) and Highland Park High School (9–12). Because there is one school for each grade level, every address in town attends the same schools, which makes school assignment simple compared with larger townships. Niche grades the district A−, ranks it #66 in New Jersey in its 2027 Best School Districts list and reports a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio.

Check programs and enrollment with Highland Park Public Schools, compare test results in the NJ School Performance Reports, and see how the district compares with Edison, Metuchen and Piscataway in the Central NJ school district guide. Rankings change every year.

How much are property taxes in Highland Park NJ?

In the state’s 2025 figures, the average Highland Park residential tax bill was $13,112 and the effective tax rate was 2.80% of market value, the highest of the 25 towns in Middlesex County. On a home worth $500,000, that works out to about $14,000 a year; the same home in Edison, at 2.01%, would pay about $10,000. Neighboring New Brunswick’s average bill is far lower, but it is a very different housing market with a much higher share of rentals.

One detail most buyers miss: Highland Park’s 2025 effective rate (2.80%) is higher than its general tax rate (2.723%), which means assessments were running at about 103% of market value on average. If a home’s assessment is well above what it would realistically sell for, the owner can appeal to the Middlesex County Board of Taxation, generally by April 1 of the tax year. Homeowners 65 and older should also look at the state’s senior programs; see Stay NJ and Senior Freeze for Central Jersey homeowners.

Each bill depends on the home’s own assessment, so check the property’s tax record and the NJ Division of Taxation municipal tax rates, then run the full payment in the NJ mortgage calculator and estimate cash to close with the NJ closing cost calculator.

Tax bills, sale prices, sales counts and effective rates from the NJ Division of Taxation’s 2025 residential statistics and 2025 general and effective tax rates; the $500K row is the effective rate applied to a $500,000 market value, rounded. Figures change every year; confirm current numbers.

Does Highland Park NJ have rent control?

Yes, and it matters if you are buying a two-unit home or any home you plan to rent. The borough’s rent control ordinance applies to rental dwellings including one- to four-unit homes, and annual increases are tied to the Consumer Price Index with a 5% cap; the borough set the allowed increase at 3.55% for 2025 and publishes the new figure each October. Before you count on a rent increase in your numbers, read the current lease and rent history and check the rules on the Borough of Highland Park rent control page.

What is the commute from Highland Park?

Highland Park has no train station of its own, but NJ Transit’s New Brunswick station is just across the Albany Street bridge, with Northeast Corridor trains to New York Penn Station, Newark and Trenton; Edison station is another option a short drive away. Drivers use Route 27, Route 18 and Route 1, with the NJ Turnpike and I-287 a short drive away. The Census Bureau puts the average commute for residents at about 27 minutes. Check current schedules and station parking before you buy, and see how train access shapes home values in Central NJ.

Downtown, parks and everyday life in Highland Park

Raritan Avenue is the borough’s main street, with independent shops, restaurants and cafés, and the Highland Park Farmers Market runs on Fridays from February through December at Market Square, 212 Raritan Avenue. Along the river, Middlesex County’s 81-acre Donaldson Park is inside the borough and the 478-acre Johnson Park stretches from Highland Park into Piscataway. Rutgers University and the hospitals and offices of downtown New Brunswick are a short trip across the bridge. For borough services, permits and events, see the Borough of Highland Park.

Buying an older home or two-unit property in Highland Park: what to check

Order a full home inspection plus an oil tank sweep (see what curb appeal hides from Central Jersey buyers), and ask a licensed electrician to look at any older wiring. Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, especially near the Raritan River. For a two-unit home, confirm the legal number of units with the borough, review the leases and rent roll, and factor in the borough’s rent control rules and rental inspections. Start with the buyer guide and the affordability calculator, and remember that the property tax bill, not just the price, sets your monthly cost.

Selling a home in Highland Park: how should you price it?

With only a few dozen sales a year, the right comparables are the handful of similar homes nearby, adjusted for condition, updates, lot and whether the home has one or two units. For the wider picture, see the latest Middlesex County housing market update. Get a free estimate of what your Highland Park home is worth, see how Jasmine markets Highland Park listings, estimate what you walk away with in the net proceeds calculator, and plan the steps with the seller timeline.