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Living in
Fort Madison.
About
Life in Fort Madison
Fort Madison is a community of 10,221 people in Iowa. The median household income is $50,705, median rent runs about $824 per month, and median home values are around $94,200. Unemployment is low at 4.0%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Fort Madison at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Foreign-Born
2.3%
Broadband Internet
80.9%
of households
Population Growth
-3.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.3% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Fort Madison: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Madison, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (22.1%), and 1.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.7%
of residents
65 and Older
21.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
42.1%
of households
Married Couples
35.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
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 15% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Madison
In Fort Madison, rent runs 15% below the IA average, and home values are 55% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,420
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1952
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $114,501 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above IA average
Unemployment in Fort Madison
Unemployment in Lee County, which includes Fort Madison, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Fort Madison: Lee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Fort Madison Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.1 min avg
How Fort Madison residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Madison, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Southeast Iowa Regional Airport (BRL)
Regional airport · few flights4,574 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fort Madison is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
323.2
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,787.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fort Madison Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
62.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lee County, which includes Fort Madison, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 6 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 28 | Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lee County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Van Buren County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 33 miles from Fort Madison) is typically good — 236 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
236
per year
Moderate Days
126
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Van Buren County, IA (33 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Madison has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.4"
Annual Snowfall
18.1"
Hot Days/Year
19
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
110
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
111
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 17°F | 1.69" |
| Feb | 38°F | 21°F | 1.93" |
| Mar | 50°F | 32°F | 2.72" |
| Apr | 62°F | 43°F | 3.97" |
| May | 72°F | 54°F | 5.11" |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 5.16" |
| Jul | 85°F | 68°F | 4.06" |
| Aug | 84°F | 66°F | 3.80" |
| Sep | 77°F | 57°F | 3.51" |
| Oct | 64°F | 45°F | 3.06" |
| Nov | 50°F | 33°F | 2.43" |
| Dec | 38°F | 23°F | 1.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Madison
Uninsured
6.4%
of residents
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Madison
Fort Madison's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: New Philadelphia National Historic Site, 67 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Madison
Fort Madison has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being New Philadelphia National Historic Site (67 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
New Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
67 mi awayHerbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
72 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fort Madison
Fort Madison Public Library
1920 Ave E, Fort Madison
Cities Near Fort Madison
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Madison?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Madison FAQ
Is Fort Madison, Iowa affordable?⌄
Fort Madison's median rent is $826/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,705/year. Median home value is $94,200.
Is Fort Madison, Iowa safe?⌄
Fort Madison's violent crime rate was 323 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1788 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Madison, Iowa?⌄
Lee County, which includes Fort Madison, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Madison, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Madison is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $826/month and median household income is $50,705/year. The median home value is $94,200. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Madison, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Fort Madison is 23 minutes, which is about 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