I will tell you something that most real estate agents gloss over when they talk about Anaheim Hills schools: the ratings are not uniform. Every school in this community is above average compared to California as a whole. But there are meaningful differences between an elementary school where 83% of students are proficient in math and one where 58% are. For a first-time buyer choosing between two homes at similar price points, that difference could be the most important variable in your decision.
I am Brian Kidd with Canyon Realty. I have been selling homes in Anaheim Hills and North Orange County for over 20 years. I grew up in Yorba Linda, 10 minutes away, and I have walked clients through school boundary questions on hundreds of transactions. This guide is written specifically for first-time buyers who are making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives and want to understand exactly what they are buying into when it comes to Anaheim Hills schools.
Every number in this post is sourced from public data. I am not guessing, and I am not inflating. The sources are linked at the bottom.
The School District: Orange Unified (OUSD)
Most of Anaheim Hills falls within the Orange Unified School District (OUSD). A small number of homes near the eastern boundary may fall within the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD), so verifying which district a specific property feeds into is something I do before any first-time buyer makes an offer.
OUSD serves approximately 24,266 students across 41 schools. The district spends about $14,564 per student annually. The overall district graduation rate is 94%. Here is where it gets interesting for Anaheim Hills buyers specifically: OUSD is a large district that includes schools across the City of Orange, parts of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Villa Park. The district-wide averages are dragged down by lower-performing schools outside Anaheim Hills. The Anaheim Hills schools within OUSD consistently outperform the district and state averages by wide margins.
According to Wikipedia's OUSD entry, 19 of the district's 42 schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools, and the highest-performing schools are concentrated in the Anaheim Hills area, where all schools have received the California Distinguished School designation.
The Anaheim Hills School Pipeline: K Through 12
The OUSD Anaheim Hills area page lists seven schools that specifically serve the Anaheim Hills community. Here is every one of them, with current data.
Anaheim Hills Elementary School (K-6)
Address: 6450 E. Serrano Ave., Anaheim, CA 92807
This is the highest-rated elementary school in Anaheim Hills by most measures. According to Niche, the school holds an overall A grade and is ranked #558 among the best public elementary schools in California and #64 among Orange County public elementary schools for teacher quality.
The numbers tell the story. According to Public School Review, Anaheim Hills Elementary ranks in the top 5% of all 9,523 schools in California for combined math and reading test scores. Math proficiency is 83%, reading proficiency is 83%. Compare that to the California state averages of 34% for math and 47% for reading. The school serves 474 students with a student-teacher ratio of 26:1.
SchoolDigger confirms that 82.14% of students test proficient or better in English Language Arts and 80.71% in Math, compared to 59.34% and 45.98% for the Orange Unified district overall.
U.S. News ranks it #232 among all California elementary schools.
What this means for buyers: Homes zoned for Anaheim Hills Elementary, particularly in the neighborhoods along Serrano Avenue and near Mohler Drive, carry a premium. If school performance is your top priority and you are looking at the first-time buyer price ranges in Anaheim Hills, understanding which homes fall within this boundary is critical.
Crescent Elementary School (K-6)
Address: 5001 E. Gerda Dr., Anaheim, CA 92807
Crescent is another top performer. According to Homes.com school data, the school has a Niche grade of A and a GreatSchools rating of 8 out of 10. Math proficiency is 79% and reading proficiency is 80%, both far above state averages. The school serves 754 students with a 27:1 student-teacher ratio.
Crescent is also a magnet school offering a Gifted and Talented program and Project Lead The Way curriculum, which provides STEM-focused instruction alongside the standard curriculum. It has been recognized as a California Distinguished School.
SchoolDigger reports the student body is 33% Asian, 31% White, and 22% Hispanic. Students who attend Crescent typically feed into El Rancho Charter for middle school and Canyon High School for high school.
What this means for buyers: Crescent sits in the northern section of Anaheim Hills near Santa Ana Canyon Road. The surrounding neighborhoods offer some of the more established homes in the area, many from the 1970s and 1980s. For a first-time buyer, the combination of a high-performing school and relatively more affordable home prices (compared to the newer hillside developments) makes this zone worth serious consideration.
Imperial Elementary School (K-6)
Address: 400 S. Imperial Hwy., Anaheim, CA 92807
Imperial holds a Niche grade of A- with 424 students and a 25:1 student-teacher ratio, which is actually the lowest (best) ratio among the Anaheim Hills elementary schools. According to Niche parent reviews, parents describe it as a smaller school where kids get to know each other and teachers are dedicated.
Imperial is located near Canyon High School along Imperial Highway, in the heart of Anaheim Hills. Its smaller size gives it a community feel that some families specifically seek out.
What this means for buyers: Homes near Imperial Elementary tend to be in the neighborhoods immediately surrounding Canyon High School and along Nohl Ranch Road. This is one of the more centrally located areas of Anaheim Hills, with good access to both the 91 and 55 freeways. For first-time buyers looking at Anaheim Hills, the Imperial zone offers a balance of school quality, convenience, and relatively accessible pricing.
Canyon Rim Elementary School (K-6)
Address: 1090 S. The Highlands Dr., Anaheim, CA 92808
Canyon Rim holds a Niche grade of A- and serves 512 students with a 27:1 student-teacher ratio. According to Niche, 58% of students are proficient in math and 69% in reading. These scores are still well above state averages (34% math, 47% reading) but are lower than Anaheim Hills Elementary and Crescent.
Canyon Rim is a California Distinguished School located in The Highlands, one of Anaheim Hills' newer and more upscale communities in the eastern portion of the area.
What this means for buyers: Canyon Rim serves The Highlands, The Summit, and parts of the eastern Anaheim Hills developments. These neighborhoods tend to have newer construction (1990s and 2000s) and higher price points. First-time buyers often find townhomes and attached homes in the Summit area that fall within Canyon Rim's boundaries, with community pools and fitness amenities. If you are looking at the $500,000 to $650,000 price range for condos and townhomes, some of those communities feed into Canyon Rim.
Running Springs Academy (K-6)
Address: 8670 E. Running Springs Dr., Anaheim, CA 92808
Running Springs holds a Niche grade of A- and a GreatSchools rating of 9 out of 10. According to Homes.com school data, math proficiency is 61% and reading proficiency is 69%. The school serves 612 students with a 25:1 student-teacher ratio.
Running Springs is located in the eastern section of Anaheim Hills, serving the Running Springs and Deer Canyon neighborhoods.
What this means for buyers: The Running Springs area features homes built primarily in the 1980s and 1990s, with larger lots and proximity to hiking trails and nature areas including East Hills Park. This part of Anaheim Hills appeals to buyers who want outdoor access and a slightly more spacious feel. Prices here tend to be in the mid to upper range for Anaheim Hills.
El Rancho Charter Middle School (7-8)
Address: 181 S. Del Giorgio Rd., Anaheim, CA 92808
El Rancho Charter is the middle school that most Anaheim Hills elementary students feed into, and it is one of the strongest middle schools in Orange County.
According to Niche, El Rancho holds an A grade and is ranked #50 among the best charter middle schools in California. U.S. News ranks it #112 among all California middle schools. It serves 1,121 students in grades 7 and 8 with a student-teacher ratio of 29:1.
Test scores are strong. According to SchoolDigger, 78.74% of students are proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 57.53% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In math, 61.77% are proficient, compared to 45.47% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school ranks better than 93.6% of middle schools in California and is #1 among the 4 ranked middle schools in OUSD.
El Rancho offers electives including art, wood shop, home economics, technology, instrumental music, performing arts, and world languages, according to Homes.com. It also has 21 sports teams, which is uncommon for a middle school.
What this means for buyers: El Rancho is a significant value driver for Anaheim Hills real estate. Parents across Orange County specifically seek out homes in the El Rancho attendance zone. As a charter school, it operates with some independence from the broader district, which has historically allowed it to maintain its academic standards and program offerings. The feeder pattern is straightforward: the five Anaheim Hills elementary schools (Anaheim Hills Elementary, Crescent, Imperial, Canyon Rim, and Running Springs) all feed into El Rancho Charter.
Canyon High School (9-12)
Address: 220 S. Imperial Hwy., Anaheim, CA 92807
Canyon High is the primary high school for Anaheim Hills, and it is the school that most families ask about first.
According to Niche, Canyon High holds an A grade and is ranked #290 among the best public high schools in California. The school has a GreatSchools rating of 10 out of 10. It serves 2,178 students with a 27:1 student-teacher ratio.
SchoolDigger provides detailed performance data: 77.84% of 11th graders are proficient or better in English Language Arts (compared to 57.52% for the district and 56.96% for the state) and 45.96% are proficient in math (compared to 27.69% for the district and 30.5% for the state). The graduation rate is 96%.
Additional stats from Homes.com: average SAT score of 1,300, average ACT score of 28, and average GPA of 3.67. The school recently underwent renovation and features updated facilities and athletic fields.
The feeder schools into Canyon High are all five Anaheim Hills elementary schools plus El Rancho Charter, confirmed by SchoolDigger.
What this means for buyers: Canyon High's reputation is one of the primary reasons Anaheim Hills commands a price premium over nearby communities. For first-time buyers, every home within the Canyon High attendance boundary benefits from this school's ratings. When you eventually sell, the Canyon High zone remains one of the most desirable school assignments in North Orange County. That is not just a lifestyle benefit. It is built-in equity protection.
Private School Options in Anaheim Hills
Not every family uses the public school system, and Anaheim Hills has a notable private school option.
Fairmont Private Schools, Anaheim Hills Campus is located at 5300 E. La Palma Ave. and serves students from preschool through 8th grade. According to Niche, Fairmont holds an A+ grade and is ranked #68 among the best private high schools in California (for its Preparatory Academy campus). The Anaheim Hills campus offers an International Baccalaureate Primary Years and Middle Years Programme, with specialty instruction in STEM, visual arts, music, and athletics. Established in 1953, Fairmont describes itself as offering individualized instruction with a culture of kindness.
For families considering private school through 8th grade with a transition to Canyon High School for 9th through 12th, this is a common path in Anaheim Hills.
School Boundaries: Why the Specific Address Matters
Here is the part that catches first-time buyers off guard: two homes on the same street in Anaheim Hills can feed into different elementary schools. School attendance boundaries do not always follow the lines you would expect, and they can shift.
Before any of my buyers make an offer, I verify the school assignment for that specific address through the Orange Unified School District's school locator tool. This is not something you leave to assumption. I have seen buyers fall in love with a home, assume it feeds into one school, and discover after further review that the boundary line runs right through their street.
For first-time buyers who are choosing between two or three homes in Anaheim Hills, the school assignment can and should be a deciding factor. A home that is $20,000 more expensive but feeds into a higher-performing elementary school may be the smarter long-term investment.
If you are buying your first home in Anaheim Hills and schools matter to your decision, this is the kind of detail I handle for every client.
How Schools Affect Home Values in Anaheim Hills
This is not abstract. Schools drive prices in Anaheim Hills more than almost any other factor.
Homes within the Anaheim Hills Elementary boundary (the top-rated elementary) consistently sell at a premium compared to otherwise similar homes zoned for lower-rated elementaries. I see this play out in the data every month. Two homes with the same square footage, similar lot sizes, and comparable conditions will sell $30,000 to $50,000 apart if one feeds into a higher-rated school.
For a first-time buyer, this matters on both the buy side and the sell side. You are not just choosing a school for your children. You are choosing an asset characteristic that affects your home's resale value for as long as you own it. Buyers in Anaheim Hills gated communities and investment property buyers both factor school assignments into their purchase decisions for the same reason.
Comparing Anaheim Hills Schools to Nearby Cities
If you are a first-time buyer deciding between Anaheim Hills and neighboring communities like Yorba Linda, Brea, or Villa Park, the school comparison matters.
Yorba Linda is served primarily by the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD), which is also highly rated. Brea falls under the Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD). Villa Park is within OUSD, and many Villa Park students attend Villa Park High School, which is also a strong school.
The honest comparison: all four communities have above-average schools. The differences are at the margins. Anaheim Hills' advantage is that the entire K-12 pipeline within its boundaries is consistently strong, from elementary through Canyon High. Some other communities have excellent schools at certain levels but weaker options at others.
For first-time buyers comparing cities across North Orange County, I walk through the school data for each specific address being considered. The right comparison is not "City A vs. City B." It is "This specific home's school assignment vs. that specific home's school assignment."
Frequently Asked Questions
What school district is Anaheim Hills in?
Most of Anaheim Hills falls within the Orange Unified School District (OUSD). A small number of homes near the eastern boundary may be within the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD). The specific district and school assignments depend on the exact address of the property. I verify this for every buyer before an offer is submitted.
What is the best elementary school in Anaheim Hills?
Based on current test score data, Anaheim Hills Elementary School is the highest-rated, ranking in the top 5% of all California schools with 83% math and 83% reading proficiency. Crescent Elementary is a close second with 79% math and 80% reading proficiency. Both hold Niche A grades and have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools.
Is Canyon High School a good school?
Canyon High School holds a Niche grade of A, a GreatSchools rating of 10 out of 10, and is ranked #290 among the best public high schools in California. The graduation rate is 96%, the average SAT score is 1,300, and the average ACT is 28. It outperforms both the OUSD district averages and the statewide averages in English and math proficiency.
Do school boundaries affect home prices in Anaheim Hills?
Yes. Homes zoned for higher-rated elementary schools consistently sell at a premium compared to similar homes in lower-rated school zones. The difference can be $30,000 to $50,000 or more. School assignments are one of the strongest predictors of long-term home value appreciation in Anaheim Hills.
Are there private school options in Anaheim Hills?
Fairmont Private Schools operates an Anaheim Hills campus at 5300 E. La Palma Ave., serving preschool through 8th grade. It holds a Niche A+ grade and offers an International Baccalaureate programme. Fairmont's Preparatory Academy (9-12) is located nearby in Anaheim. Several other private schools in surrounding communities also serve Anaheim Hills families.
Sources
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Orange Unified School District, "Anaheim Hills Area Schools." Accessed February 2026.
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Niche, "Anaheim Hills Elementary School Rankings (2025)." Grade: A, #558 best public elementary in CA.
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Public School Review, "Anaheim Hills Elementary School Profile." Top 5% CA, 83% math, 83% reading.
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SchoolDigger, "Anaheim Hills Elementary." 82.14% ELA, 80.71% math proficiency.
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U.S. News Education, "Anaheim Hills Elementary." Ranked #232 in CA elementary schools.
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Homes.com, "Crescent Elementary School." Niche A, GreatSchools 8/10, 79% math, 80% reading.
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GreatSchools, "Crescent Elementary School." Magnet school, Gifted & Talented, Project Lead The Way.
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Niche, "Canyon Rim Elementary School." Grade A-, 512 students, 58% math, 69% reading.
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Homes.com, "Anaheim Hills Schools." Running Springs: A- Niche, 9/10 GreatSchools, 61% math, 69% reading.
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Niche, "El Rancho Charter School." Grade A, 1,121 students, 58% math, 79% reading.
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Niche, "El Rancho Charter Rankings (2025)." #50 charter middle in CA, #13 charter middle in LA area.
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SchoolDigger, "El Rancho Charter." Top 6.4% CA middle schools, 78.74% ELA, 61.77% math.
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U.S. News Education, "El Rancho Charter." Ranked #112 CA middle schools, 64% math, 79% reading.
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Niche, "Canyon High School." Grade A, 2,178 students, 42% math, 61% reading (state tests).
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GreatSchools, "Canyon High School." Rating 10/10.
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SchoolDigger, "Canyon High." 77.84% ELA, 45.96% math (11th grade), 96% graduation rate.
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Homes.com, "Canyon High School." SAT 1300, ACT 28, GPA 3.67, Niche A, GreatSchools 10/10.
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Wikipedia, "Orange Unified School District." 19 of 42 schools are CA Distinguished Schools.
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U.S. News Education, "Orange Unified School District." 24,266 students, $14,564/student, 94% graduation rate.
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Fairmont Private Schools, "Anaheim Hills Campus." Pre-K through 8th, IB programme.
Brian Kidd is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker (CA DRE# 01901810) with Canyon Realty in Brea, CA. With over 20 years of experience and 40+ years living in North Orange County, Brian helps buyers and sellers across Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Brea, Villa Park, North Tustin, Fullerton, and surrounding communities. Contact Brian at (714) 404-8152 or [email protected]. Visit canyonrealty.com.
