Total enrollment
10,625
+454 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Ross County
Ohio · Public K-12
Ohio's Ross County runs 26 public K-12 schools between its districts, the largest being Chillicothe City at 2,589 students. The level mix is 10 elementary, 7 middle, and 8 high schools.
4-year change in Ross County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
+2 (+8%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Ross County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Ohio | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 10,625 | #36 of 88 | #779 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 26 | #34 of 88 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.8:1 | #67 of 88 | #2,436 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 97.9% | #1 of 78 | #157 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 23.8% | #41 of 88 | #1,992 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.
Ross County school rankings
Residents
76,492
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
26
10 districts
Enrollment
10,625
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$61,303
Below Ohio avg
Free/reduced lunch
97.9%
Above Ohio avg
Elementary
10
4,777 students
Middle
7
2,305 students
High
8
2,783 students
Combined / other
1
760 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Chillicothe City
2,589 students · 10 districts in Ross County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Ross 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+
17.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.8%
civilian labor
Median age
41
21.0% under 18
Test scores in Ross County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 22 schools ranked. Ohio state average: 59.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Southeastern High School· 76.2%
- Southeastern Middle School· 70.7%
- Zane Trace Middle School· 68.4%
- Zane Trace Elementary School· 67.4%
- Unioto Middle School· 66.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Adena Middle School· 40.0%
- Huntington Middle School· 45.9%
- Chillicothe Intermediate School· 49.3%
- Paint Valley Middle School· 49.9%
- Huntington Elementary School· 50.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unioto Elementary | Chillicothe | Elementary | PK-05 | 1,032 | · |
| Chillicothe High School | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 795 | · |
| Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center | Chillicothe | Combined | 01-12 | 760 | · |
| Chillicothe Intermediate School | Chillicothe | Elementary | 03-06 | 719 | · |
| Unioto High School | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 578 | · |
| Chillicothe Primary School | Chillicothe | Elementary | KG-02 | 572 | · |
| Adena Elementary School | Frankfort | Elementary | PK-05 | 524 | · |
| Unioto Middle School | Chillicothe | Middle | 06-08 | 486 | · |
| Zane Trace Elementary School | Chillicothe | Elementary | PK-04 | 473 | · |
| Chillicothe Middle School | Chillicothe | Middle | 07-08 | 404 | · |
| Huntington Elementary School | Chillicothe | Elementary | KG-04 | 404 | · |
| Zane Trace Middle School | Chillicothe | Middle | 05-08 | 392 | · |
| Southeastern Elementary School | Chillicothe | Elementary | PK-04 | 381 | · |
| Paint Valley Elementary | Bainbridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 371 | · |
| Zane Trace High School | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 330 | · |
| Huntington Middle School | Chillicothe | Middle | 05-08 | 313 | · |
| Huntington High School | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 300 | · |
| Adena High School | Frankfort | High | 09-12 | 297 | · |
| Southeastern Middle School | Chillicothe | Middle | 05-08 | 281 | · |
| Adena Middle School | Frankfort | Middle | 06-08 | 263 | · |
| Southeastern High School | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 251 | · |
| Buckskin Elementary School | South Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 202 | · |
| Paint Valley High School | Bainbridge | High | 09-12 | 184 | · |
| Paint Valley Middle School | Bainbridge | Middle | 06-08 | 166 | · |
| Mt. Logan Early Childhood Center | Chillicothe | Elementary | PK-PK | 99 | · |
| Southern Ohio Career Academy | Chillicothe | High | 09-12 | 48 | · |
Cities in Ross County
About Ross County
In Ohio, Ross County is a moderately sized county of about 76,492 residents. 26 public schools across the county teaches about 10,625 students between them.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $61,303 a year, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 12% meaningfully below the Ohio median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Ross County comprises 10 elementary schools (4,777 students), 7 middle schools (2,305), 8 high schools (2,783), and 1 combined or other schools.
Chillicothe City is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,589 students across Ross County.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Ross County has expanded 4% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 10,171 students to 10,625. The school count climbed from 24 to 26 across the same 4-year window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Ross County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data