Total enrollment
32,298
-3,490 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
67 schools in Des Moines
Iowa · Public K-12
67 public-school campuses operate inside Des Moines, with roughly 32,298 K-12 students enrolled (47 elementary, 11 middle, and 8 high).
7-year change in Des Moines
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
66
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
33%
was 41%
% Hispanic
31%
was 26%
% Black
21%
was 19%
% Asian
7%
was 8%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
About Des Moines
Public education in Des Moines, Iowa runs across 67 schools that enrolls roughly 32,298 students. By footprint, Des Moines sits in the sprawling bracket.
Looking at the level breakdown, the city covers 47 elementary, 11 middle, 8 high, and 1 other.
Per-campus enrollment runs near 482, higher than the state mean of about 376.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 10%: 35,788 students in SY 2017-18 versus 32,298 in SY 2024-25. Demographically, the White share of enrollment shrank from 41% to 33%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Des Moines discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.