Like the adjacent village of Nelsonville, it shares a ZIP Code and school district with nearby Cold Spring.

Upon his son's death in 1751, much of what is now North Highlands was inherited by his daughter Mary Philipse who was a Loyalist during the American Revolution and had her land confiscated by the state.

[6] The first firehouse was completed in 1972[7] on land donated by the local KCOR radio station[8] and a new building was constructed in the early 2010s on the same location.

North Highlands is governed by the town board of Philipstown and is part of the Haldane Central School District.

Local law enforcement includes new New York State Police and Putnam County Sheriff's Department.