Adams County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Adams County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 31,052. It is the 11th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Adams County is 38.7 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Adams County is $68,365. This is 11% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.7%. This is 20% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 19% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $193,100. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Adams County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Adams County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.5%. The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

29.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Adams County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Nebraska and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.