Adams County, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adams County
U.S. county
Adams County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	1825
Named for	John Quincy Adams
Seat	Quincy
Largest city	Quincy
Area
• Total	871 sq mi (2,260 km2)
• Land	855 sq mi (2,210 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)  1.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	65,737
• Estimate  (2023)	64,441
• Density	75.47/sq mi (29.140/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	15th

Adams County is a county located in the very western part of Illinois, a state in the United States. It sits right next to the Mississippi River. In 2020, about 65,737 people lived here. The main city and the place where the county government is located is Quincy. Adams County is also part of a larger area called the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Adams County

Adams County was created in 1825. It was formed from a part of Pike County. The county was named after John Quincy Adams, who was the sixth President of the United States.

• 

  When Adams County was first created in 1825, another area called Hancock County was temporarily part of it.

• 

  By 1829, Adams County was made smaller to its current size and shape.

Geography and Nature

Adams County covers a total area of about 871 square miles. Most of this area, about 855 square miles, is land. The remaining 16 square miles (about 1.9%) is water, like rivers and lakes.

Neighboring Counties

Adams County shares its borders with several other counties:

• To the north: Hancock County
• To the east: Brown County and Schuyler County
• To the south: Pike County
• To the west (across the Mississippi River in Missouri): Marion County, Missouri and Lewis County, Missouri

Major Roads

Many important roads run through Adams County, helping people travel around. These include:

Protected Areas

A small part of the Great River National Wildlife Refuge is located in Adams County. This refuge helps protect wildlife and their natural homes.

Climate and Weather

The weather in Adams County changes with the seasons. In Quincy, the county seat, average temperatures in January are around 16°F. In July, they can reach about 88°F. However, temperatures can be much colder or hotter. The record low was -21°F in January 1979, and the record high was 105°F in July 2005. The county gets a good amount of rain, with the most rain usually falling in May.

People and Population

This chart shows the age groups of people living in Adams County in 2000.

In 2020, Adams County had 65,737 people living in 27,199 households. The population density was about 75.5 people per square mile.

Most people in the county are white (about 89.5%). Other groups include Black or African American (3.8%), Asian (0.8%), and American Indian (0.2%). About 2.0% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino origin. Many families in Adams County have German (35.9%), Irish (11.1%), or English (8.1%) backgrounds.

The average age of people in the county was 41.4 years. About 22.6% of the population was under 18 years old.

The average income for a household in Adams County was $55,052. For families, the average income was $72,091. About 12.5% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 17.7% of those under 18 years old.

Communities in Adams County

A map showing the different communities within Adams County, Illinois.

Adams County has several cities and villages, as well as many smaller, unincorporated communities.

Cities and Villages

The largest city is Quincy, which is also the county seat. Other villages include Camp Point, Clayton, Golden, Liberty, Mendon, and Payson. Each community has its own unique features and population size.

Townships

Adams County is divided into 23 smaller areas called townships. These townships help organize local services and government.

Education

Adams County offers many educational opportunities, from public schools to colleges.

Public Schools

Several school districts serve the students in Adams County, including:

• Central Community Unit School District 3
• Liberty Community Unit School District 2
• Mendon Community Unit School District 4
• Payson Community Unit School District 1
• Quincy Public School District 172

Private Schools

There are also private schools in the county, such as:

• Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
• Chaddock School
• Quincy Christian School
• Quincy Notre Dame High School
• St. Dominic Catholic School
• St. Francis Solanus Catholic School
• St. James Lutheran School
• St. Peter Catholic School

Colleges and Universities

For higher education, students can attend:

• Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing
• John Wood Community College
• Quincy University

Fun Places to Visit

Adams County has many attractions for residents and visitors to enjoy:

Images for kids

• 

  The Adams County Courthouse in Quincy, where the county government is located.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Adams (Illinois) para niños