# Adams County, Nebraska

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. Its county seat is Hastings. The county was formed in 1867 and organized in 1871. It is named for John Adams, the second President of the United States. 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 km$^2$), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km$^2$) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km$^2$) (0.2%) is water.

### 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

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.
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.

## Demographics

As of the 2000 United States census, 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/km$^2$). There were 13,014 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km$^2$). 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 :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | 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