Takeaways:
- States that don’t have good, consistent school systems have more listings containing the word “school.”
- Orange County, California, led the way, with 27.6 percent of listings mentioning schools.
- Only 1 percent of all U.S. homes for sale on Trulia during the 12-month period analyzed were described as being near a “good” school.
The school district in which a home is located is a major selling point in states not recognized as containing good, consistent school systems.
Spanning June 2014 to June 2015, 10 markets saw a noticeable number of listings that included the word “school,” according to findings from Trulia.
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Orange County, California, led the way, with 27.6 percent of listings mentioning schools. San Jose, California (25.3 percent) and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (22.5 percent) followed.
“When we look at the top 10 markets where schools are mentioned most frequently and with a positive attribute, we can see that they are generally located in states not recognized for good, statewide school systems, such as California and Florida,” stated Selma Hepp, chief economist for Trulia. “In these states, some markets do stand out with good schools.”
Other markets where schools are mentioned most frequently in listings included:
- Grand Rapids, Michigan (18.8 percent)
- Ventura County, California (18.3 percent)
- Farmington Hills, Michigan (17.3 percent)
- Fresno, California (17.1 percent)
- Colorado Springs, Colorado (16.9 percent)
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (16.8 percent)
- Oakland, California (16.5 percent)
The study also found that markets with the lowest percentage of “school” mentions in listings were in locales where local schools are relatively consistent on a state or metro level.
Trulia pointed to Northeast states, such as Connecticut and Massachusetts, which are known for good and relatively homogeneous school systems. As a result, homebuyers in those markets may not be as concerned with good schools as they may be with some other neighborhood amenities.
Only 3.4 percent of listings in New Haven, Connecticut, included the word “school,” which is the fourth-lowest percentage of the 100 markets analyzed. In relatively nearby Providence, Rhode Island, and Rochester, New York, 4.6 percent and 5.2 percent of listings featured a mention of schools, respectively.
Additionally, schools are rarely mentioned in Las Vegas, which generally attracts more retirees and international buyers than parents with school-aged kids. The study found only 0.7 percent of listings mentioned schools.
Schools also appear to not be a selling point in:
- Cincinnati (2.8 percent)
- Nashville (3.4 percent)
- Pittsburgh (4.4 percent)
Overall, only 1 percent of all U.S. homes for sale on Trulia during the 12-month period analyzed were described as being near a “good” school.
