Adams County Schools & Education
Adams County, Illinois
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
92.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,926
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,250
School Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 63/100
State Score Position
#75
of 102 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Adams County
Measured School Summary
Adams County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.4%.
Funding Context
At $6,926 per pupil, Adams County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 14% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 25% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Adams County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
23 public schools and 5 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
54/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #75 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.
Completion
92.4%
3.6 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,926
$2,324 below the state average
School coverage
23
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Adams County has 23 public schools across 5 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Adams County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Adams County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#75
of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Quincy SD 172
Elementary to high school visible
6,345 students
9 listed schools in this county slice.
Central CUSD 3
Elementary to high school visible
784 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
CUSD 4
Elementary to high school visible
664 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Liberty CUSD 2
Elementary and high visible
634 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Quincy SD 172 is the largest listed district slice, with 9 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Adams County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Adams County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Adams County, Illinois
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Robust Rural-Town Network
Adams County maintains 23 public schools across five districts, serving 8,920 students. The infrastructure is well-distributed between 11 elementary, 3 middle, and 9 high schools to support a mix of town and rural communities.
Strong Outcomes on Lean Budgets
Despite a per-pupil expenditure of $6,926—well below the national average of $13,000—Adams County achieves an impressive 92.4% graduation rate. This performance surpasses both the Illinois state average of 88.8% and the national benchmark of 87.0%.
Quincy Schools Lead the Region
Quincy SD 172 is the county's dominant provider, managing 9 schools and 6,345 students, which represents over 70% of total enrollment. There are currently no charter schools in operation within the county's borders.
The Balance of Town and Country
Education here is split between 12 rural and 11 town-based locales, with an average school size of 469 students. Quincy Sr High School is the largest campus with 1,924 students, while smaller elementary schools like Colonel George Iles offer more intimate settings.
School Overview
Total Schools
23
in Adams County
Reported Enrollment
8,920
23 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Adams County
Quincy SD 172
GuideCentral CUSD 3
CUSD 4
Liberty CUSD 2
Payson CUSD 1
23 Public Schools in Adams County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 23 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Sr High School | Profile | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62301Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,924 |
| Quincy Jr High School | Profile | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62301Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 1,348 |
| Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62305Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 588 |
| Thomas S Baldwin Elem Sch | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62301Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 563 |
| Colonel George Iles Elem Sch | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62305Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 519 |
| Sarah Atwater Denman Elem | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62305Rural: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 500 |
| Dr. Abby Fox Rooney Elem Sch | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62305Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 496 |
| Early Childhood | Record | Quincy SD 172 | Quincy, 62301Town: Remote | PK–KG | Primary | 407 |
| Liberty Elementary School | Record | Liberty CUSD 2 | Liberty, 62347Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 366 |
| Unity Elementary School | Record | CUSD 4 | Mendon, 62351Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 298 |
| Seymour Elementary School | Record | Payson CUSD 1 | Payson, 62360Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 270 |
| Liberty High School | Record | Liberty CUSD 2 | Liberty, 62347Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 268 |
| Central High School | Record | Central CUSD 3 | Camp Point, 62320Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 248 |
| Central Junior High School | Record | Central CUSD 3 | Camp Point, 62320Rural: Remote | 5–8 | Middle | 246 |
| Seymour High School | Record | Payson CUSD 1 | Payson, 62360Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 223 |
| Unity Middle School | Record | CUSD 4 | Mendon, 62351Rural: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 184 |
| Unity High School | Record | CUSD 4 | Mendon, 62351Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 182 |
| Central Elementary Grade School | Record | Central CUSD 3 | Camp Point, 62320Rural: Remote | PK–2 | Primary | 180 |
| Central 3-4 Middle School | Record | Central CUSD 3 | Golden, 62339Rural: Remote | 3–4 | Primary | 110 |
| Academic Behavior&Community Acad | Record | Adam/Brwn/Cass/Morgn/Pik/Sctt ROE | Quincy, 62301Town: Remote | 7–12 | Alternative | 0 |
Quincy Sr High School
Quincy SD 172
Quincy, 62301 / Town: Remote
Quincy Jr High School
Quincy SD 172
Quincy, 62301 / Town: Remote
Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School
Quincy SD 172
Quincy, 62305 / Town: Remote
Central Junior High School
Central CUSD 3
Camp Point, 62320 / Rural: Remote
Central Elementary Grade School
Central CUSD 3
Camp Point, 62320 / Rural: Remote
Academic Behavior&Community Acad
Adam/Brwn/Cass/Morgn/Pik/Sctt ROE
Quincy, 62301 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,926
State avg $9,250
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Adams County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Illinois?
How should I read the school score in Adams County?
What is the graduation rate in Adams County?
How much does Adams County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Adams County, Illinois — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Adams County, Illinois?
Adams County maintains 23 public schools across five districts, serving 8,920 students. The infrastructure is well-distributed between 11 elementary, 3 middle, and 9 high schools to support a mix of town and rural communities.
How do schools in Adams County perform academically?
Despite a per-pupil expenditure of $6,926—well below the national average of $13,000—Adams County achieves an impressive 92.4% graduation rate. This performance surpasses both the Illinois state average of 88.8% and the national benchmark of 87.0%.
What are the major school districts in Adams County, Illinois?
Quincy SD 172 is the county's dominant provider, managing 9 schools and 6,345 students, which represents over 70% of total enrollment. There are currently no charter schools in operation within the county's borders.
What is the school experience like in Adams County?
Education here is split between 12 rural and 11 town-based locales, with an average school size of 469 students. Quincy Sr High School is the largest campus with 1,924 students, while smaller elementary schools like Colonel George Iles offer more intimate settings.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.