Emerson Middle School

Emerson Middle School, a substantial junior high in UNION CITY, New Jersey, part of Union City School District, caters to 999 students, covering grades 6 through 8. By comparison, New Jersey's public schools average about 578 students each, so Emerson Middle School sits 73% above that benchmark.

Across the 14 schools in Union City School District (11,519 students total), Emerson Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Emerson Middle School lists that nearly all students (97%) are Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 41% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Emerson Middle School logs 67 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.9:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 10.9:1, putting Emerson Middle School higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 87% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Hudson County (around 68%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

With demographic context factored in, Emerson Middle School ranks in the top 10% of New Jersey public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 18.7%; Emerson Middle School posts 38.7%, +20.0 points above that line.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Hudson County indicate median household earnings sit near $91,795, roughly 49% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Hudson County runs 130 public schools (combined enrollment of about 86,216 students), of which Emerson Middle School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Colin Powell Elementary School, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Emerson Middle School. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Emerson Middle School ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 52.8%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count held roughly steady: 1,005 students in 2018 compared to 999 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.