Riverdale Sd 51j, OR - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Riverdale Sd 51j

Riverdale SD 51J is a small, high-performing public school district serving a single, predominantly white community in Multnomah County, Oregon. It covers preschool through twelfth grade and operates two schools: Riverdale Grade School and Riverdale High School. This is a district with a very specific character, and it will fit some families better than others based on their priorities and expectations.

The first thing to note is the district's academic performance, which stands out sharply against the county norm. State assessment results across math, English language arts, and science are consistently at a level the district's comparison set labels as "top quartile" among Multnomah County's districts. In nearly every tested grade, a strong majority of students meet or exceed state proficiency standards. The data shows that in some grade levels and subjects, that share rises past eight in ten students, and in at least one instance, into the mid-nineties. A parent looking at these results would see a district where the typical student is performing well above the county's midpoint, and the gap is wide. The district's overall proficiency index is very high. Chronic absenteeism, a concern in many districts, is reported here at a rate that also places the district in the "top quartile" (lower is better). This suggests a student body that is generally present and engaged.

The student body itself is small, with an enrollment that is modest for a PK-12 district. The racial and ethnic composition is not diverse by broader standards. The student population is overwhelmingly white. A small share of students are Hispanic, and a slightly larger share identify as two or more races. There are very few Asian, Black, or other students. Data on economic disadvantage, special education eligibility, and English learner status were not available in the provided materials. A family wanting to understand the full support picture for diverse learners would need to ask the district directly.

The housing context is a major part of the story. The district's attendance area covers portions of two very different housing markets, with the bulk of the weight in a Portland ZIP code. The weighted average home value in the district is high, and the rent is high as well. Buying a home here would be expensive relative to national benchmarks. The cost of renting is also substantial. This is not an entry-level market. The economic context suggests a community where most families have considerable financial resources.

The district brief indicated that a search for recent parent-relevant changes, such as bond measures, curriculum shifts, or capital projects, turned up only basic profile and fiscal information, and no lasting change from recent years could be confirmed. A new resident should not expect to find a district in the middle of a major transformation. The two-school structure, with one building serving elementary and middle grades and one serving high school, is a classic small-district arrangement, and the small size means a student is unlikely to get lost.

Who is this district for? It is for a family that prioritizes strong, consistent academic outcomes and is comfortable in a small, homogeneous community where housing costs are a significant barrier to entry. The academic pathway is proven, the peer group is academically focused, and the context is affluent and stable. A family looking for racial or socioeconomic diversity in a student body, or one concerned about a district that offers a wide range of alternative programs and pathways, would find little evidence of those things here. A family should also verify directly with the district how special populations are served, since the data on those offerings is absent.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

564

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 8%

Black 0%

White 76%

Asian 3%

Two+ 12%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

—

73%

Gr 4

—

80%

Gr 5

—

89%

Gr 7

—

90%

Math

Gr 3

—

71%

Gr 4

—

85%

Gr 5

—

79%

Gr 6

—

79%

Gr 7

—

86%

Gr 8

—

85%

Science

Gr 5

—

72%

Gr 8

—

78%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

Riverdale High School

Riverdale Grade School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

70%

Grade 3

86%

Grade 4

77%

Grade 5

78%

Grade 6

81%

Grade 7

85%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

5 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

79%

Grade 4

88%

Grade 5

94%

Grade 6

88%

Grade 7

Science

2 grades reported

70%

Grade 5

75%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$647,878

Year-over-year change-1.5%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$644K to $1.1M

vs. state typical1.29x

vs. national typical1.76x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
97219	Portland	$644K	-1.5%	99.2%
97034	Lake Oswego	$1.1M	+0.9%	0.8%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,851/mo

Year-over-year change+3.6%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,845 to $2,620/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
97219	Portland	$1,845	+3.7%	99.2%
97034	Lake Oswego	$2,620	+2.3%	0.8%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,269/mo

Home price / national median income7.7x

Annual rent / national median income26.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,418/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$501,661 (-0.7% 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.