Adams County, Washington Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Adams County is located in Washington with a total population of 20,690. It is the 31st most populous county out of 39 in Washington. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Adams County is 29.2 years. This is 24% lower than the state median of 38.2 years. With 35.0% of the population under 18, Adams County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Adams County is $65,042. This is 32% lower than the state median of $94,952. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 20.5%. This is 107% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 5.0%. The median home value is $251,300. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $519,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 69.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 63.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Adams County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 64.1% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 32.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (32.1%) is well below the state average of 64.3%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (64.1% vs 14.1%). The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 9.3%.

Education

15.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 60% lower than the state rate of 38.8%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 69.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Adams County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Washington 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.