Yuba City Unified, CA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Yuba City Unified

Yuba City Unified is a kindergarten-through-12th-grade district in Sutter County, serving a diverse student body of about eleven thousand students across elementary, middle, and high schools. The demographic composition is predominantly Hispanic and Asian, with smaller shares of white, multiracial, and other racial and ethnic groups. The district's enrollment spans all grade levels, with relatively balanced cohorts from kindergarten through high school.

State assessment results show learning gaps across the board. In English language arts, proficiency rates by grade range from the low thirties to low forties; students in fifth grade show somewhat stronger performance than most other tested grades. Math proficiency is notably lower, with most grades showing rates in the low twenties, and performance drops as students move into middle grades. Science proficiency sits in the low to mid-twenties for both tested grades. These patterns indicate that a substantial majority of students in the district are not meeting California's proficiency standards, a challenge that deepens in mathematics.

When placed against other districts in Sutter County, Yuba City Unified ranks below the midpoint on overall proficiency. The district does show higher-than-typical per-pupil spending relative to its neighbors, suggesting resources are being invested, though the gap between spending and achievement outcomes is a conversation worth pursuing with the school administration. A separate concern: chronic absenteeism in the district is notably high, in the bottom quarter of the county, a factor that typically correlates with weaker academic outcomes and can signal transportation, family stability, or engagement challenges that districts may or may not be equipped to address.

The district has made recent curricular moves that may interest families planning ahead. A dual-enrollment partnership with Yuba College allows high school students to earn an associate degree while working toward their diploma, potentially saving substantial time and cost for college-bound families. The district is also phasing in California's universal Transitional Kindergarten, making a free year of public school available to all four-year-olds by the 2025-26 school year, which expands access to early education for younger siblings.

Housing in the Yuba City area is relatively affordable compared to California benchmarks, with median values moderate and rental costs accessible. For a family considering the district primarily for school quality and achievement level, the test results suggest the district is working through significant instructional challenges. A parent may want to look into specific school sites and programs within the district, ask about the district's response to proficiency gaps, and inquire about initiatives targeting attendance, as each school building and program can differ in approach.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

11,461

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 48%

Black 2%

White 21%

Asian 22%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

33%

—

Gr 3

29%

54%

Gr 4

31%

52%

Gr 5

35%

60%

Gr 6

29%

47%

Gr 7

33%

51%

Gr 8

30%

54%

Gr 11

48%

—

Math

Gr ALL

21%

—

Gr 3

31%

51%

Gr 4

26%

53%

Gr 5

23%

44%

Gr 6

17%

35%

Gr 7

18%

31%

Gr 8

16%

34%

Gr 11

12%

—

Science

Gr ALL

18%

—

Gr 5

23%

41%

Gr 8

15%

35%

Gr 11

17%

—

Gr 12

13%

—

Gr HS

18%

—

Gr UG_SEC

17%

—

Schools in this District

17 schools are officially reported under this district.

Butte Vista Elementary

Albert Powell Continuation

April Lane Elementary

Barry Elementary

Bridge Street Elementary

Gray Avenue Middle

King Avenue Elementary

Lincoln Elementary

Lincrest Elementary

Park Avenue Elementary

Tierra Buena Elementary

Yuba City High

Yuba City Independence Academy

Andros Karperos

River Valley High

Riverbend Elementary

Yuba City Special Education Preschool

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

35%

Grade 3

31%

Grade 4

28%

Grade 5

21%

Grade 6

21%

Grade 7

20%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

35%

Grade 4

40%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

37%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

27%

Grade 5

20%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

49%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$449,045

Year-over-year change+0.1%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$406K to $478K

vs. state typical0.58x

vs. national typical1.22x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95993	Yuba City	$478K	-0.3%	59.4%
95991	Yuba City	$406K	+0.5%	40.6%
95957	Meridian	$420K	+0.8%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,065/mo

Year-over-year change+2.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,772 to $2,265/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
95993	Yuba City	$2,265	—	59.4%
95991	Yuba City	$1,772	+2.0%	40.6%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,266/mo

Home price / national median income5.4x

Annual rent / national median income29.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$201/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.