Total enrollment
2,450
-183 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Ford County
Illinois · Public K-12
Ford County's school count of 9 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 2,450 students inside Illinois, around 18% of the county population. By grade band, the county runs 3 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.
7-year change in Ford County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
8
-1 (-11%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
84%
was 90%
% Hispanic
10%
was 5%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
9
3 districts
Enrollment
2,450
NCES CCD
Median income
$62,439
Below Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
48.1%
Below Illinois avg
Elementary
3
1,169 students
Middle
3
628 students
High
3
653 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
1,230 students · 3 districts in Ford County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Ford 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+
18.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.5%
civilian labor
Median age
42
23.3% under 18
Test scores in Ford County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- GCMS Middle School· 73.2%
- GCMS Elementary School· 61.9%
- Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr High Sch· 59.7%
- Tri-Point Jr High/Elementary· 50.0%
- Clara Peterson Elem School· 45.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Tri Point Elementary School· 24.1%
- Clara Peterson Elem School· 45.8%
- Tri-Point Jr High/Elementary· 50.0%
- Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr High Sch· 59.7%
- GCMS Elementary School· 61.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clara Peterson Elem School | Paxton | Elementary | PK-05 | 564 | · |
| GCMS Elementary School | Gibson City | Elementary | PK-05 | 489 | · |
| Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School | Paxton | High | 09-12 | 378 | · |
| Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr High Sch | Paxton | Middle | 06-08 | 288 | · |
| GCMS High School | Gibson City | High | 09-12 | 275 | · |
| GCMS Middle School | Gibson City | Middle | 06-08 | 211 | · |
| Tri-Point Jr High/Elementary | Piper City | Middle | 04-08 | 129 | · |
| Tri Point Elementary School | Kempton | Elementary | PK-03 | 116 | · |
| Panther Academy | Paxton | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Ford County
About Ford County
In Illinois, Ford County is a sparse county of about 13,406 residents. 9 public schools across the county instructs about 2,450 students between them.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $62,439, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 11% below the Illinois median.
In terms of grade levels, Ford County is made up of 3 elementary schools (1,169 students), 3 middle schools (628), and 3 high schools (653).
The largest single district in Ford County is Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10, which alone enrolls about 1,230 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment decreased 7%: 2,633 students in SY 2017-18 versus 2,450 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 9 to 8 across the same 7-year window. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 90% to 84%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Ford County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Ford County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data