Madison County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Madison County has a population of 21,867 residents and a median age of 44.5 years, making it the #1,780 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.1%. The median home value is $284,600, and the median household income is $58,531, which is 22% below the national median.
Demographics
Madison County has a population of 21,867, making it the #1,780 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.5 years, which is 14.4% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Madison County is $58,531, ranking #2,222 out of 3,222 counties — 22.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.1% and unemployment stands at 3.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Madison County is $284,600 (+1.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $780/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Madison County, 32.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 4.4% below the national average, ranking #616 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Madison County is 74.7 years. 18.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.4% of adults in Madison County smoke , 31.9% are obese , and 20.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 38.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.0% of children in Madison County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 17.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Madison County is 74.7%. The mean commute time is 34.1 min, which is 23.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Madison County voted Republican with a margin of 23.5%. The vote was 37.5% Dem / 61% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Madison County, North Carolina
Madison County, North Carolina has a total population of 21,867, making it the 1,780th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Madison County is 44.5 years, which is 14.4% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Madison County is $58,531, which ranks #2,222 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 22.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.1%.
The median home value in Madison County is $284,600, 1.0% above the national median. Renters in Madison County pay a median gross rent of $780 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Madison County, 32.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.1 min.
Madison County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
All data for Madison County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.