2025 Compare Cities Education:
La Mesa, CA vs Rapid City, SD

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Highlights
- Rapid City spends 36.8% less per student than La Mesa.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 33.2% lower in Rapid City than in La Mesa. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Rapid City had 1.2% more residents who had graduated High School compared to La Mesa
 La Mesa, CARapid City, SDUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$10,333$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$13,161  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$5,774$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio22.65  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock10444573
 Students per Counselor513  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock1.3%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.3.5%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock94.6%88.9%
 Some College Educ.27.5%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock10.7%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.37.8%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock8.8%9.3%
 Professional Degree2.0%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock1.5%1.5%
Reviews for La Mesa    9 Reviews

The same San Diego prices and high taxes, but not the nice weather. 15 degrees hotter than the coast. Save the money and move to AZ if you like the climate in La Mesa.  More

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I now live in Wyoming but I was a third generation San Diegan, my maternal grandmother having been born on Coronado Island in 1894. If you are a new arrival to the  More

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I Need Correct Information I lived there Over 20 Years  More

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Reviews for Rapid City    31 Reviews

I have lived in this city for the last three and half years and I can't stand it!! Let me spell it out for you, but to be fair, let me give you the Pros first:  More

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Unless you made your pension out of state or already bought a home you can't afford to liver there. Rapid City is gray in winter.  More

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Over 4 years ago

I've lived in the city 5 years a loved  More

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