Total enrollment
2,425
-60 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Cooper County
Missouri · Public K-12
Public schools in Cooper County, Missouri total 17, with combined enrollment of about 2,425 students against a county population of 16,824. That breaks down as 7 elementary, 1 middle, and 8 high.
7-year change in Cooper County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
14
+1 (+8%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
83%
was 87%
% Hispanic
3%
was 2%
% Black
5%
was 5%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
17
7 districts
Enrollment
2,425
NCES CCD
Median income
$70,625
Above Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
74.5%
Above Missouri avg
Elementary
7
1,127 students
Middle
1
313 students
High
8
880 students
Combined / other
1
105 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
BOONVILLE R-I
1,662 students · 7 districts in Cooper County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Cooper 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+
24.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.3%
civilian labor
Median age
41
22.3% under 18
Test scores in Cooper County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 49.5%.
Top 4 schools (ELA)
- PRAIRIE HOME HIGH· 49.1%
- DAVID BARTON ELEM.· 41.9%
- LAURA SPEED ELLIOTT MIDDLE· 40.0%
- OTTERVILLE HIGH· 19.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOONVILLE HIGH | Boonville | High | 09-12 | 527 | · |
| HANNAH COLE PRIMARY | Boonville | Elementary | PK-02 | 419 | · |
| LAURA SPEED ELLIOTT MIDDLE | Boonville | Middle | 06-08 | 313 | · |
| DAVID BARTON ELEM. | Boonville | Elementary | 03-05 | 298 | · |
| PILOT GROVE HIGH | Pilot Grove | High | 07-12 | 128 | · |
| OTTERVILLE ELEM. | Otterville | Elementary | PK-05 | 115 | · |
| Greenways Academy | Boonville | Combined | KG-12 | 105 | · |
| OTTERVILLE HIGH | Otterville | High | 06-12 | 102 | · |
| BLACKWATER ELEM. | Blackwater | Elementary | PK-08 | 101 | · |
| PRAIRIE HOME HIGH | Prairie Home | High | 06-12 | 90 | · |
| PILOT GROVE ELEM. | Pilot Grove | Elementary | PK-06 | 72 | · |
| PRAIRIE HOME ELEM. | Prairie Home | Elementary | KG-05 | 63 | · |
| BUNCETON ELEM. | Bunceton | Elementary | PK-06 | 59 | · |
| BUNCETON HIGH | Bunceton | High | 07-12 | 33 | · |
| BOONSLICK TECHNICAL EDUC. CTR. | Boonville | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| BOONVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTER | Boonville | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| BOONVILLE TREATMENT CENTER | Boonville | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Cooper County
About Cooper County
Across the small Missouri county of Cooper County of about 16,824 residents, the public-school footprint covers 17 schools and about 2,425 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $70,625 a year, about 24% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 10%. That income level is 15% higher than the Missouri median.
For a sense of the school types, Cooper County consists of 7 elementary schools (1,127 students), 1 middle school (313), 8 high schools (880), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Cooper County is BOONVILLE R-I, which alone enrolls about 1,662 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 2,425 students, stayed largely flat from the 2,485 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, Cooper County added 1 school, going from 13 to 14. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 87% to 83% over the same window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Cooper County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
Cooper County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data