Back to school: grades for Utah’s school districts and what it will cost you to live there

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On your list of must-haves for your next home, don’t forget about one critical feature: the quality of the local school district. Even if you don’t have children, it’s still a good idea to purchase a home within the boundaries of a good school district. In an article for Public School Review, writer Robert Kennedy notes that this is one of the best things you can do to increase your home’s resale value.

“Not only are the values for these homes higher, but these homes tend to take less time to sell when they hit the market,” Kennedy says. “If you don’t move, you are still in a great position to build long-term equity for your home by buying in a good school district.”

So, while you’re browsing houses for sale and contemplating that next move, be sure to keep this information in mind. To save you a little bit of homework, here are some excellent Utah school districts where The Stern Team determined home values are booming.

Park City School District

It’s hard to top the scores of the Park City School District, which Niche gives an A grade for academics, college prep, teachers, and clubs and activities. The student-teacher ratio is 18-to-1 and expenditures per student is $16,906.

On top of that, the real estate market in this area is booming. The average listing price of a three-bedroom home was $2.2 million in June 2023, trending up 12.8% year-over-year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average household income is $121,701.

Davis School District

The Davis School District in Farmington is a great option if you’re headed up north. The ranking website Niche gives this district a B+ grade overall thanks to its high scores for administration, teachers and college prep, among other things. The student-teacher ratio is 28-to-1 with expenditures per student hitting $9,440.

As for the housing market, the average listing home price in Farmington was $793,397 in July 2023. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the median household income for the area is $107,559.

Canyons School District

Moving down to Sandy, you’ve got the Canyons School District, which also earned a B+ grade from Niche for its administration, teachers, college prep and academics. Voted the No. 1 school district in Salt Lake County, the student-teacher ratio is 25-to-1 with expenditures per student reaching $14,390.

The average home price in Sandy was $991,366 in June 2023. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the median household income is $100,749.

Alpine School District

The Alpine School District is worth checking out as it was voted the Best School District in Utah County. Niche gives it a grade of B+ with a student-teacher ratio of 29-to-1. The school district spends about $9,864 per student per year.

Not only is the area gorgeous, but the homes are, too. The average listing home price in American Fork was $644,743 in July 2023. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average household income in Alpine is $138,438.

Salt Lake School District

As with the previous three districts, the Salt Lake School District also gets a B+ ranking from Niche. The district received high marks for teachers, college prep and diversity and ranks No. 4 on Niche’s list of Best School Districts in Salt Lake County. The student-teacher ratio is 20-to-1 and the district spends $12,911 per student.

The average listing price for homes in Salt Lake was $872,647 in June 2023. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the median household income at $65,880.

Jordan School District

Finally, there’s the Jordan School District in West Jordan, which received a B grade and is the third-best school district in Salt Lake County, according to Niche. This district ranks well for clubs and activities, administration and college prep. The student-teacher ratio is 25-to-1 with expenditures per student coming in at $9,549.

The average listing price for homes in West Jordan was $736,934 in July 2023. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is $90,227.

Find a home in the school district of your choice

These aren’t the only good school districts in the state, but this list does provide a good starting point for areas with high resale values. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in a great school district, contact The Stern Team. With hundreds of 5-star Google reviews, you can count on a quality experience for all of your buying or selling needs.