Adams County, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Adams County, IL Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 77% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,753 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 74.3 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.42% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.7 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 27,915 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Adams County declined by 3.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 64,753 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Adams County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.3% of residents. That is about the same share as Illinois.
- Gen Z 13–28 12,490 19.3% -2.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,533 19.4% -2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,165 20.3% on par
- Boomers 61–79 12,626 19.5% +2.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Illinois, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.7% of the people living in Adams County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 49.3% Illinois 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Adams County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Adams County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,119 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.02% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 21% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $202,885 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $828 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.1% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Adams County is about 20.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $828 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Adams County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 114 hours, about 4.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.7 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.4 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 114 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,541 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,688 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 784 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Illinois:
Edgar County (12.0 min), Brown County (12.7 min), Morgan County (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Calhoun County (43.8 min), Pulaski County (31.2 min), Pope County (31.0 min).
The average commute time in Adams County is 14 minutes, shorter than the 24 minutes in Illinois.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Adams County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.25 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Illinois:
DuPage County (0.4), Champaign County (0.4), Lake County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hardin County (0.2), Fayette County (0.2), Perry County (0.2).
Health
Adams County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Adams County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.5 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.3% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.8% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Illinois:
DuPage County (0.8), Champaign County (0.8), Monroe County (0.8).
Lowest:
Alexander County (0.8), Pulaski County (0.8), Gallatin County (0.8).
Adams County, IL Compared With Nearby Counties
How Adams County, IL compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, IL | 64,753 | $66,119 #1/2 | $202,885 #1/2 | 13.7 min #1/2 |
| Marion County, MO | 28,457 | $63,331 | $79,047 | 13.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Adams County, Illinois.
What is the population of Adams County, Illinois?
About 64,753 people live in Adams County, Illinois, in 27,915 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 42.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Adams County, Illinois mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Adams County, Illinois has 74 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Is Adams County, Illinois an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.1 times the median household income ($202,885 against $66,119), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $828 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Adams County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Adams County, Illinois is only 3.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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