Total enrollment
8,717
-482 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Adams County
Illinois · Public K-12
Adams County sits inside Illinois and runs 23 public K-12 schools, enrolling about 8,717 students. Quincy SD 172 alone accounts for 6,264 of those students. That works out to 11 elementary, 3 middle, and 9 high schools.
4-year change in Adams County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Adams County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Illinois | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 38.7% | #55 of 88 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 8,717 | #25 of 89 | #891 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 19 | #37 of 89 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.5:1 | #74 of 89 | #1,565 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 55.7% | #21 of 89 | #1,310 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 35.0% | #38 of 89 | #1,652 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Adams County school rankings
Residents
64,754
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
23
6 districts
Enrollment
8,717
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$66,220
Below Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
55.7%
Above Illinois avg
Elementary
11
4,289 students
Middle
3
1,716 students
High
9
2,712 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Quincy SD 172
6,264 students · 6 districts in Adams County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Adams County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
27.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
41
22.5% under 18
Test scores in Adams County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Unity Middle School· 68.7%
- Liberty High School· 63.9%
- Central Elementary School· 56.3%
- Liberty Elementary School· 54.5%
- Unity Elementary School· 53.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Seymour High School· 33.3%
- Dr. Abby Fox Rooney Elem Sch· 36.3%
- Quincy Jr High School· 36.3%
- Thomas S Baldwin Elem Sch· 42.3%
- Colonel George Iles Elem Sch· 44.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Sr High School | Quincy | High | 09-12 | 1,847 | · |
| Quincy Jr High School | Quincy | Middle | 06-08 | 1,295 | · |
| Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School | Quincy | Elementary | KG-05 | 588 | · |
| Thomas S Baldwin Elem Sch | Quincy | Elementary | KG-05 | 564 | · |
| Colonel George Iles Elem Sch | Quincy | Elementary | KG-05 | 535 | · |
| Sarah Atwater Denman Elem | Quincy | Elementary | KG-05 | 501 | · |
| Dr. Abby Fox Rooney Elem Sch | Quincy | Elementary | KG-05 | 500 | · |
| Early Childhood | Quincy | Elementary | PK-KG | 434 | · |
| Liberty Elementary School | Liberty | Elementary | PK-06 | 336 | · |
| Unity Elementary School | Mendon | Elementary | PK-04 | 296 | · |
| Liberty High School | Liberty | High | 07-12 | 253 | · |
| Seymour Elementary School | Payson | Elementary | PK-06 | 233 | · |
| Central Elementary School | Camp Point | Elementary | 01-04 | 227 | · |
| Central Junior High School | Camp Point | Middle | 05-08 | 221 | · |
| Central High School | Camp Point | High | 09-12 | 220 | · |
| Seymour High School | Payson | High | 07-12 | 216 | · |
| Unity Middle School | Mendon | Middle | 05-08 | 200 | · |
| Unity High School | Mendon | High | 09-12 | 176 | · |
| Central Early Childhood | Golden | Elementary | PK-KG | 75 | · |
| Academic Behavior&Community Acad | Quincy | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| Adams Co Juvenile Detention Cntr | Quincy | High | 05-12 | 0 | · |
| Adams County RSSP | Quincy | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| Quincy Area Voc Ctr | Quincy | High | 10-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Adams County
About Adams County
Adams County is a moderately sized Illinois county of about 64,754 residents, home to 23 public schools and roughly 8,717 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $66,220, roughly 28% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 9%. That income level is 6% noticeably below the Illinois median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Adams County is made up of 11 elementary schools (4,289 students), 3 middle schools (1,716), and 9 high schools (2,712).
The largest single district in Adams County is Quincy SD 172, which alone enrolls about 6,264 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Adams County has shrank 5% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 9,199 students to 8,717.
On this page, the community for Adams County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data