Adams County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,852.^[2] Its county seat is Gettysburg.^[3] The county was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County, and was named for the second President of the United States, John Adams. On July 1–3, 1863, a crucial battle of the American Civil War was fought near Gettysburg; Adams County as a result is a center of Civil War tourism.

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Adams County
County
Adams County Courthouse in Gettysburg
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°52′N 77°13′W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	January 22, 1800
Named for	John Adams
Seat	Gettysburg
Largest borough	Gettysburg
Area
• Total	522 sq mi (1,350 km2)
• Land	519 sq mi (1,340 km2)
• Water	3.1 sq mi (8 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	103,852
• Density	200/sq mi (80/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.adamscountypa.gov
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
Type	City
Designated	November 6, 1982[1]

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Adams County comprises the Gettysburg metropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 522 square miles (1,350 km²), of which 519 square miles (1,340 km²) is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[4] 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 7 miles (11 km) from Gettysburg. The second ring is found at a distance of 12 to 15 miles (24 km) 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.

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

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.^[7] No Democratic presidential candidate has won Adams County since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide.^[8] However, Democratic strength exists in Gettysburg, which Biden carried 63%-35%.^[9]

As of the 2010 census,^[20] there were 101,407 people, 33,652 households, and 24,767 families in the county. The population density was 194 people per square mile (75 people/km²). There were 35,831 housing units at an average density of 69 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.39% White, 1.21% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.71% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 3.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.7% were of German, 14.1% American, 8.5% Irish and 7.1% English ancestry. 95.0% spoke English and 3.6% Spanish as their first language.

There were 33,652 households, of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.10% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males. Adams County is one of two counties in Pennsylvania where Latter-Day Saints make up 1% of the population.

The US OMB^[22] has designated Adams County as the Gettysburg, PA metropolitan statistical area (MSA). As of the 2010 census^[23] 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.

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Adams County, as well as unincorporated areas and CDPs:

• Joel Funk Asper, former U.S. Congressman^[29]
• Gabor Boritt, historian of Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War, professor at Gettysburg College
• Jake Boritt, documentary producer
• Henry R. Brinkerhoff, former U.S. Congressman^[29]
• David A. Day, former Lutheran missionary to Liberia
• Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mamie Eisenhower, their retirement home outside Gettysburg is preserved as Eisenhower National Historic Site
• Erik Harris, professional football player, Atlanta Falcons
• John A. Hauser, former president of C. H. Musselman Company
• Eddie Plank, former Major League Baseball pitcher; third winningest left-handed pitcher of all time and 1946 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
• John Studebaker, co-founder of company that became the Studebaker Corporation

• Adams County Courthouse (Pennsylvania)
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Pennsylvania
• List of counties in Pennsylvania