Last month, a parent who called the office had just one question. They wanted to know which college their child would attend if they moved to Hartsdale. Discussions about home prices or rent came afterward.

A school that frequently comes up among parents in the area is The Leffell School. It has 466 students from grades 6 to 12, with one teacher for every five students. This means smaller class sizes. Seventy-six percent of graduates go on to four-year colleges. Tuition for the highest grade is $45,300 per year, according to data from the school rating site Niche.

There is another option. Maria Regina High School is an all-girls school for grades 9 to 12 with 491 students, and one teacher for every 13 students. Tuition is significantly lower at $17,500 per year compared to Leffell. However, 99 percent of graduates attend four-year colleges. When comparing the two schools, it's noticeable that the difference in tuition does not directly correlate with the difference in admission rates. This is why it's important to consider both budget and curriculum preferences.

One thing to note is that ratings from sites like Niche or GreatSchools are recalculated every year. There's no guarantee that a top-ranked school this year will hold the same rank next year. When choosing a school, it's advisable not to rely solely on website figures but to visit during open houses or tours and request the admissions office for the last three years of college admission data.

If tuition is a concern, many families turn their attention to good public schools. A frequently mentioned district among parents near Hartsdale is the Edgemont School District, with Edgemont Junior-Senior High School at its center. The median sale price of single-family homes in this district was $1.7 million as of March this year, a 26.3 percent increase from a year ago, according to a market report from William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty.

Widening the scope to the entire Hartsdale area changes the conversation. According to Zillow, the average home value in Hartsdale is $677,751. Compared to the median sale price of $1.7 million for single-family homes in the Edgemont School District, it's clear that there is a significant price difference between homes inside and outside the district boundaries, even within the same Hartsdale name. In simpler terms, just because an address is Hartsdale doesn't mean it falls under the same school district. When looking for a home, it's essential to verify the actual school district assignment rather than just the ZIP code.

For families moving from out of state, there's one more thing to consider. New York State, particularly Westchester County, does not have low property taxes. Even if home prices seem similar, the property taxes you pay monthly could be much higher than in the state you previously lived in. If you only budget based on school districts and tuition, you might be surprised by property taxes later on. If you're preparing funds for a purchase through a mortgage, the monthly payment can vary significantly based on interest rates, so it's wise to get pre-approved before starting to look at homes.

Some families may want to rent first. While rental listings do come up in both Hartsdale and the Edgemont School District, the inventory is limited, so when listings do appear, they tend to go quickly. Even if renting, school district assignments are applied based on the same criteria as for purchases, so it's a good idea to check the assigned school before signing a rental agreement. If approaching this as an investment, it's important to consider that areas like Edgemont, which have a clear school district premium, may have lower vacancy risks but higher purchase prices.

Ultimately, if you're considering your child's education in Hartsdale, it's important to look at three factors together: the school's admission performance, tuition, and the housing market in the area where the school is located. School district boundaries can change every year, so before purchasing, please verify the assigned school for that address directly with the school district office. This article is not investment or legal advice, and it is recommended to consult with real estate and tax professionals before making any actual contracts.