2026 Compare Cities Education:
Ames, IA vs Carefree, AZ

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Highlights
- Carefree spends 37.8% less per student than Ames.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 24.1% higher in Carefree than in Ames. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Carefree had 3.0% more residents who had graduated High School compared to Ames
 Ames, IACarefree, AZUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$10,564$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$11,178  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$4,810$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio14.7  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock23484573
 Students per Counselor346  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock0.0%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.2.3%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock99.9%88.9%
 Some College Educ.15.9%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock7.4%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.61.4%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock16.0%9.3%
 Professional Degree2.4%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock2.2%1.5%
Reviews for Ames    12 Reviews

Over 14 years ago

Hello, I am in San Jose Ca, but am seriously thinking of moving somewhere much slower for a better quality of living. I've just turned 59, so I'm kinda preparing for  More

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Over 14 years ago

Like every other city Ames has both good and bad points. The good points are: low cost of living, very friendly people, lots of outdoor activities and quite a few events  More

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Ames enjoys a high quality of life at a very affordable cost, substantially lower than many other communities. The presence of Iowa State University, a large (28,000  More

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Reviews for Carefree    4 Reviews

Carefree is not the laid back community it once was. It’s inundated with bikers because of the town of Cave Creek, which is a haven for Bikers and “Forever Trump” cult  More

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Over 10 years ago

Delightful from Mid-Oct thru Mid-May. Very hot in summer but the dryness does allow for more activities than a humid climate does. I can testify to that, having lived in  More

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Over 17 years ago

Life in Carefree is definitely free and easy. Part Cowboy and part resort there is peace and quiet all around. If you love the old west than you are in the heart of it  More

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