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Adams County, Illinois facts for kids

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Adams County
Adams County Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse
Map of Illinois highlighting Adams County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting 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 Decrease
 • 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.

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:

Major Roads

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

  • I-172.svg Interstate 172
  • US 24.svg US Route 24
  • US 36.svg US Route 36
  • Illinois 57.svg Illinois Route 57
  • Illinois 61.svg Illinois Route 61
  • Illinois 94.svg Illinois Route 94
  • Illinois 96.svg Illinois Route 96
  • Illinois 104.svg Illinois Route 104
  • Illinois 336.svg Illinois Route 336

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

USA Adams County, Illinois age pyramid
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

Map of Adams County Illinois
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.

Community
Community
type
Population Total
Area
Water
Area
Land
Area
Pop.
Density
Camp Point village 1,121 1.27 0.00 1.27 885.47
Clayton village 639 0.89 0.01 0.88 722.85
Coatsburg village 150 0.13 0.00 0.13 1,136.36
Columbus village 114 0.22 0.00 0.22 520.55
Golden village 648 0.64 0.00 0.64 1,009.35
La Prairie village 42 0.19 0.00 0.19 217.62
Liberty village 543 0.39 0.00 0.39 1,388.75
Lima village 148 0.14 0.00 0.14 1,096.30
Loraine village 300 0.84 0.00 0.84 355.45
Mendon village 872 0.86 0.00 0.86 1,017.50
Payson village 1,025 1.17 0.00 1.17 876.07
Plainville village 271 0.23 0.00 0.23 1,153.19
Quincy (seat) city 39,463 15.81 0.04 15.77 2,503.20
Ursa village 609 0.69 0.00 0.69 882.61
Adams County county 65,737 871 16 855 75

Townships

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

  • Beverly
  • Burton
  • Camp Point
  • Clayton
  • Columbus
  • Concord
  • Ellington
  • Fall Creek
  • Gilmer
  • Honey Creek
  • Houston
  • Keene
  • Liberty
  • Lima
  • McKee
  • Melrose
  • Mendon
  • Northeast
  • Payson
  • Quincy
  • Richfield
  • Riverside
  • Ursa

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:

  • Adams County Fair
  • Bayview Bridge
  • Burton Cave
  • Fall Creek Scenic Park
  • Golden Windmill
  • John Wood Mansion
  • Saukenauk Scout Reservation
  • Siloam Springs State Park
  • Spirit Knob Winery
  • Villa Katharine
  • Wavering Park

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Adams (Illinois) para niños

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