A life in Adams County, Iowa

Where you are

You live in Adams County, Iowa. 3,680 people live here with you, so most faces are familiar. The population shrank 1.6% last year, and more Americans moved out than in (net -40).

Iowa cut its income tax to a flat 3.8% in 2025 and stopped taxing retirement income for residents 55 and over in 2023, including pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. It still has an inheritance tax, but that is being phased out and ends for deaths after 2024. Winters are long and the state's economy still moves with corn, soybean and hog prices.

Money

The typical household here brings in $64,750 a year, higher than 62% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $49,596. Unemployment runs 2.0%, lower than 96% of American counties. 8% of workers work from home.

Iowa takes 3.8% of that median income in state income tax, about $2,461 a year.

Home

The median home costs $163K, cheaper than 79% of American counties, about 1.3 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $797 a month. Property tax is 1.28% of home value, roughly $1,406 a year on that median home, higher than 77% of American counties. 81% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.1 per 1,000 residents, lower than 87% of American counties.

A child born here can expect to live 78.4 years, longer than 79% of American counties. There are 2 active physicians in the county, about 5.4 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 3.0 of 5 stars. 6.3% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 3.26 where 3.0 is national grade level, higher than 85% of American counties. 94% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 44 points, among the most lopsided counties in the country. 75% of eligible voters turned out. Under Iowa law you can carry a concealed handgun without a permit, abortion is banned with narrow exceptions, and marijuana is medical only.

Weather and risk

The year averages 51°F, highs near 62 and lows near 40, colder than 71% of American counties. About 29 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 18 out of 100, safer than 82% of American counties; the county has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 109 Mbps down, slower than 85% of American counties. There is 1 airport in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.8 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people.

Sources for this story

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• DataSpine derived — ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• Iowa tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.