Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 31,205. Its county seat is Hastings. The county was formed in 1867 and organized in 1871. It is named for John Adams, the second President of the United States. Adams County comprises the Hastings, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska license plate system, Adams County is represented by the prefix 14.