〈Real Estate〉Positioning Near TSMC and NVIDIA Concept Elementary Schools: Taoyuan Leads in New School Establishments with Affordable Entry Zones

Amid the wave of declining birthrates, nine new elementary schools are still being planned across Taiwan's six major cities. A real estate agency's analysis of housing prices around these nine newly established schools—set to open from this year onward—reveals that Zhoucheng Elementary School in Taipei City commands the highest prices, with pre-sale units averaging NT$1.238 million per ping and existing homes averaging NT$757,000 per ping, topping all nine schools.

In contrast, Longke Elementary School in Taoyuan City offers the most affordable entry point among the new schools, with pre-sale units priced at NT$310,000 per ping and existing homes at NT$215,000 per ping, making it a popular 'positioning zone' for young families.

Chang Hsu-lan, Executive Director of the Trends Center at Taiwan House Group, notes that despite widespread class reductions and school consolidations due to declining birthrates, the new elementary schools in the six major cities can be broadly categorized into three types. The first is the 'industrial park prospect type,' located within a 1-kilometer radius of industrial parks, where employment, housing, and educational demands have surged due to the AI boom.

Zhoucheng Elementary School in Beitou Science Park has been nicknamed the 'NVIDIA Elementary School' since NVIDIA announced its overseas headquarters would be based there. Similarly, Longke Elementary School in Longtan District, Taoyuan, and Lantian Elementary School in Nanzi, Kaohsiung, are dubbed 'TSMC concept schools' due to their proximity to TSMC (2330-TW) facilities. Lihing Elementary School in Linkou benefits from the New Taipei International AI+ Park, while Hangke Elementary School in Dayuan is situated in the Aviation City area, close to both the Dayuan and Guanyin Industrial Parks, highlighting the strong link between industrial development and population-driven demand.

The second type is the 'transit-supported type,' where new rail infrastructure drives population growth in emerging redeveloped areas. For example, Nanxing Elementary School in Beitun, Taichung, is near Songzhu Station—the interchange point for TRA and Taichung MRT Green Line. With new developments in the Unit 12 redevelopment zone nearing completion, population growth has accelerated, prompting local governments to actively build public infrastructure. Xuguang Elementary School in Wuri is located in Taichung’s only tri-rail integrated hub (HSR, TRA, MRT) in the Wuri HSR Special Zone. Ongoing large-scale residential and commercial developments in the area have drawn significant attention to the real estate market.

The third type is the 'mature redevelopment type,' including Pingzhen Elementary School in the Nanshi redevelopment zone and Guoling Elementary School in the Guoling redevelopment zone of Zhongli. These areas have undergone over a decade of development, moving past the initial phase into stable population growth. As a result, housing demand and school district values have steadily increased.

Chang Hsu-lan points out that newly established schools often adopt bilingual or experimental education models, and with fewer students in the early years, they can concentrate educational resources more effectively, making them highly desirable in the housing market. However, living near a school does not guarantee enrollment, as city and county education bureaus adjust school district boundaries annually based on enrollment numbers and demographic changes. Some popular schools even require families to register their residence years in advance. Therefore, buyers should verify the latest school district boundaries and registration rules before purchasing property.

Of the nine new schools across the six major cities, Taoyuan leads with four, making it the city with the most new elementary schools over the next decade. This reflects Taoyuan’s strong population growth momentum—just in the first half of this year, the city saw nearly 4,000 net in-migrants, the highest population increase in Taiwan.

Chen Ding-chung, Senior Manager at Taiwan House Group’s Trends Center, explains that Taoyuan benefits from the Aviation City project, MRT network expansion, and relatively affordable housing prices compared to the capital region, continuously attracting young families. This has increased housing demand in emerging areas like the Guoling redevelopment zone and Dayuan Aviation Park, necessitating expanded educational resources. As a result, Taoyuan has become the city with the highest concentration of new elementary schools among the six major cities.

Chen also notes that differing housing price structures around each school make it challenging for families to balance timely registration with budget constraints. In Taipei’s Zhoucheng Elementary School area, the price gap between new and existing homes is significant. Existing homes are more affordable and allow for immediate registration, offering a strategic advantage for securing school district access. In contrast, schools like Guoling, Hangke, and Longke in Taoyuan are located in newly developed areas where the age difference between new and existing homes is minimal, and the price difference per ping is only about NT$60,000 to NT$100,000. With sufficient budget, buyers are advised to prioritize new homes for better living quality and long-term asset value.