Adams County, Nebraska

Not to be confused with Adams, Nebraska.

Adams County
County
Adams County Courthouse in Hastings
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°31′N98°30′W / 40.52°N 98.5°W / 40.52; -98.5
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1867 (authorized) 1871 (organized)
Named for	John Adams
Seat	Hastings
Largest city	Hastings
Area
• Total	564 sq mi (1,460 km2)
• Land	563 sq mi (1,460 km2)
• Water	1.0 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	31,027
• Estimate  (2023)	28,746
• Density	55/sq mi (21/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.adamscounty.org

Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 31,205. ^[1] Its county seat is Hastings. ^[2] The county was formed in 1867 and organized in 1871. ^{[3] [4]} It is named for John Adams, the second President of the United States. ^[5] Adams County comprises the Hastings, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska license plate system, Adams County is represented by the prefix 14 (it had the 14th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 564 square miles (1,460 km²), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km²) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[6]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 6
• U.S. Highway 34
• U.S. Highway 281
• Nebraska Highway 74

Transit

• Amtrak California Zephyr ( Hastings station )

Adjacent counties

• Hamilton County – northeast
• Clay County – east
• Webster County – south
• Kearney County – west
• Buffalo County – northwest
• Hall County – north

History

See also: History of Nebraska

Adams County, Nebraska, was established on February 16, 1867, and named in honor of John Adams, the second President of the United States. The first settlers began to arrive in the late 1860s, following the Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged settlement by providing land to those who would develop and farm it. The initial settlement was somewhat slow due to Adams County's location in the Great Plains, often considered inhospitable because of its harsh climate and lack of timber. The establishment of the city of Hastings in 1872 by the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, however, marked a significant turning point. The town of Juniata was initially the county seat, but after a contentious election in 1877, Hastings became the county seat due to its strategic location at the junction of two railroads. ^[4]

Adams county's growth thereafter was closely tied to the expansion of the railroad. The advent of railroad access to the county led to an influx of settlers, and by the mid-1870s, Adams County had seen substantial development in agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of wheat, corn, and other grains, as well as in the breeding of livestock. The railroad not only brought settlers but also markets for their produce, transforming Adams County into an agricultural hub. ^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	19		—
1880	10,235		53,768.4%
1890	24,303		137.4%
1900	18,840		−22.5%
1910	20,900		10.9%
1920	22,621		8.2%
1930	26,275		16.2%
1940	24,576		−6.5%
1950	28,855		17.4%
1960	28,944		0.3%
1970	30,553		5.6%
1980	30,656		0.3%
1990	29,625		−3.4%
2000	31,151		5.2%
2010	31,364		0.7%
2020	31,205		−0.5%
2021 (est.)	31,027	[1]	−0.6%
US Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010-2021 [1]

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[11] there were 31,151 people, 12,141 households, and 7,964 families in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile (21 people/km²). There were 13,014 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.54% White, 0.64% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 4.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.6% were of German, 7.9% Irish, 7.7% English and 7.3% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 12,141 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.

The county population included 24.40% under the age of 18, 11.90% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,160, and the median income for a family was $45,620. Males had a median income of $29,842 versus $21,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,308. About 5.50% of families and 9.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Adams County voters have been strongly Republican. In only three national elections since 1916 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate, all in national landslide victories for the party.

United States presidential election results for Adams County, Nebraska ^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,077	69.92%	4,100	28.45%	235	1.63%
2020	10,085	68.83%	4,213	28.75%	355	2.42%
2016	9,287	68.73%	3,302	24.44%	924	6.84%
2012	8,316	65.64%	4,062	32.06%	292	2.30%
2008	8,252	62.47%	4,685	35.47%	273	2.07%
2004	9,233	69.49%	3,791	28.53%	262	1.97%
2000	8,162	65.62%	3,686	29.63%	590	4.74%
1996	6,924	55.41%	3,935	31.49%	1,637	13.10%
1992	6,365	48.36%	3,460	26.29%	3,338	25.36%
1988	8,073	65.59%	4,156	33.77%	79	0.64%
1984	9,127	75.09%	2,945	24.23%	83	0.68%
1980	8,500	65.52%	3,372	25.99%	1,101	8.49%
1976	7,623	59.37%	4,959	38.62%	257	2.00%
1972	8,841	72.47%	3,359	27.53%	0	0.00%
1968	7,191	63.29%	3,524	31.02%	647	5.69%
1964	5,586	46.45%	6,441	53.55%	0	0.00%
1960	7,932	64.51%	4,364	35.49%	0	0.00%
1956	8,186	66.93%	4,045	33.07%	0	0.00%
1952	9,033	70.69%	3,745	29.31%	0	0.00%
1948	5,560	54.45%	4,652	45.55%	0	0.00%
1944	7,165	60.84%	4,612	39.16%	0	0.00%
1940	6,630	60.60%	4,311	39.40%	0	0.00%
1936	4,094	38.55%	6,126	57.68%	401	3.78%
1932	3,915	39.41%	5,611	56.48%	408	4.11%
1928	7,194	70.63%	2,926	28.73%	66	0.65%
1924	4,824	56.51%	2,353	27.57%	1,359	15.92%
1920	4,849	69.19%	1,932	27.57%	227	3.24%
1916	2,041	41.93%	2,657	54.58%	170	3.49%
1912	796	19.10%	2,117	50.79%	1,255	30.11%
1908	1,987	43.81%	2,337	51.53%	211	4.65%
1904	2,315	60.02%	898	23.28%	644	16.70%
1900	1,992	47.36%	2,114	50.26%	100	2.38%

Communities

City

• Hastings (county seat)

Villages

• Ayr
• Holstein
• Juniata
• Kenesaw
• Prosser
• Roseland
• Trumbull

Unincorporated communities

• Assumption
• Hansen
• Hayland
• Ingleside
• Pauline

Townships

• Ayr
• Blaine
• Cottonwood
• Denver
• Hanover
• Highland
• Juniata
• Kenesaw
• Little Blue
• Logan
• Roseland
• Silver Lake
• Verona
• Wanda
• West Blue
• Zero

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Nebraska

References

1. "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Adams County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
4. Andreas, A. T. "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska". The Kansas Collection. Archived from the original on September 2, 2003. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
5. "Adams County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. September 1999. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
7. "US Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
11. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

External links

• Adams County Website
• Adams County Historical Society
• Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau

40°31′N98°30′W / 40.52°N 98.50°W / 40.52; -98.50