Population 64,754 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Adams County
Household size in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Adams County are small: just 2.32 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.41, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Adams County is 42.2 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.2, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Adams County than nationally: 10.5%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Illinois.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Adams County
Renters in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.9% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Adams County own their homes; 27.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (44.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the center. The renter share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Adams County as nationally: 8.2%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.5 points, mirroring the country. Adams County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Illinois counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Adams County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1965, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $639 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $635 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $758 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $951 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$312 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Adams County costs $951 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $312 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Adams County
Bachelor's degrees in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Adams County (27.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.4% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Adams County is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points, as it has nationally. Adams County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Illinois counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Adams County
| Period | Adams County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Adams County runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Adams County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 2.32 | 42.2 | 10.5% | 27.9% | 8.2% | 1965 | $951 | 27.9% | 94.0% | 3.8% |
| Lewis County | 2.88 | 37.4 | 4.9% | 23.7% | 25.9% | 1970 | $673 | 17.7% | 87.7% | 7.3% |
| Brown County | 1.98 | 42.5 | 9.7% | 28.2% | 9.4% | 1967 | $707 | 13.2% | 78.6% | 2.6% |
| Cass County | 2.49 | 39.1 | 11.3% | 24.1% | 11.2% | 1966 | $745 | 20.3% | 84.7% | 3.9% |
| Menard County | 2.33 | 43.6 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 6.1% | 1975 | $879 | 28.5% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Grundy County | 2.48 | 40.9 | 7.0% | 30.3% | 19.7% | 1962 | $792 | 16.6% | 86.8% | 2.9% |
| Macon County | 2.35 | 41.6 | 11.1% | 29.8% | 12.2% | 1965 | $890 | 24.4% | 92.8% | 7.4% |
| Daviess County | 2.81 | 40.1 | 7.7% | 20.9% | 24.4% | 1978 | $687 | 18.0% | 84.4% | 1.8% |
| Piatt County | 2.41 | 44.2 | 6.8% | 15.2% | 6.6% | 1972 | $1,124 | 32.5% | 96.3% | 3.0% |
| DeKalb County | 2.41 | 42.1 | 5.8% | 28.9% | 12.4% | 1983 | $905 | 17.8% | 90.8% | 2.3% |
| Andrew County | 2.58 | 43.9 | 8.6% | 23.3% | 7.6% | 1980 | $995 | 28.7% | 95.4% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Aroostook County, ME · Georgetown County, SC · Lake County, CA · Tehama County, CA · Chaves County, NM · Pender County, NC · Eddy County, NM · San Benito County, CA · Maverick County, TX · McKinley County, NM
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Adams County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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