Madison County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Name: Madison County, Iowa Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Madison County, Iowa has a population of 16,926, the 42nd most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $90,855 and the median home value is $245,100. The poverty rate is 7.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Madison County Quick Facts

Population 16,926

Median Household Income $90,855

Median Home Value $245,100

Poverty Rate 7.0%

Unemployment Rate 3.5%

Median Age 40.6 years

Homeownership Rate 80.1%

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 27.2%

High School Graduation 96.6%

Cities/Places 7

Population 16,926 42nd of 99

Median Income $90,855 21% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.0%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Madison County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	16,760	16,926	+1.0%
Median household income	$89,542	$90,855	+1.5%
Median home value	$236,900	$245,100	+3.5%

Median Household Income

Madison

$90,855

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Madison

$245,100

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 7.9%

$25K-$50K 16.4%

$50K-$100K 32.9%

$100K+ 42.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.9%

$10K-$15K

2.9%

$15K-$20K

0.8%

$20K-$25K

1.4%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

2.6%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

5.1%

$45K-$50K

2.7%

$50K-$60K

9.1%

$60K-$75K

8.4%

$75K-$100K

15.3%

$100K-$125K

13.4%

$125K-$150K

10.9%

$150K-$200K

8.3%

$200K+

10.2%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

69.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.1%

Renter 19.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,036/mo 13.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.2%

18-34

16.7%

35-54

27.0%

55-74

24.3%

75+

6.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 31 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Madison County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Winterset	5,416	$67,708	10.3%	$192,500
Earlham	1,528	$115,086	4.7%	$267,600
St. Charles	914	$82,841	7.5%	$221,300
Truro	518	$78,750	12.5%	$195,100
Patterson	346	$82,969	6.9%	$111,100
East Peru	92	$68,333	5.4%	$102,500
Macksburg	56	$33,125	10.7%	$94,500

Explore Iowa Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Madison County is located in Iowa with a total population of 16,926. It is the 42nd most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Madison County is 40.6 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Madison County is $90,855. This is 21% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also 13% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.0%. This is 36% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $245,100. Housing costs are 18% higher than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Madison County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Madison County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

27.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Madison County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Madison County, Iowa?

Madison County has a population of 16,926, making it the 42nd most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Madison County?

The median household income in Madison County is $90,855 with a poverty rate of 7.0%.

How many cities are in Madison County, Iowa?

Madison County contains 7 Census-designated places.