Menlo Park City Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Menlo Park City Elementary

Menlo Park City Elementary is a small district serving kindergarten through eighth grade across four campuses in Menlo Park and Atherton, communities in San Mateo County with among the highest housing values in California. The district enrolls a solid mid-sized population of students drawn from a family demographic that skews affluent and white, with meaningful Asian and Hispanic representation as well.

The district's recent testing shows steady proficiency across the grade span in both English language arts and mathematics. In math, proficiency ranges from strong performance in fourth grade down to somewhat lower results in eighth grade, with most grades holding in the mid-to-upper range. English language arts performance tracks similarly, with fourth and seventh grades performing at the higher end. Science results, measured at fifth and eighth grade, sit somewhat lower than ELA and math, suggesting this may be a softer area or reflect testing challenges specific to that subject. These results place the district above the median proficiency level among San Mateo County's district peers. Students also show exceptionally low chronic absenteeism, in the top quartile across the county, which is a strong signal of engagement and family stability.

The communities Menlo Park and Atherton represent very different affordability contexts despite being served by the same district. Menlo Park home values are high but somewhat lower than Atherton's, which ranks among the priciest residential markets in the country. Rental stock in the area is limited and costly. Families moving into either town will encounter substantial property tax obligations: the district has renewed and increased its education parcel tax multiple times, most recently with Measure B in 2021, and voters approved a major facilities bond (Measure U) in November 2024, funding classroom building replacements, modern air conditioning systems, and campus security upgrades. These investments reflect the district's capital needs but also extend the tax burden that accompanies residence.

The district operates under basic-aid funding status because of its high local wealth, meaning it does not receive additional state dollars even as it has grown programs like transitional kindergarten. That structural limit on state revenue has begun to shape staffing and program choices. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the district announced multi-year budget reductions totaling substantial cuts to operating costs over several years in response to recurring structural deficits. Those cuts include elimination of the elementary world language program (while preserving Spanish immersion), and the district is weighing further reductions to fifth-grade band and orchestra and to library services. For families considering the district, these reductions directly affect the enrichment environment their children will encounter, particularly in performing arts and foreign language exposure in elementary grades.

Per-pupil spending in the district sits in the upper range among county districts, reflecting both the community's affluence and the district's choices about staffing and services. The student population shows low counts of special-education identification and English learners, though detailed rates were not available; that composition likely reflects both the demographics of the communities and possible differences in how these populations are identified or served within the district's framework.

For families in these towns, Menlo Park City Elementary offers solid core academics with a notably stable, engaged student body, but entry comes with substantial housing and ongoing property tax costs, and families should understand that enrichment offerings are contracting even as the district invests in physical facilities and security.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,730

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 19%

Black 1%

White 49%

Asian 18%

Two+ 12%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

44%

—

Gr 3

40%

78%

Gr 4

47%

87%

Gr 5

47%

90%

Gr 6

38%

81%

Gr 7

52%

87%

Gr 8

45%

83%

Math

Gr ALL

40%

—

Gr 3

40%

82%

Gr 4

52%

89%

Gr 5

43%

86%

Gr 6

32%

82%

Gr 7

41%

82%

Gr 8

34%

78%

Science

Gr 5

27%

74%

Gr 8

32%

73%

Gr HS

30%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

77%

Grade 3

86%

Grade 4

80%

Grade 5

75%

Grade 6

78%

Grade 7

72%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

73%

Grade 3

83%

Grade 4

85%

Grade 5

75%

Grade 6

83%

Grade 7

78%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

68%

Grade 5

68%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

82%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$5.22M

Year-over-year change+7.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2.9M to $8.3M

vs. state typical6.72x

vs. national typical14.16x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
94025	Menlo Park	$2.9M	+5.2%	57.3%
94027	Atherton	$8.3M	+9.4%	42.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$4,123/mo

Year-over-year change+5.1%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
94025	Menlo Park	$4,123	+5.1%	57.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$26,318/mo

Home price / national median income62.3x

Annual rent / national median income59.1%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$22,195/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.