Adams County, Illinois

Adams County, Illinois
Adams County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,737. Its county seat is Quincy. Adams County is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Adams County was formed in 1825 out of Pike County. Its name is in honor of the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.9%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Hancock County - north
Brown County - east
Schuyler County - east
Pike County - south
Marion County, Missouri - west
Lewis County, Missouri - west
Public transit
Quincy Transit Lines
Quincy station
Burlington Trailways
List of intercity bus stops in Illinois
Major highways
Interstate 172
US Route 24
US Route 36
Illinois Route 57
Illinois Route 61
Illinois Route 94
Illinois Route 96
Illinois Route 104
Illinois Route 336
National protected area
Great River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Quincy have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1979 and a record high of was recorded in July 2005. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in May.
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 65,737 people, 27,199 households, and 17,398 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 30,235 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.5% white, 3.8% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.0% of the population. The most common reported ancestries were, German (35.9%), Irish (11.1%), English (8.1%), and American (7.4%).
Of the 27,199 households, 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.0% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $55,052 and the median income for a family was $72,091. Males had a median income of $41,852 versus $29,404 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,035. About 9.4% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
2020 Census
Communities
City
Quincy (seat)
Villages
Camp Point
Clayton
Coatsburg
Columbus
Golden
La Prairie
Liberty
Lima
Loraine
Mendon
Payson
Plainville
Ursa
Unincorporated communities
Adams
Beverly
Bigneck
Blacks
Bloomfield
Burton
Chatton
Cliola
Country Meadows
Ewbanks
Fall Creek
Fowler
Hickory Grove
Kellerville
Kingston
Marblehead
Marcelline
Meyer
North Quincy
Paloma
Richfield
Rock Creek
Sheridan Estates
Spring Valley
Woodville
Townships
Adams County is divided into twenty-three townships:
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
Politics
Adams County, positioned in a primarily rural section of Illinois is culturally isolated from Chicago, and therefore more conservative than the state's northeastern corner. Quincy, the county seat, holds a high number of socially conservative Catholics and likewise is the home to the campus of Quincy University, a private Catholic liberal arts college, and the Western Catholic Union.
The county is part of the historic belt of German settlement extending into the Missouri Rhineland. Since it was antagonistic to the Yankee northeast of Illinois, it voted solidly Democratic until 1892. After being a swing county in the first half of the twentieth century, Adams County has been a Republican stronghold. It has gone Republican in all but four presidential elections since 1920, all but one of which was a 400-vote Democratic landslide. The county last supported a Democrat in 1964, when it voted for Lyndon Johnson. The county regularly supports the Republicans at the state level as well; it has not supported a Democrat for Governor of Illinois since Adlai Stevenson II in 1948. Additionally, five of the six countywide elected officials in Adams County are Republicans, with a Democrat holding the position of Circuit Clerk. Notably, while it voted for Barack Obama in his 2004 Senate campaign, he lost it by wide margins in both of his presidential bids.
The county is part of Illinois's 15th congressional district, currently represented by Republican Mary Miller. For the Illinois House of Representatives, the county is located in the 94th district, represented by Republican Randy Frese. The county is located in the 47th district of the Illinois Senate, represented by Republican Jil Tracy.
Education
Unified school districts
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
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
Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing
John Wood Community College
Quincy University
Attractions
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
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Illinois
References
External links
Adams County website
Adams County GIS Website
Great River Genealogical Society
United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
United States National Atlas
Illinois counties
1825 establishments in Illinois
Illinois counties on the Mississippi River
Populated places established in 1825
Quincy–Hannibal area
Quincy, Illinois micropolitan area