Madison County, Nebraska Demographics 2026
Madison County, Nebraska has a population of 35,532, the 8th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $63,128 and the median home value is $208,500. The poverty rate is 13.1%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Madison County Quick Facts
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 | 35,535 | 35,532 | -0.0% |
| Median household income | $64,637 | $63,128 | -2.3% |
| Median home value | $196,000 | $208,500 | +6.4% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.
State average: 41 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Madison County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 26,054 | $58,884 | 14.3% | $211,700 |
| Madison | 2,079 | $62,738 | 14.9% | $133,200 |
| Battle Creek | 1,456 | $95,536 | 6.7% | $194,300 |
| Tilden | 936 | $69,118 | 13.6% | $156,500 |
| Newman Grove | 885 | $54,861 | 15.4% | $100,000 |
| Meadow Grove | 174 | $49,063 | 6.3% | $67,500 |
Explore Nebraska Rankings
Population Overview
Madison County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 35,532. It is the 8th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Madison County is 37.4 years. This is about the same as the state median of 37.2 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Madison County is $63,128. This is 17% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.1%. This is 23% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 2% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $208,500. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $238,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 65.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 66.5%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Madison County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 16.3%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.
Education
23.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.0%.
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 Nebraska 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, Nebraska?
Madison County has a population of 35,532, making it the 8th most populous county in Nebraska.
What is the median income in Madison County?
The median household income in Madison County is $63,128 with a poverty rate of 13.1%.
How many cities are in Madison County, Nebraska?
Madison County contains 6 Census-designated places.