Ownership Submission
FORM 5
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
Form 3 Holdings Reported
Form 4 Transactions Reported
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HOOPER LAWRENCE L JR
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ADAMS DIVERSIFIED EQUITY FUND, INC. [ADX]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
V.P., Gen. Counsel, & Sec'y.
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)

500 EAST PRATT STREET, STE 1300
3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2016
(Street)


BALTIMORE, MD 21202
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting
(check applicable line)

_X_ Form Filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/31/2016   J 687.102 (1) A $ 0 12,089.551 (2) D  
Common Stock 12/31/2016   J 2,250.317 (3) A $ 0 30,824.749 (4) I By Issuer's Thrift Plan Trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 2270 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Issuer's Fiscal Year
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
(A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
HOOPER LAWRENCE L JR
500 EAST PRATT STREET
STE 1300
BALTIMORE, MD 21202
      V.P., Gen. Counsel, & Sec'y.  

Signatures

Gail L. Valenti as Attorney-in-Fact for Lawrence L. Hooper, Jr. 02/03/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares were acquired in exempt transactions as a result of dividend reinvestment. The Issuer's stock traded in a range of $10.96 - $13.35 during 2016.
(2) Of these shares, 164.4970 shares are held in a custodial account with the undersigned's child. The undersigned disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
(3) These shares are held by the Issuer's Thrift Plan Trust and represent the undersigned's proportionate beneficial interest in the shares that were acquired by the Trust in 2016 in exempt transactions as a result of periodic contributions made during 2016 and shares acquired by the Trustee through dividend reinvestment in 2016. The Issuer's stock traded in a range of $10.96 - $13.35 during that time.
(4) The number of shares reported as held by the Issuer's Thrift Plan Trust represents the undersigned's proportionate beneficial interest in such stock held in the Trust. Such number is based on information as of 12/31/2016. This number includes the shares acquired in exempt transactions through periodic contributions made during 2016, shares acquired by the Trustee through dividend reinvestment, and changes in the number of shares previously reported due to fluctuations in the market price and interests in the Trust during 2016. The Issuer's stock traded in a range of $10.96 - $13.35 during 2016.

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