Adams County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Adams County, WA 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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C
Health Below averageLeast healthy county in Washington
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Washington
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F
Education Well below averageLeast educated county in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,799 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 10.8 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.07% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 27.3 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,288 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Adams County grew by 22.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,799 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Adams County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 25.5% of residents. That is 4.1 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,305 25.5% +4.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,941 18.9% -4.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,400 16.3% -3.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,498 12.0% -4.2 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 Washington, 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 47.9% of the people living in Adams County and men 52.1%.
- Women 47.9% Washington 49.7%
- Men 52.1% Washington 50.3%
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 D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,281 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.46% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 33% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $157,686 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $877 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Adams County is about 15.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $877 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Adams County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 139 hours, about 5.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.7 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.4 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 139 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,320 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,141 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 365 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Washington:
Walla Walla County (12.2 min), San Juan County (12.3 min), Asotin County (13.2 min).
Slowest:
Mason County (32.0 min), Garfield County (28.4 min), Snohomish County (28.3 min).
The average commute time in Adams County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
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 F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.25 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.4), San Juan County (0.4), Jefferson County (0.4).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.2), Yakima County (0.2), Grant County (0.2).
Health
Adams County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Adams County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.8% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.7% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.8), Whitman County (0.8), San Juan County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Okanogan County (0.8), Pacific County (0.8).
Adams County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Adams County, WA is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 20,799 residents against a local median of 98,902. The measure that sets Adams County, WA apart most is median home price: $157,686, 34% below the local median of $238,970.
The counties themselves spread $348,870 on median home price, so Adams County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Adams County, WA has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, WA | 20,799 | $66,281 #4/4 | $157,686 #3/4 | 16.7 min #3/4 |
| Franklin County, WA | 98,902 | $86,960 | $387,681 | 18.6 min |
| Walla Walla County, WA | 62,160 | $74,258 | $38,811 | 12.2 min |
| Grant County, WA | 101,798 | $73,032 | $238,970 | 16.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Adams County, Washington.
What is the population of Adams County, Washington?
About 20,799 people live in Adams County, Washington, in 6,288 households of 3.2 people on average. The median age is 27.3, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
How densely populated is Adams County, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, Adams County, Washington has 11 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 12% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Adams County, Washington?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($157,686 against $66,281), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $877 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Adams County, Washington?
Unemployment in Adams County, Washington is only 3.6%, 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, Washington?
14.0% of adults in Adams County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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