There is an exception to every rule.

In New Jersey, a state known for paying good money for good public schools, the average district spent $20,849 per student during the 2016-17 school year, about a $500 increase from the year before.

But while controlling the costs of education have been debated ad nauseam, you'd have hard time telling some folks in Chesterfield or Freehold Borough they are spending enough.

The state's lowest spending school districts includes a who's who of districts considered among the most underfunded by the state. It also includes districts large and small from all corners of New Jersey, which have low spending totals for varying reasons.

The lowest district is spending is less than $15,000 a year, which pales in comparison to the highest, $60,000 in a tiny shore district.

Check out the list below to see the 50 New Jersey districts that spend the least per student.

Note: The data comes from the Taxpayers Guide to Education spending. Per-student costs include pension payments the state makes on behalf of school districts and tuition and fees districts paid to send students to other schools.

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50. Cliffside Park | $17,368

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 3,072.5

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49. Upper Pittsgrove | $17,353

County: Salem

Enrollment: 348

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48. River Edge | $17,314

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 1,189

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47. Piscataway | $17,251

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 7,264

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46. Wallington | $17,230

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 1,285

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45. Bloomfield | $17,210

County: Essex

Enrollment: 6,360

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44. Edison | $17,167

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 15,323.5

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43. Fair Haven | $17,135

County: Monmouth

Enrollment: 1,022

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42. Belleville | $17,126

County: Essex

Enrollment: 4,461

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41. Delran | $17,119

County: Burlington

Enrollment: 2,990

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40. Elmwood Park | $17,062

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 2,599

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39. Clayton | $17,057

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 1,437

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38. Palisades Park | $17,047

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 1,648

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37. Chesterfield | $17,035

County: Burlington

Enrollment: 764

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36. Elsinboro | $16,980

County: Salem

Enrollment: 129

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35. Spotswood | $16,898

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 1,739

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34. Bound Brook | $16,885

County: Somerset

Enrollment: 1,897.5

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33. Maurice River | $16,748

County: Cumberland

Enrollment: 417

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32. Monroe | $16,740

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 6,043.5

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31. South River | $16,706

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 2,189.5

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(Star-Ledger file photo)

30. Toms River Regional | $16,659

County: Ocean

Enrollment: 15,934

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29. Robbinsville | $16,636

County: Mercer

Enrollment: 3,063.5

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28. South Harrison | $16,588

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 384

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27. East Greenwich | $16,510

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 1,268

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26. Sayreville | $16,484

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 6,090.5

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25. Dunellen | $16,440

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 1,154

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24. Freehold Borough | $16,427

County: Monmouth

Enrollment: 1,677

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23. Laurel Springs | $16,393

County: Camden

Enrollment: 200

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22. Runnemede | $16,376

County: Camden

Enrollment: 854

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21. Rockaway | $16,353

County: Morris

Enrollment: 2,393

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Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

20. Berlin | $16,289

County: Camden

Enrollment: 626

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19. Union County Vocational | $16,270

County: Union

Enrollment: 1,753.5

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18. Manville | $16,075

County: Somerset

Enrollment: 1,419

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17. Dover | $16,062

County: Morris

Enrollment: 3,192

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16. Medford Lakes | $15,950

County: Burlington

Enrollment: 547

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15. Westampton | $15,812

County: Burlington

Enrollment: 978

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14. Hammonton | $15,741

County: Atlantic

Enrollment: 3,584

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13. Lopatcong | $15,684

County: Warren

Enrollment: 3,584

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12. North Arlington | $15,682

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 1,790.5

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11. Westville | $15,678

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 374

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(Star-Ledger file photo)

10. Harrison | $15,652

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 1,427

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9. Haddonfield | $15,591

County: Camden

Enrollment: 2,692

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8. Kingsway Regional | $15,563

County: Gloucester

Enrollment: 2,667

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7. Jamesburg | $15,562

County: Middlesex

Enrollment: 689

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6. Prospect Park | $15,499

County: Passaic

Enrollment: 923

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5. Bellmawr | $15,205

County: Camden

Enrollment: 1,204

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4. Guttenberg | $14,469

County: Hudson

Enrollment: 1,016

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3. East Newark | $13,944

County: Hudson

Enrollment: 275

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2. Fairview | $13,591

County: Bergen

Enrollment: 1,388

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1. Salem County Vocational | $12,024

County: Salem

Enrollment: 826

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More about N.J. schools

The 50 N.J. school districts where teachers make the most money

The 50 N.J. school districts spending the most per student

These 18 N.J. schools were named among the best in U.S. by Trump administration

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Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook