Adams County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Adams County, WI 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 averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Wisconsin
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Wisconsin
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Adams County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,114 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 30.7 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.49% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 55.8 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,512 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Adams County grew by 3.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,114 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Adams County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 31.2% of residents. That is 13.3 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,890 13.7% -7.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,466 16.4% -4.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,846 23.0% +2.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,585 31.2% +13.3 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 Wisconsin, 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 46.1% of the people living in Adams County and men 53.9%.
- Women 46.1% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 53.9% Wisconsin 50.0%
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 D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Adams County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,459 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.98% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 23% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Adams County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $121,315 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $827 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.2% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Adams County is about 12.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $827 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Adams County spend about 48 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 199 hours, about 8.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Adams County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.9 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.8 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 199 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,173 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,289 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 460 | 811 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Wisconsin:
Ashland County (12.8 min), Door County (13.6 min), Eau Claire County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Oconto County (26.4 min), St. Croix County (25.3 min), Waushara County (23.9 min).
The average commute time in Adams County is 24 minutes, longer than the 19 minutes in Wisconsin.
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 | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.15 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.4), Ozaukee County (0.4), Waukesha County (0.4).
Lowest:
Clark County (0.2), Adams County (0.2), Juneau County (0.2).
Health
Adams County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Adams County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.3% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.6% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.8), Waukesha County (0.8), Ozaukee County (0.8).
Lowest:
Menominee County (0.8), Clark County (0.8), Forest County (0.8).
Adams County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Adams County, WI is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 21,114 residents against a local median of 46,349. Adams County, WI's median home price, at $121,315, runs 51% below the $246,919 typical of the counties around it.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 23.9 min against a local median of 19.8 min, 21% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 21% above the local median it puts Adams County, WI at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $326,809 on median home price, so Adams County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Adams County, WI has the 4th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, WI | 21,114 | $59,459 #5/5 | $121,315 #4/5 | 23.9 min #4/5 |
| Juneau County, WI | 26,689 | $68,013 | $102,143 | 21.3 min |
| Waushara County, WI | 24,869 | $67,446 | $428,952 | 23.9 min |
| Wood County, WI | 74,006 | $66,853 | $161,581 | 15.8 min |
| Sauk County, WI | 66,009 | $80,789 | $332,258 | 18.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Adams County, Wisconsin.
How big is Adams County, Wisconsin by population?
About 21,114 people live in Adams County, Wisconsin, in 9,512 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 55.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
Is Adams County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Adams County, Wisconsin has 31 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 36% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Adams County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($121,315 against $59,459), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $827 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Adams County, Wisconsin?
15.0% of adults in Adams County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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