2025 Compare Cities Education:
Grand Rapids, MI vs Independence, MO

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Highlights
- Independence spends 2.9% less per student than Grand Rapids.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 16.5% lower in Independence than in Grand Rapids. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Independence had 1.7% more residents who had graduated High School compared to Grand Rapids
 Grand Rapids, MIIndependence, MOUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$14,246$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$11,296  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$6,352$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio17  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock8814573
 Students per Counselor681  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.7%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.6.0%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock90.2%88.9%
 Some College Educ.20.1%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock8.5%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.38.8%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock5.6%9.3%
 Professional Degree2.2%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock0.4%1.5%
Reviews for Grand Rapids    62 Reviews

I've lived in Grand Rapids about 85% of my life and can confidently say it is a great place to live for anyone. I know countless people who dogged the city, moved  More

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Grand Rapids proper - the small city - is fairly OK. Nothing special stands out about it when judged against the nicer areas of the US, but it has some decent dining and  More

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Wow. “bland Rapids and everyone is Smug, uptight and part of the Christian Reformed Church. “ Someone is accurately describing Grand Rapids in 1985. Much has changed  More

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Reviews for Independence    10 Reviews

The ice age sent glaciers sweeping south, ending at what is the edge of the Missouri River. Independence, Missouri, has artesian water straight from this glacial melt  More

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Over 11 years ago

I've lived here pretty much all my life, and I have to say, I'm ready to get out. I'm not sure if the crime here has just skyrocketed over recent years, or if I was just  More

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Over 12 years ago

Independence, Missouri is just like any other fairly large, fairly old town. A city approaching 200 years old and having nearly 120,000 residents is going to have both  More

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