2025 Compare Cities Education:
Memphis, TN vs Des Moines, IA

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Highlights
- Des Moines spends 16.9% more per student than Memphis.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 1.5% lower in Des Moines than in Memphis. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Des Moines had 0.5% more residents who had graduated High School compared to Memphis
 Memphis, TNDes Moines, IAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$14,293$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$10,534  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,373$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio15.76  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock7994573
 Students per Counselor501  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock6.5%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.8.9%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock87.1%88.9%
 Some College Educ.23.0%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock9.2%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.27.1%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock6.2%9.3%
 Professional Degree2.0%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock0.8%1.5%
Reviews for Memphis    148 Reviews

I was mugged my very first night in Memphis. They tried to take my iPhone. I was walking only a block from my house in a "safe" area, too.  More

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Memphis is a city with a history of civil rights, slavery , blues and rockn'roll music. It's a great place for a weekend getaway. This city has lots of great things to  More

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Over 5 years ago

Do you like being panhandled every 30 seconds? Love that cool ambiance of gangs? Are drugs your thing? Then you will love Memphis. Had good times here in the 90’s, the  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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