Del Mar Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Del Mar Union Elementary

Del Mar Union Elementary is a small kindergarten-through-sixth-grade district in San Diego County serving a community of moderate-to-affluent neighborhoods. The district enrolls roughly thirty-six hundred students across nine schools: Carmel Del Mar, Del Mar Heights, Del Mar Hills, Ashley Falls, Sage Canyon, Torrey Hills, Sycamore Ridge, Ocean Air, and Pacific Sky.

The district's academic profile is strong. In mathematics, students across grades three through six show proficiency rates in the low-to-mid eighties, with fifth grade performing at the higher end. English language arts results are similarly solid, with grades five and six reaching proficiency rates in the mid-eighties and earlier grades clustering in the mid-to-upper seventies. A fifth-grade science proficiency measure shows performance near the seventy-five percent mark. Across all tested subjects and grades, the district's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among San Diego County's districts.

The student body is predominantly Asian and white, together representing about three-quarters of enrollment. Hispanic students make up roughly one in ten. The remainder includes multiracial students and small numbers of other racial and ethnic groups. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so the economic composition of the student population cannot be characterized from the records here.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate of about eleven percent is notably low, positioning it in the top quartile of county districts. Per-pupil current spending sits in the upper range for the county, reflecting a more resource-intensive operating model than many neighboring districts.

The housing market in the district's service area is expensive and has eased slightly. Weighted home values across the district's zip codes are well above two million dollars, though with variation across neighborhoods. Rental costs average above four thousand five hundred dollars monthly. Housing affordability metrics reflect the reality that mortgage payments and rents both demand a substantial share of household income, well above national benchmarks.

The district has undergone significant capital changes driven by a voter-approved general obligation bond, Measure MM. Del Mar Heights Elementary was completely rebuilt and reopened to students for the current school year after students were displaced for several years, returning to a modern campus with learning studios, STEAM spaces, and an innovation center. Del Mar Hills Academy was also modernized recently, with portables removed and classrooms redesigned for natural light. These are lasting, concrete changes to where students learn, funded by local property tax increases that represent a long-term financial commitment for homeowners and renters in the community.

Trend data covering prior years was not available, so the direction of academic performance over time cannot be assessed. The district serves kindergarten through sixth grade only, so there is no high school component and no graduation rate to report.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,662

Grades

KG–06

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 10%

Black 1%

White 41%

Asian 39%

Two+ 8%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

65%

—

Gr 3

62%

81%

Gr 4

68%

78%

Gr 5

72%

88%

Gr 6

56%

88%

Math

Gr ALL

67%

—

Gr 3

61%

85%

Gr 4

71%

83%

Gr 5

69%

86%

Gr 6

65%

86%

Science

Gr 5

60%

77%

Gr HS

60%

—

Schools in this District

9 schools are officially reported under this district.

Carmel Del Mar Elementary

Del Mar Heights Elementary

Del Mar Hills Elementary

Ashley Falls Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

4 grades reported

83%

Grade 3

82%

Grade 4

84%

Grade 5

84%

Grade 6

English Language Arts

4 grades reported

79%

Grade 3

77%

Grade 4

86%

Grade 5

85%

Grade 6

Science

1 grade reported

75%

Grade 5

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$2.28M

Year-over-year change-0.7%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1.1M to $2.9M

vs. state typical2.94x

vs. national typical6.20x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
92130	San Diego	$2.1M	-1.0%	74.1%
92014	San Diego	$2.9M	+0.7%	23.8%
92121	San Diego	$1.1M	-4.9%	2.1%
92037	San Diego	$2.4M	+4.3%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$4,503/mo

Year-over-year change+4.6%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$4,074 to $5,875/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
92130	San Diego	$4,074	+1.0%	74.1%
92014	San Diego	$5,875	+15.9%	23.8%
92121	San Diego	$4,079	—	2.1%
92037	San Diego	$4,230	+2.7%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$11,525/mo

Home price / national median income27.3x

Annual rent / national median income64.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$7,022/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% 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.