Total enrollment
7,221
-1,043 (-13%) vs SY 2017-18
Macoupin County
Illinois · Public K-12
Public-school families in Macoupin County pick from 28 schools serving the county's roughly 7,221 K-12 students, with a mix of 11 elementary, 7 middle, and 10 high.
7-year change in Macoupin County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
-1 (-4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
93%
was 95%
% Hispanic
2%
was 1%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
28
9 districts
Enrollment
7,221
NCES CCD
Median income
$70,805
Above Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.6%
Below Illinois avg
Elementary
11
3,645 students
Middle
7
1,369 students
High
10
2,207 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Carlinville CUSD 1
1,282 students · 9 districts in Macoupin County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Macoupin 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+
20.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.7%
civilian labor
Median age
44
20.6% under 18
Test scores in Macoupin County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Staunton Jr High School· 73.8%
- Shipman Elem School· 71.2%
- Medora Intermediate School· 70.3%
- Carlinville Middle School· 66.9%
- Staunton Elem School· 66.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Gillespie Middle School· 40.8%
- North Mac Intermediate· 43.5%
- North Mac Middle School· 46.3%
- Mt Olive Elementary School· 52.8%
- Northwestern Elem School· 56.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton Elem School | Staunton | Elementary | PK-05 | 541 | · |
| Ben-Gil Elementary School | Gillespie | Elementary | PK-05 | 523 | · |
| Wolf Ridge Education Center | Bunker Hill | Elementary | PK-08 | 407 | · |
| Staunton High School | Staunton | High | 09-12 | 384 | · |
| Carlinville Primary School | Carlinville | Elementary | PK-02 | 376 | · |
| Southwestern High School | Piasa | High | 09-12 | 370 | · |
| North Mac High School | Virden | High | 09-12 | 361 | · |
| Carlinville High School | Carlinville | High | 09-12 | 353 | · |
| North Mac Elementary | Virden | Elementary | PK-02 | 342 | · |
| Gillespie High School | Gillespie | High | 09-12 | 328 | · |
| Mt Olive Elementary School | Mount Olive | Elementary | PK-08 | 328 | · |
| Brighton North Primary School | Brighton | Elementary | PK-02 | 293 | · |
| Carlinville Middle School | Carlinville | Middle | 06-08 | 286 | · |
| Carlinville Intermediate School | Carlinville | Elementary | 03-05 | 267 | · |
| Gillespie Middle School | Gillespie | Middle | 06-08 | 244 | · |
| Staunton Jr High School | Staunton | Middle | 06-08 | 240 | · |
| North Mac Middle School | Girard | Middle | 06-08 | 228 | · |
| North Mac Intermediate | Girard | Elementary | 03-05 | 224 | · |
| Northwestern Elem School | Palmyra | Elementary | PK-06 | 189 | · |
| Southwestern Middle School | Piasa | Middle | 07-08 | 171 | · |
| Bunker Hill High School | Bunker Hill | High | 09-12 | 166 | · |
| Medora Intermediate School | Medora | Middle | 05-06 | 160 | · |
| Shipman Elem School | Shipman | Elementary | 03-04 | 155 | · |
| Mt Olive High School | Mount Olive | High | 09-12 | 151 | · |
| Northwestern High School | Palmyra | High | 09-12 | 94 | · |
| Northwestern Jr High School | Palmyra | Middle | 07-08 | 40 | · |
| ROE Alt. Edu. Center-Macoupin | Carlinville | High | 10-12 | 0 | · |
| ROE Safe Sch Macoupin | Carlinville | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Macoupin County
About Macoupin County
Across the rural-scale Illinois county of Macoupin County of about 44,350 residents, the public-school footprint covers 28 schools and about 7,221 students.
For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $70,805, roughly 20% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
In terms of grade levels, Macoupin County covers 11 elementary schools (3,645 students), 7 middle schools (1,369), and 10 high schools (2,207).
Carlinville CUSD 1 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 1,282 students across Macoupin County.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 7,221 students, shrank 13% from the 8,264 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count fell from 27 to 26 across the same 7-year window.
On allk12, the community for Macoupin County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Macoupin County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data