Adams Population Sign, 2020
Adams’s story
113 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,119 in 1920, 1,761 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2020 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
- 1913Adams is settled
AdamsWI
A town of 1,803, settled in 1913.
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,803
2025 Census estimate · +2.2% since 2020
Typical home
$191K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$43K
median
Median age
45.8
years
Jobs based here
876
Balanced
Is Adams a good place to live?
The best of Adams’ subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Adams, against 6.4% in Wisconsin’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town in Wisconsin scores lower than Adams on health. Adams is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. Only 84 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on history. Adams has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Adams stand out
Where Adams beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Adams$191K
Wisconsin$337K
Cost of livingA−
3.2 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 80% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
3.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better12 too close to call19 worse
| Widest gap | Adams | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.4% | 6.5% |
Worth knowing · HealthD
Less healthy than 92% of U.S. towns
Trails WI on 19 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 1
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Adams has shrunk 9% since 2010
1,967 counted in 2010 and 1,761 in 2020; an estimated 1,803 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Adams grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Adams is from typical.
Jobs & income$43K median household incomeD−Open →HealthGundersen Moundview Hospital and Clinics 1.3 miles awayDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →SafetyC−Open →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.4 of 20; 9.4% of households have no carA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailC+Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life12.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Adams: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Adams, and how to reach them.
PowerAdams-Columbia Electric Coop19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAdams WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Adams’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCity of Adams ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes53910, 5393453910 98% · 53934 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Adams.
HealthD
More of Adams’ adults have diabetes than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
17% of Adams adults have diabetes, above both Wisconsin’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (12%). 42% of adults have high blood pressure in Adams. Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Adams.
8%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Adams | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 26% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better12 too close to call19 worse
| What stands out | Adams | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.4% | 6.5% |
Gundersen Moundview Hospital and Clinics
1.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC−
Adams’ public schools trail 76% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Adams-Friendship Area School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Adams-Friendship High, with 446 students.
24%of WI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams-Friendship ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 486 | C− |
| Adams-Friendship HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 446 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A−
Adams stands out in Wisconsin and nationally: a smaller share of its households own their home
48% of Adams households own their home. The typical Adams home is worth about $191,000, up 0.8% in a year, 43% below the Wisconsin typical home. Adams’ median rent is $749 a month.
$191KZillow home value
| Adams | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 48% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $749 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Adams$191K
Wisconsin$337K
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyC−
Adams reports more crime per resident than 79% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Adams is 20.9 per 1,000 residents.
21%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Adams | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 20.9 per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Adams1.1
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Adams20.9
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
21st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
37
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Adams, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Adams has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 8° and about 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring33–56°
Summer57–80°
Fall37–58°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
A job hub: Adams has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 791 commuters
Most working residents leave Adams for work: only 14% work in town. Only 2 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower median household income than Adams. Jobs based in Adams fell to 876 in 2023, 82 fewer than in 2013.
14%work in town
| Adams | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Adams14%
Friendship16%
Lake Delton3%
Wisconsin Dells3%
Westfield3%
23 mi
median commute distance
876
jobs based in Adams
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Low risk in Adams, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Adams since 1993.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 1993
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,870 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burt Morris Park | — | 18 |
| 2. Lion's Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Adams
19pages on Adams
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 76% of WI districts · 3 schoolsSafetyC−1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than WI on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$191K typical home · up 0.8% in a yearWork & commuteD−$43K median household income · 876 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Adams; the nearest are
Mid-State Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wisconsin Rapids30.2 mi$5,002 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point41.5 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Adams residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Adams
City in Wisconsin, United States
Adams is a city in Adams County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,761 at the 2020 census. The city is located within the Town of Adams.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 965 ft
- ZIP code
- 53910
- Area code
- 920
Questions about Adams
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Adams, WI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.