Adams County, Washington Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Adams County, Washington, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Adams County, Washington. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Adams County, Washington. The estimated population of Adams County, Washington is 20,353 people, with a median age of 28.3.

We can look at the total population in Adams County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
20,353
+3.3%
+5.67%
2020
19,702
+0.55%
-
2019
19,594
+0.73%
-
2018
19,452
+0.99%
-
2017
19,261
- -

Population of Adams County, Washington by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
32.6%
35.2%
-7.39%
Black/African American
0.4%
0.3%
+33.33%
Native
0.3%
0.4%
-25.00%
Hispanic
64.6%
62.3%
+3.69%
Asian
0.7%
1%
-30.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.4%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.1%
0.9%
+22.22%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Adams County, Washington by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 28.3 +1.07% 27.6 +1.47% 28.7 -1.03%
2020 28 +0.36% 27.2 0% 29 +1.4%
2019 27.9 -1.41% 27.2 +0.37% 28.6 -3.05%
2018 28.3 -0.35% 27.1 -1.45% 29.5 +0.34%
2017 28.4 - 27.5 - 29.4 -

The median age of Adams County, Washington gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 2,107 -7.48% 1,946 -6.94% 1,953 1,813
10 to 19 1,700 +20.62% 1,526 +26.93% 2,076 1,965
20 to 29 1,337 +8.37% 1,322 +0.29% 1,452 1,324
30 to 39 1,217 +1.29% 1,117 +0.6% 1,224 1,121
40 to 49 1,007 +16.19% 1,073 -0.09% 1,163 1,068
50 to 59 1,012 +1.22% 985 -11.34% 1,023 874
60 to 69 744 +18.33% 788 +21.08% 888 965
70+ 626 +3.19% 754 +6% 644 800

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Adams County, Washington is $54,573.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Adams County.

  • Under 25
    $53,843.00
  • 25 to 44
    $45,030.00
  • 45 to 64
    $70,108.00
  • 65 and over
    $48,192.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Adams County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Adams County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Adams County, Washington is currently $68,128.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

3.22% of households in Adams County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Adams County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    21.53%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    24.10%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    20.36%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    16.76%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.23%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.80%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.22%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Adams County is $21,872.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Adams County by the total population of Adams County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Adams County, Washington, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Adams County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    10.00%
  • Bachelor's degree
    19.10%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    16.87%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    50.49%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.54%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Adams County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Adams County over the age of 16 is 13,876.

Of those people, a total of 62.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Adams County is 58.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 1,330 31.10% 31.50%
20 to 24 years 1,473 72.40% 13.90%
25 to 29 years 1,303 79.40% 6.50%
30 to 34 years 1,288 80.70% 5.90%
35 to 44 years 2,270 78.00% 3.00%
45 to 54 years 2,007 81.10% 3.00%
55 to 59 years 908 70.40% 8.30%
60 to 64 years 1,020 60.40% 12.80%
65 to 74 years 1,405 30.20% 1.90%
75 years and over 872 10.60% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Adams County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 7,900 56.10% 6.50%
Black or African American 62 19.40% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 396 58.10% 0.00%
Asian 112 79.50% 3.40%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 88 90.90% 0.00%
Other 4,023 70.70% 10.60%
Two or more races 1,295 80.00% 5.70%
Hispanic or Latino 8,091 68.80% 8.30%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,332 53.50% 6.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Adams County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Adams County is 8,068, with median earnings of $30,606.00.

Women in Adams County, Washington earning approximately 69.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 8,068 $30,606.00
Male 4,642 $36,910.00
Female 3,426 $25,595.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 602 $51,694.00
Business and Financial 191 $65,859.00
Computer and Mathematical 13 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 35 $93,125.00
Community and Social Service 85 $52,250.00
Legal 13 $42,750.00
Educational and Library 538 $57,258.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 5 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 283 $61,397.00
Healthcare Support 416 $19,819.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 83 $21,902.00
Law Enforcement 87 $38,250.00
Food Preparation and Serving 160 $17,500.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 284 $38,929.00
Personal Care and Service 93 $21,523.00
Sales 480 $30,500.00
Office and Administrative Support 865 $31,197.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 1,728 $24,107.00
Construction and Extraction 324 $32,260.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 310 $44,276.00
Production 600 $38,294.00
Transportation and Material Moving 326 $44,070.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 413 $52,188.00 189 $45,313.00
Business and Financial 81 $84,688.00 110 $54,833.00
Computer and Mathematical 13 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 26 $125,469.00 9 $0.00
Community and Social Service 17 $63,958.00 68 $41,250.00
Legal 0 $0.00 13 $42,750.00
Educational and Library 255 $85,843.00 283 $39,330.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 5 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 82 $250,001.00 201 $44,219.00
Healthcare Support 55 $24,803.00 361 $19,531.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 29 $29,911.00 54 $20,435.00
Law Enforcement 81 $39,250.00 6 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 73 $20,089.00 87 $15,568.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 154 $37,708.00 130 $45,333.00
Personal Care and Service 35 $21,750.00 58 $20,714.00
Sales 224 $53,333.00 256 $23,571.00
Office and Administrative Support 74 $26,375.00 791 $31,334.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 1,140 $25,904.00 588 $15,476.00
Construction and Extraction 324 $32,260.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 289 $44,963.00 21 $0.00
Production 480 $38,976.00 120 $20,930.00
Transportation and Material Moving 284 $50,595.00 42 $25,833.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 6,158 households in Adams County, with an average household size of 3.27 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 4,729 families in Adams County with an average family size of 3.73 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 3,312 425 992 1,429
Average Household Size 3.73 4.7 4.1 1.2
Total Families 3,312 425 992 0
Average Household Size 3.69 4 3.73 0

Poverty

Of the 4,729 families in Adams County, 16.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Adams County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 6,696 housing units in Adams County, Washington.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,158 91.97%
Vacant 538 8.03%

30.82% of the total 6,696 housing units in Adams County are rental units. This is approximately 2,064 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,831 are occupied by the owner - or 57.21% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Adams County is $809.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Adams County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    263
  • Less than $500
    283
  • $500 to $999
    1,196
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    503
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    79
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    3

Property Value

The median value of a property in Adams County is $175,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Adams County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    490
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    403
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    581
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    711
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    888
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    638
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    87
  • $1,000,000 or more
    33

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Adams County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Adams County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    890
  • 1940 to 1949
    171
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,021
  • 1960 to 1969
    542
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,507
  • 1980 to 1989
    540
  • 1990 to 1999
    994
  • 2000 to 2009
    695
  • 2010 to 2013
    210
  • 2014 or later
    126

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Adams County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    407
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,154
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,446
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,151

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Adams County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Adams County that commute to work in a particular way.

20.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Adams County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    792
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,360
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,097
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    890
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    716
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    309
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    705
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    211
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    375
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    245
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    604
  • 90 or more minutes
    34

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Adams County, Washington in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Adams County, Washington

We have data for 8 places in Adams County, Washington. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.