Total enrollment
32,298
-1,179 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
67 schools in Des Moines
Iowa · Public K-12
67 public schools operate inside Des Moines, with roughly 32,298 K-12 students enrolled (47 elementary, 11 middle, and 8 high).
4-year change in Des Moines
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
66
+2 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
212,421
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Students
32,298
public K-12 · NCES
Schools
67
public K-12
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-school enrollment runs near 482, higher than the state mean of about 376.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment declined 4%: 33,477 students in SY 2020-21 versus 32,298 in SY 2024-25. Des Moines now counts 66 public schools, up from 64 in SY 2020-21.
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.