Emerson Elementary School, Salt Lake City

The short answer

Emerson Elementary is a public school serving grades K to 6 in the Salt Lake City School District, in the central part of the city near 1000 East. It carries an 8 out of 10 GreatSchools rating, offers a gifted and talented program, and tests above the Utah average. Under the current feeder pattern, Emerson students typically move on to Clayton Middle School and then East High School.

Emerson Elementary sits in central Salt Lake City near 1000 East. Salt Lake City School District.

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How good is Emerson Elementary?

Emerson Elementary earns an 8 out of 10 GreatSchools rating, above average among Utah public elementary schools. On recent state testing, roughly 65 percent of students scored proficient in math and 52 percent in reading, both above the statewide averages for schools serving the same grades. Emerson also runs a gifted and talented program.

Class sizes run about 22 students per teacher, near the state average. The campus anchors a walkable central neighborhood of older homes between downtown and the east side.

A note on the Hawthorne merger

When the Salt Lake City School District closed four small elementary schools at the end of the 2023 to 2024 school year, Hawthorne Elementary was one of them. Most Hawthorne students were reassigned to Emerson or Whittier, so parts of the former Hawthorne boundary now feed Emerson. If you are looking at a home that used to sit in the Hawthorne area, treat Emerson as the successor school and verify the current assignment on the district boundary tool.

Where Emerson Elementary feeds

Elementary schools matter for the early years, but families usually want to see the whole path. Under the current Salt Lake City School District pattern, the progression typically runs:

• Elementary: Emerson Elementary, grades K to 6
• Middle: Clayton Middle School, grades 7 to 8
• High: East High School, grades 9 to 12

Clayton sits between two networks, and some of its addresses continue on to Highland High School instead of East. Confirm your exact boundary before you rely on a feeder. The Salt Lake City School District boundary tool checks any specific address. You can also explore the wider market on our Salt Lake City area page.

Homes near Emerson Elementary

The Emerson Elementary boundary covers central streets of historic bungalows, cottages, and duplexes, some of the more attainable single-family homes on this side of the city. As of July 2026, active listings in the area generally run:

• Entry level: condos and smaller homes from the low $400,000s
• Typical: single-family homes in the $500,000s to $700,000s
• Upper end: larger and remodeled homes into the $800,000s and above

Prices change over time, so treat these as a snapshot. This is one of the more budget-friendly east-of-downtown boundaries.

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A local broker’s take

If schools are steering your central Salt Lake City search, Emerson pairs above-average scores and a gifted program with some of the more attainable homes near downtown. It is a practical pick for buyers who want an established neighborhood without east-bench prices. When you find a home you like, we will confirm its exact attendance area before you write an offer, especially in the former Hawthorne pocket where assignments recently changed.

Explore the wider market on our Salt Lake City area page, or read up on where Emerson students head next on our East High School page.

Enrolling and location

Families within the boundary receive guaranteed enrollment. Utah’s open enrollment policy allows applications from outside the boundary, subject to available space, through the Salt Lake City School District. Popular schools can fill, so apply early if you are coming from outside the boundary.

When you are ready to find a home in the Emerson Elementary area, call 801-999-8005 or reach out here, and we will pull current listings near the school and confirm the attendance area on any address you are considering.

Sources: GreatSchools, SchoolDigger, Niche, U.S. News and World Report, KUTV, the Salt Lake Tribune, and the Salt Lake City School District. School data reflects the most recent published figures for the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 school years. Price ranges reflect active listings as of July 2026 and change over time. Feeder assignments can vary by address, so verify with the Salt Lake City School District boundary tool.