Adams County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,852. Its county seat is Gettysburg. The county was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County, and was named for John Adams, the second President of the United States.
Between July 1 and July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest and most significant battle of the American Civil War, was fought near Gettysburg. As a result, Adams County is a center for Civil War-related tourism. Adams County comprises the Gettysburg metropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area. The county is part of the South Central region of the commonwealth.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. The Borough of Gettysburg is located at the center of Adams County. This county seat community is surrounded on three sides by the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP). The Eisenhower National Historic Site adjoins GNMP on its southwestern edge. Most of Adams County's rural landscapes and its mid-19th century roadway pattern remain intact today. Thirteen historic roadways converge at or near Gettysburg Borough. Two circular rings of towns surround Gettysburg; the first is typically found at a distance of approximately from Gettysburg. The second ring is found at a distance of 12 to from the county seat. This "spokes and wheel" pattern is one of the few examples of Central Place Theory in the Eastern United States.
The county is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and is drained by the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers.
Adjacent counties
National protected areas Eisenhower National Historic Site Gettysburg National Military Park
Climate Adams has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa).
Recreation Recreational areas of Adams County include Caledonia State Park, state park named for an iron furnace that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens. Most of this park is in neighboring Franklin County, but a portion of it extends into Adams. It is near U.S. Route 30 between Chambersburg and Gettysburg. Eisenhower National Historic Site, the home and farm of 34th President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower. Gettysburg Battlefield, Civil War battlefield fought July 1–3, 1863 Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, federally designated National Heritage Area in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. McPherson Ridge, landform used during the Battle of Gettysburg Michaux State Forest Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 249, providing hunting, trapping and other activities. Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve
Government
Commissioners Adams County is administered by a three-person board of commissioners, who serve four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. presidential elections, with the most recent election falling in 2023. All three commissioners are chosen in the same election, and voters may vote for no more than two of the candidates. The commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.
Official Party Term ends Randy Phiel Republican 2027 Jim Martin Republican 2027 Marty Qually Democratic 2027
Elected county officials As of the May 2024 Office Official Party Term ends Clerk of Courts Kelly A. Lawver Republican 2025 Controller Tammy Myers Republican 2027 Coroner Francis Dutrow Republican 2027 Treasurer Chrissy Redding Republican 2025 District Attorney Brian Sinnett Republican 2027 Prothonotary Beverly Boyd Republican 2027 Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills Karen Heflin Republican 2027 Sheriff James W. Muller Republican 2025
Politics Presidential politics
Adams is a consistently Republican county, like most of South Central Pennsylvania. In 2020, Donald Trump carried the county with 66.3% of the vote to Joe Biden's 32.2%. In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton only received 29.6% of the vote, the lowest share any Democrat had received in the county since George McGovern 44 years prior. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Adams County since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide.Sullivan, Robert David; "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016 However, Democratic strength exists in Gettysburg, which Biden carried 63%-35%.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives Adams County consists of two Pennsylvania House Districts. The 91st district is exclusively in Adams County, comprising the southern and middle parts of the county, including Gettysburg. The 193rd District spans into Cumberland County to the north. District Representative Party 91 Dan Moul Republican 193 Torren Ecker Republican
Pennsylvania Senate Adams County is entirely contained within the 33rd Senatorial District, which also includes parts of York and Franklin counties. District Representative Party 33 Doug Mastriano Republican
United States House of Representatives From 2012 until 2018, Adams County was part of the 4th Congressional District until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the Commonwealth's Congressional Districts constituted an illegal partisan Gerrymander. As a result, Adams County was moved from the 4th District to the 13th Congressional District and elected a new representative in the 2018 election. District Representative Party 13 John Joyce Republican
United States Senate John Fetterman, Democratic Dave McCormick, Republican
Voter registration As of February 8, 2025, there were 74,542 registered voters in the county. Republicans hold a majority of the voters. There were 43,362 registered Republicans, 18,828 registered Democrats, 9,476 voters without any partisan affiliation, and 2,876 voters registered to other parties. "Other parties" also includes voters who left their preferred party blank; only those who chose "no affiliation" are included under "no partisan affiliation".
Voter registration and party enrollment Party Number of voters Percentage Republican 43,362 58.17% Democratic 18,828 25.26% No partisan affiliation 9,476 12.71% Other parties 2,876 3.86% Total 74,542 100%
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Adams County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)66,68375,73585,55891,83089,94597.64%96.76%93.72%90.56%86.61%Black or African American alone (NH)6758611,0461,4501,4730.99%1.10%1.15%1.43%1.42%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)47781641461470.07%0.10%0.18%0.14%0.14%Asian alone (NH)1923634467379520.28%0.46%0.49%0.73%0.92%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census162033xx0.02%0.02%0.03%Other race alone (NH)822184793330.12%0.03%0.09%0.08%0.32%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census6551,0303,179xx0.72%1.02%3.06%Hispanic or Latino (any race)6131,2163,3236,1157,7900.90%1.55%3.64%6.03%7.50%Total68,29278,27491,292101,407103,852 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 103,852. The median age was 44.7 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.
36.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 63.3% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% White, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.7% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.5% of the population.
There were 40,270 households in the county, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 55.3% were married-couple households, 15.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 43,007 housing units, of which 6.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.2% were owner-occupied and 22.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%.
2022 American Community Survey
As of the 2022,https://censusreporter.org/profiles/05000US42001-adams-county-pa/ U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 there were 106,027 people and 40,676 households in the county. The population density was 204.4 people per square mile. There were 43,653 housing units with 76% of the units owner occupied.
90.7% of the population 25 years and over were high school graduates, and 24.3% had a bachelor's degree or higher. Per capita income was $36,150, and the median household income was $76,727. 8.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.
7.8% of the population were military veterans. 19% of the population was under 18, 59% between 18 and 64, and 22% 65 or over.
There were 40,676 households, of which 68% were married couples living together, 10% had a female householder with no husband present, 4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 17% were non-families. The average household size was 2.5. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $255,900.
Metropolitan and combined statistical area The US OMB has designated Adams County as the Gettysburg, PA metropolitan statistical area (MSA). As of the 2010 census the metropolitan area population of 101,407 ranked 19th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 349th most populous in the United States. Adams County is also a part of the larger Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area (CSA), which combines the populations of Adams County with those of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry and York counties in Pennsylvania. The combined statistical area ranked 5th in the State of Pennsylvania and 43rd most populous in the United States, with a population of 1,219,422.
Education
Colleges and universities Gettysburg College United Lutheran Seminary
Community, junior and technical colleges Harrisburg Area Community College
Public school districts School districts include: - Text list Bermudian Springs School District Conewago Valley School District Fairfield Area School District Gettysburg Area School District Littlestown Area School District Upper Adams School District
Public charter schools Gettysburg Montessori Charter School – Gettysburg (K-6) Vida Charter School – Gettysburg (K-6)
County residents may apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 14 (as of 2015) public, cyber charter schools at no additional cost to the parents.
Private schools
As reported by Pennsylvania Department of Education May 2024
Adams County Christian Academy – Gettysburg Delone Catholic High School – McSherrystown Forest Lane Mennonite School – Gettysburg Freedom Christian School – Gettysburg Gettysburg Adventist Christian School – Gettysburg Indian Acres Amish School - Gettysburg JIL Christian School – Biglerville Pheasant Cottage Amish School - Littlestown St. Francis Xavier School - Gettysburg St. Teresa of Calcutta School (Conewago) - Hanover St. Teresa of Calcutta School -McSherrystown
Intermediate Unit