2025 Compare Cities Education:
Decatur, IL vs Des Moines, IA

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Highlights
- Des Moines spends 1.2% less per student than Decatur.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 1.8% lower in Des Moines than in Decatur. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Des Moines had 3.3% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Decatur
 Decatur, ILDes Moines, IAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$14,293$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$12,532  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,373$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio15.82  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock7994573
 Students per Counselor771  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock6.5%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.7.4%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock87.1%88.9%
 Some College Educ.23.9%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock9.2%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.21.1%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock6.2%9.3%
 Professional Degree0.9%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock0.8%1.5%
Reviews for Decatur    14 Reviews

I was sent here by the company I worked for in the '90's and was not initially impressed with midwest living. However, over the years I got used to living in the "Pride  More

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I grew up in Decatur and I still have family there, but it depresses me to see what it has become. It has a high unemployment rate, many business have closed or are run  More

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Over 14 years ago

If you enjoy drinking & driving, Decatur's fifteen drive-thru liquor windows, three times the # of drive-thru's than the ten largest cities in Illinois, COMBINED, will  More

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Reviews for Des Moines    53 Reviews

Des Moines is a ok and pretty quiet place but as a teen it could be dramatic because Des Moines do have is fair or violents places to avoid in Des Moines would be the  More

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Dude · 
Over 5 years ago

This city is violent, there are too many gangs especially on the north  More

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Over 6 years ago

Good for the old that like slow pace and cheap buffets. Also good for non-descript mid-westerners that don't like a lot of action. No nightlife or mountains to hike  More

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