Adams County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Adams County, ND 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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B
Income Around average
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 90% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,145 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2.2 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.12% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.4 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,030 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Adams County declined by 6.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 2,145 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Adams County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 24.8% of residents. That is 8.9 points above North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 335 15.6% -8.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 354 16.5% -4.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 423 19.7% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 532 24.8% +8.9 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 North Dakota, 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 50.4% of the people living in Adams County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 49.6% North Dakota 51.0%
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 B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,424 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.64% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 17% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $211,111 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $593 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Adams County is about 29.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $593 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Adams County spend about 21 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 86 hours, about 3.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 10.3 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 20.6 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 86 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,666 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 463 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 110 | 360 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Dakota:
McIntosh County (6.9 min), Foster County (7.7 min), Pierce County (7.7 min).
Slowest:
McHenry County (28.9 min), Renville County (23.5 min), Oliver County (22.8 min).
The average commute time in Adams County is 10 minutes, shorter than the 14 minutes in North Dakota.
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 C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.01 | 2.29 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Dakota:
Cass County (0.3), Burleigh County (0.3), Grand Forks County (0.3).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.2), Sheridan County (0.2), Hettinger County (0.2).
Health
Adams County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Adams County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.3 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.4% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.8% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Dakota:
Burleigh County (0.8), Steele County (0.8), Cass County (0.8).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.7), Rolette County (0.7), Benson County (0.8).
Adams County, ND Compared With Nearby Counties
How Adams County, ND compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, ND | 2,145 | $63,424 #2/2 | $211,111 #1/2 | 10.3 min #1/2 |
| Stark County, ND | 33,302 | $84,797 | $141,935 | 12.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Adams County, North Dakota.
How big is Adams County, North Dakota by population?
About 2,145 people live in Adams County, North Dakota, in 1,030 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 47.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
Is Adams County, North Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Adams County, North Dakota has 2 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 3% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Adams County, North Dakota?
The median home costs 3.3 times the median household income ($211,111 against $63,424), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $593 a month takes about 11% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Adams County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Adams County, North Dakota is only 2.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Adams County, North Dakota?
19.1% of adults in Adams County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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