Homer and Marge rent an apartment in tony Waverly Hills so that Bart and Lisa can attend a better elementary school.

Outside the Kwik-E-Mart, a promoter offers Marge free samples of a liquid drink called Science Water. After downing different flavored samples, Marge needs to use a bathroom. Apu says his facilities are only for customers, forcing Marge to look elsewhere. She ends up using a restroom at Springfield Elementary. As a relieved Marge walks down a school hallway, she notices Bart and Mrs. Krabappel asleep at their desks. Concerned that the school is going downhill, Marge meets with Principal Skinner. He proudly shows her a ranking of every school in the state, but Marge sees Springfield Elementary ranked at the very bottom. Later Milhouse and Lisa tell Marge about the Waverly Hills school system. Impressed, Marge and Homer decide to rent a cheap, small apartment in Waverly Hills so the kids can transfer to a better school. A city clerk warns Homer and Marge that an inspector will show up for a random visit to make sure the family lives at the address, as some people pretend to live in the city so their kids can go to a good school.

Homer moves into the small apartment so it looks like someone is living there. He befriends Donald and Geoff, two twenty-somethings who like to play poker and hang out. Principal Skinner protests when he finds out that Lisa, one of Springfield Elementary’s top students, moved out of the district. Superintendent Chalmers instructs Skinner to leave Waverly Hills and stop complaining. Lisa embarrasses herself into front of a group of popular girls, who can’t believe she’s never heard of Alaska Nebraska, a trendy singer and actress. Lisa is also disheartened to realize that she’s no longer the smartest kid at school. Bart, meanwhile, works hard at establishing a “bad boy” image to impress the other students. The kids are impressed when Wiggum hauls Bart away in handcuffs (part of a deal Bart made with Wiggum in exchange for attending Ralph’s birthday party). With his “street cred” established, Bart focuses his attention on raising Lisa’s popularity. He tells students that Lisa is best-friends with Alaska Nebraska. Before long, all the kids want to be Lisa’s friend.

Marge pays Homer a visit at the apartment, only to discover that he’s reverted to the lifestyle of a 20-something slacker. Acting as though they’re meeting for the first time, Homer and Marge talk, make out, and make love on the floor. Later, at a tapas bar, Homer gives Marge a key to the apartment. When Homer enters the apartment and discovers that it’s been redecorated, he reconsiders the relationship. Lisa has a phone conversation with her friend Caitlin. Caitlin says that all of the tickets for an upcoming Alaska Nebraska concert are sold out. She asks Lisa if she can score some backstage passes. Lisa sneaks into a concert arena, and begs Alaska Nebraska for front-row seats and backstage passes so she can fit in at school, but Alaska Nebraska has no interest in helping her.

As Homer and Marge’s newfound relationship falters, the city inspector (who resembles Anton Chigurh from No Country For Old Men) shows up at the apartment. He concludes that the apartment is clearly the home of elementary-school children. At school Lisa comes clean about her relationship with Alaska Nebraska. She says she’s a transfer student who wanted to make some new friends. An irate mob of Waverly Hills girls chases Lisa through the streets. A short time later Lisa and Bart show up at the apartment. They tell Homer and Marge they need to leave Wavelry Hills, and never come back. When the family returns to Springfield, Marge and Homer decide to keep their romance alive using Bart’s tree house.