Sausalito Marin City, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Sausalito Marin City

Sausalito Marin City is a small district spanning two communities—the waterfront town of Sausalito and the adjacent neighborhood of Marin City—with a consolidated K-8 enrollment. The district's academic profile is mixed and uneven across grade levels, with particular softness in upper middle grades, and sits in the bottom quartile for proficiency among Marin County's districts. The district is also defined by a major structural transformation and by ongoing capital investment that will shape the experience of families moving in.

The district's most consequential recent fact is desegregation and consolidation. A California state settlement order required the district to close its segregated two-school structure. In fall 2021, it combined a charter school and a traditional school serving mostly Black and Hispanic students into a single unified school, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy. In the 2024 school year, the district then consolidated its two physical campuses into one Nevada Street location in Sausalito. This means all TK-8 students from Marin City now bus to Sausalito daily—a change that eliminated the walk-to-school option families in Marin City previously had. For prospective residents, this altered the daily logistics and commute reality that earlier generations of families experienced.

On academics, the pattern shows strength in lower elementary grades that declines sharply by middle school. In third grade, proficiency in English language arts hovers around half of students, with math slightly lower. By fifth grade, both ELA and math proficiency rise noticeably, with a clear boost visible in fifth-grade ELA and math. The upper middle grades, however, show steep drops. In seventh grade, math proficiency falls to one-fifth of students, and ELA proficiency falls to below half. By eighth grade, the declines are even more pronounced, with math proficiency in the low teens and ELA proficiency around one-fifth. Science results at fifth and eighth grade show weak performance overall, in the low-to-mid range and well below half of students at eighth grade. Across the entire district, overall proficiency hovers around two-fifths in both ELA and math. Relative to other Marin County districts, the district ranks in the bottom quartile on proficiency and also faces a chronic absenteeism rate in the bottom quartile among county peers—a sign of broader engagement challenges beyond academics alone. The district does spend at a relatively high per-pupil level compared to county peers, placing it in the upper spending range.

Enrollment is small and diverse. The district serves around 280 students distributed across kindergarten through eighth grade, with the largest cohorts in kindergarten and fifth grade and smaller eighth-grade enrollment. Racially and ethnically, the student body is plurality White and Black, with substantial Hispanic and multiracial representation, and smaller Asian enrollment. Free-or-reduced-lunch eligibility data and English learner identification rates were not available in the public record, leaving a gap in understanding economic need and language support.

The district is undertaking significant capital work. It broke ground in 2024 on a major reconstruction of the Nevada Street elementary campus, with new state-of-the-art classroom buildings expected to open in the 2025-2026 school year. This investment is reshaping the physical learning environment. At the same time, voters have approved new financial obligations. A parcel tax passed in 2024, adding to property tax for homeowners. Early results from the June 2026 election pointed toward approval of an additional bond for recreation and field renovations, further increasing long-term property tax obligations tied to the district.

The housing market in the district's two communities is expensive and volatile. Sausalito median home values are substantially higher than the state benchmark, with annual swings that have recently turned slightly negative. Rents track upward consistently and remain high relative to income. The ratio of rent to income is more than half of estimated household earnings, a steep burden. For homebuyers, the district represents a premium-priced market with meaningful ongoing tax levies.

For families considering this district, the arc of strong early-grade academics that drops off in middle school is a structural challenge worth examining directly with the school. The recent consolidation and campus merger are now facts on the ground, reshaping daily experience, particularly for Marin City families. The capital investment underway signals district commitment to facilities, though its effect on academic outcomes is not yet clear. The added property tax obligations are real costs to factor into housing decisions. A parent may want to look into the district's strategic priorities and specific supports for middle grades improvement, where the data shows the steepest academic declines.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

283

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 26%

Black 27%

White 30%

Asian 7%

Two+ 10%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

42%

—

Gr 3

44%

—

Gr 4

27%

48%

Gr 5

70%

54%

Gr 6

56%

73%

Gr 7

27%

—

Gr 8

17%

—

Math

Gr ALL

33%

—

Gr 3

38%

—

Gr 4

36%

48%

Gr 5

70%

50%

Gr 6

29%

53%

Gr 7

13%

—

Gr 8

—

Science

Gr 5

35%

42%

Gr 8

—

Gr HS

21%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

44%

Grade 4

63%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

21%

Grade 7

13%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

41%

Grade 4

64%

Grade 5

64%

Grade 6

42%

Grade 7

21%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

38%

Grade 5

17%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

18%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.64M

Year-over-year change0.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1.5M to $2.1M

vs. state typical2.12x

vs. national typical4.46x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
94965	Sausalito	$1.5M	-0.8%	83.7%
94941	Mill Valley	$2.1M	+4.2%	16.3%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,852/mo

Year-over-year change+1.4%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$3,746 to $4,394/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
94965	Sausalito	$3,746	+0.3%	83.7%
94941	Mill Valley	$4,394	+7.4%	16.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$8,290/mo

Home price / national median income19.6x

Annual rent / national median income55.2%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$4,438/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.