For ten years, government bureaucrats and elected officials have been using the same population number on grant applications and county profiles for Adams County: 28,550. The United States Census Bureau released updated census data last week that showed the county’s population declined over the past ten years to 27,477. The updated number is a result of the census that was taken in 2020.
According to the data, Adams County lost 1,073 people or -3.8%. That amounts to a population density of 47.1 people per square mile.
Most rural Ohio counties lost population, while many urban and suburban communities gained in the number of people. Neighboring Pike County lost 5.6%, Brown County lost 2.6%, Scioto lost 6.9% and Clermont County gained 5.7%.
Ten years ago, the Informer reported that Adams County had gained in population to 28,550 up from 27,330 in the year 2000. Between 1980 and 1990 the county grew by 1,043 people and between 1990 and 2000 Adams County gained 1,959.
With nearly two-thirds of Ohio’s counties losing population in the past decade, fast growing areas like Franklin County (Columbus) continued to add residents. Overall, Ohio’s population grew by nearly 263,000.
In Adams County villages, Manchester lost 9.1% of its population; the community of Bentonville lost 11.8%; West Union lost 7.3%, Winchester lost 6.1%; Peebles lost less than a half of a percent; and Seaman gained 3.1%.
The new data has sparked a redistricting showdown at the Ohio Statehouse. Legislative leaders have until October to propose new Congressional and state legislative district lines. Locally, the state delegation of Rep. Brian Baldridge and Sen. Terry Johnson will most likely remain unchanged. However, with the growth in the Cincinnati region, it is unclear what the Second Congressional District of Ohio may look like. The area is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup.
