Cave Creek Unified District (4244), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Cave Creek Unified District (4244)

Cave Creek Unified District sits in the far northern reach of Maricopa County, serving a largely affluent and fast-growing corridor that includes parts of Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Carefree, and a sliver of north Phoenix. The housing market here is among the most expensive in the county, with home values well above the Arizona statewide benchmark. Rents are correspondingly high, and buying a home requires a substantial income. A family moving into this district should expect a premium housing market and a student body that reflects that economic context.

The district is moderately sized, enrolling students from preschool through twelfth grade across a network of elementary schools, two middle schools, and one comprehensive high school, plus a separate school called Cave Creek Academy of Excellence. The student population is predominantly white, with a Hispanic share that is smaller than what is typical in Maricopa County. Data on economic disadvantage, English learner status, and special education identification were not available, so a parent cannot assess those dimensions from this information alone.

On state assessments, Cave Creek students perform in a band that places the district above the midpoint among Maricopa County's districts. The pattern across grades is telling. In elementary grades, a solid majority of students meet proficiency benchmarks in both English language arts and math. Fourth grade English language arts is a particular strength. Starting in sixth grade, proficiency rates begin to decline, and by seventh and eighth grade, fewer than half of students are meeting the bar in math or reading. Science results follow a similar grade-level drop. This is a common pattern in many districts, but the slope here is noticeable. A parent of a middle school student may want to ask the school directly about how it supports struggling learners at those grade levels.

The district was not able to report a four-year graduation rate, so that key outcome measure is absent. Chronic absenteeism, however, is lower than the county median, which is a positive signal for student engagement.

Cave Creek's per-pupil spending falls in the lower range when compared with other Maricopa County districts. That is not uncommon in higher-wealth areas where local property tax revenue might supplement state funding, but the data available here does not confirm that detail. A parent interested in class sizes, arts funding, or student support services may want to investigate how the district allocates its budget at the school level.

The district brief turned up no recent major changes or initiatives to report. That is not unusual for a stable district, but it means a prospective family will need to check the district website directly for current programming decisions, curriculum updates, or facility plans.

Cave Creek Unified offers a high-cost-of-entry, above-average academic profile in the elementary years, and a student body that is relatively homogeneous. The middle school performance dip is the soft spot worth a closer look. For a family who can afford the housing market and wants a district where strong elementary results are the norm, it fits. For a family concerned about middle school achievement trends or looking for a more economically diverse setting, it may be worth a conversation with the schools themselves.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,214

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 14%

Black 1%

White 79%

Asian 2%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

43%

—

Gr 4

47%

—

Gr 5

35%

—

Gr 6

25%

—

Gr 7

36%

—

Gr 8

15%

—

Math

Gr 3

52%

—

Gr 4

32%

—

Gr 5

55%

—

Gr 6

32%

—

Gr 7

26%

—

Gr 8

25%

—

Science

Gr 5

26%

—

Gr 8

19%

—

Schools in this District

9 schools are officially reported under this district.

Black Mountain Elementary School

Desert Sun Academy

Desert Arroyo Middle School

Cactus Shadows High School

Sonoran Trails Middle School

Desert Willow Elementary School

Lone Mountain Elementary School

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School

Cave Creek Academy of Excellence

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

61%

Grade 3

62%

Grade 4

68%

Grade 5

54%

Grade 6

40%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

61%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

60%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

44%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

54%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.28M

Year-over-year change+2.3%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$628K to $1.5M

vs. state typical3.03x

vs. national typical3.48x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85262	Scottsdale	$1.5M	+2.7%	40.5%
85331	Cave Creek	$833K	+1.3%	23.4%
85255	Scottsdale	$1.3M	+2.4%	21.4%
85266	Scottsdale	$1.3M	+3.0%	8.6%
85377	Carefree	$1.2M	+2.9%	4.1%
85263	Rio Verde	$839K	+2.2%	2.0%
85050	Phoenix	$628K	+0.2%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$4,179/mo

Year-over-year change+2.6%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$2,287 to $5,804/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85262	Scottsdale	$5,804	—	40.5%
85331	Cave Creek	$3,261	—	23.4%
85255	Scottsdale	$2,287	+2.6%	21.4%
85266	Scottsdale	$3,725	—	8.6%
85050	Phoenix	$2,509	+0.2%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,469/mo

Home price / national median income15.3x

Annual rent / national median income59.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,290/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$423,746 (-1.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.