West Branch Local, OH - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on West Branch Local

West Branch Local is a small district spanning parts of Mahoning County in northeast Ohio, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district operates a handful of schools: an early learning center and preschool for young learners, a middle school, a high school, and a digital academy option for families preferring online instruction. One intermediate school in the system has closed.

The district enrolls roughly 1,750 students, with representation heavily skewed toward white families, while Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and other groups each make up a modest share. The community's demographic makeup is relatively homogeneous by state standards. The district does not report free-or-reduced-price-lunch counts or rates, and specific figures on students with disabilities and English learners are not publicly available, so a parent may want to contact the district directly to understand how well its programs meet those populations' needs.

In state assessments administered to grades three through eight, West Branch students demonstrate solid performance. Math proficiency stands above learning standards, as does science. Reading and language arts proficiency sits lower than the other subjects tested but still tracks close to three-quarters of students meeting or exceeding state benchmarks. Social studies performance rounds out the picture at a stronger level. Across tested subjects, the district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts. This is a genuine strength: the district is outperforming many of its neighbors in measurable academic outcomes. However, only one year of data is available, so trends cannot yet be assessed.

The district does not publicly report a four-year graduation rate, and state data on that measure was not available for this comparison.

The housing market across West Branch's service area is solidly affordable by national standards. Home values cluster in a moderate range, with a weighted median around what would be considered a modest regional property. Rents, where reported, are very low. At current mortgage rates, a down payment and thirty-year loan would carry a monthly cost well below national norms, and even renting costs far less than the national average. This affordability is a real factor for families considering the community. The underlying economic context shows moderate employment and stable median household income, consistent with a working- and middle-class region.

Chronic absenteeism in the district sits well below the county median, placing West Branch in the top quartile among its neighbors. That metric suggests either effective attendance policies, strong family engagement, or a combination of both. Per-pupil spending lands in the lower range for the county, which carries implications for program scope and staffing depth that a parent should understand in context of the solid test results.

The district faces a structural funding constraint. In November 2022, voters rejected a new earned income tax levy—the first time the district had asked voters for a new operating levy since the 1990s. As a result, West Branch continues operating on funding from a levy passed decades ago. This long-outdated revenue stream limits the district's ability to expand programs, add staff, or respond to emerging needs. Parents considering the district should factor this reality into their expectations for breadth of extracurricular offerings, course selections, and specialized support services.

The district has undertaken a multi-phase infrastructure upgrade beginning in 2024, replacing aging heating, cooling, and lighting systems at the high school, middle school, and another elementary building. The work addresses deferred maintenance and is projected to yield ongoing energy savings. These upgrades affect the physical learning environment across multiple school buildings and represent an attempt to modernize aging facilities.

West Branch is a small, demographically homogeneous, affordable district with student achievement that outpaces many county peers. The trade-off is limited financial flexibility due to outdated levy support, which shapes what the district can offer beyond core academics.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,753

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 0%

White 94%

Asian 0%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

57%

—

Gr 4

70%

—

Gr 5

80%

—

Gr 6

62%

—

Gr 7

64%

—

Gr 8

56%

—

Gr 38

65%

—

Math

Gr 3

86%

—

Gr 4

88%

—

Gr 5

84%

—

Gr 6

59%

—

Gr 7

70%

—

Gr 8

63%

—

Gr 38

76%

—

Science

Gr 5

86%

—

Gr 8

62%

—

Gr 38

76%

—

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

West Branch Intermediate School

West Branch Early Learning Center

West Branch Middle School

West Branch High School

West Branch Preschool

West Branch Digital Academy

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

1 grade reported

82%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

75%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

82%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$195,686

Year-over-year change+4.8%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$122K to $292K

vs. state typical0.80x

vs. national typical0.53x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
44460	Salem	$185K	+4.0%	31.8%
44609	Sebring	$193K	+5.4%	24.4%
44601	Alliance	$162K	+3.9%	16.7%
44634	Homeworth	$239K	+4.6%	13.3%
44449	North Benton	$226K	+7.8%	9.8%
44401	Berlin Center	$292K	+3.9%	1.6%
44672	Sebring	$122K	+8.2%	1.0%
44201	Atwater	$292K	+4.2%	0.3%
44657	Minerva	$188K	+5.0%	0.2%
44411	Deerfield	$234K	+6.8%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$835/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
44601	Alliance	$835	—	16.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$987/mo

Home price / national median income2.3x

Annual rent / national median income12.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$153/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$244,844 (+3.6% 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.