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Living in
Madison.
About
Life in Madison
If you're considering Madison, understand that you're looking at an affluent, family-oriented suburb built largely on the back of aerospace and tech employment—this isn't a place people move to for the culture or outdoor recreation, though those things exist. The real draw is economic opportunity and schools; the median household income is genuinely high at $135k, unemployment sits at just 2.4%, and the school system is nationally competitive, which explains why 60% of households are married couples and 41% have kids under 18. Your commute to jobs in Huntsville or at Redstone Arsenal will average about 21 minutes, manageable but real, and the city itself feels suburban and car-dependent rather than walkable, though Madison is working with neighboring cities on a 70-mile trail system.
Madison at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Foreign-Born
9.7%
Broadband Internet
95.7%
of households
Population Growth
+19.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.7% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Madison: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Madison, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (15.1%), and 4.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.9%
of residents
65 and Older
12.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.4%
of households
Married Couples
58.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.66
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 44% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Madison
In Madison, rent runs 44% above the AL average, and home values are 90% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,994
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2001
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $376,486 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Madison
Unemployment in Madison is 0.7 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Madison Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.2 min avg
How Madison residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Madison, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
Small hub843k passengers boarded in 2025
- 99 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Madison runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
151.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
958.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Madison Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 40 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Madison County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Madison County, which includes Madison, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 40 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $435,500 |
| 2024 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $178,700 |
| 2023 | 69 | Thunderstorm Wind | $765,900 |
| 2022 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12.6M |
| 2021 | 36 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,200 |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $14,400 |
| 2019 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | $42,900 |
| 2018 | 29 | Frost/Freeze | $54,700 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Madison County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Madison County, which includes Madison, is typically good — 263 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
263
per year
Moderate Days
102
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Madison County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Madison has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.8"
Annual Snowfall
2.4"
Hot Days/Year
62
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
56
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 33°F | 4.99" |
| Feb | 57°F | 36°F | 5.11" |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 5.39" |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 4.86" |
| May | 83°F | 60°F | 4.67" |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.06" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 4.49" |
| Aug | 91°F | 70°F | 3.55" |
| Sep | 87°F | 63°F | 3.49" |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 3.56" |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 4.25" |
| Dec | 55°F | 36°F | 5.87" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Madison
Uninsured
3.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Madison's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Unity Psychiatric Care - Huntsville
Psychiatric · 6.5 mi away · Huntsville
Huntsville Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.4 mi away · Huntsville
Crestwood Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.9 mi away · Huntsville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Madison
Madison's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 64.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Madison (within 15 miles)
University of Alabama in Huntsville
7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,591 students · in-state tuition $12,458 · 61% graduate · median earnings $72,098 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 6,124 students · in-state tuition $10,558 · 33% graduate · median earnings $41,266 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 2,446 students · 58% graduate · median earnings $54,648 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,153 students · in-state tuition $24,112 · 48% graduate · median earnings $47,707 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Russell Cave National Monument, 57 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Madison
Madison has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Russell Cave National Monument (57 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Russell Cave National Monument
National Monument
57 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
68 mi awayBirmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
83 mi awayStones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
83 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
85 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayShiloh National Military Park
National Military Park
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in Madison
Huntsville Public - Madison Branch Library
142 Plaza Drive, Madison
Cities Near Madison
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Madison?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Madison FAQ
Is Madison, Alabama affordable?⌄
Madison's median rent is $1,453/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $134,655/year. Median home value is $398,800.
Is Madison, Alabama safe?⌄
Madison's violent crime rate was 152 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 959 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Madison, Alabama?⌄
Madison has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Madison, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Madison is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,453/month and median household income is $134,655/year. The median home value is $398,800. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Madison, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Madison is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from