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Adams County, IA: population growth, jobs and income

Adams County gained 17 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.5%).

Adams County had an estimated 3,617 residents in 2025, down 2.5% (93 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Iowa as a whole (+1.5%), and the 82nd fastest growth of 99 counties in Iowa.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Adams County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Adams County, ranked against Iowa and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$893/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes18.5%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months82025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

12

2025

3.3 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 28 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 1,212 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +28.9% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 2.7% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 12 new homes in 2025, or 3.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $71,875 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +37.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,584th.

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Adams County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20253,617+17
20243,600+41
20233,559−41
20223,600−39
20213,639−71
20203,710–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Adams County

Adams County lost 93 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−53).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−12−53
International migrationfrom and to other countries+1+4
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+28−40
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−4
Total change+17−93

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IowaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth82nd of 992,584th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents8th of 99751st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth2nd of 9985th of 3,092
Median household income43rd of 991,049th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate9th of 99190th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents22nd of 991,019th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Adams County, IA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Adams County's population change (−2.5%) was ahead of 1 of its 7 neighbouring counties, behind 5 and level with Union County.

Only Ringgold County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 7 neighbouring counties; Adams County's was $71,875.

Adams County, IA and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Adams County, IA This county3,617−2.5%7.73.3$71,875
Taylor County, IA5,835−0.5%1.20.7$67,740
Adair County, IA7,403−1.3%−6.23.1$68,092
Cass County, IA12,960−1.2%3.00.8$63,013
Union County, IA11,829−2.5%−4.71.9$57,772
Montgomery County, IA10,002−3.2%2.22.9$63,666
Ringgold County, IA4,642+0.0%3.01.3$73,346
Page County, IA14,856−2.3%−4.70.8$57,953

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 99 Iowa counties · Every state

Questions

Is Adams County growing?

No. Its population fell 2.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 93 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Iowa as a whole changed +1.5% over the same years. That ranks 82nd of 99 counties in Iowa for population growth.

How many people moved to Adams County?

On net, about 28 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Adams County?

It averaged 2.7% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Adams County?

About 3,617 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Adams County?

Private employers there had 1,212 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +28.9% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Iowa

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Iowa county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Adams County data alerts

Email me when Adams County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Adams County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.