Madison County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Madison County, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 72% of counties in North Carolina
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D
Income Well below average
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 77% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,867 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 48.4 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.40% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.1 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,340 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Madison County grew by 8.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,867 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Madison County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.9% of residents. That is 5.9 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,456 20.4% -1.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,087 18.7% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,542 20.8% +0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,011 22.9% +5.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.8% of the people living in Madison County and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 49.2% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Madison County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Madison County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,302 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.77% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Madison County is about 20% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $450,956 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $779 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Madison County is about 48.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $779 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Madison County spend about 57 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 237 hours, about 9.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 28.5 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 57.0 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 237 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,358 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,667 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 578 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Carolina:
Macon County (17.2 min), Watauga County (17.2 min), Dare County (17.4 min).
Slowest:
Gates County (35.9 min), Currituck County (33.9 min), Tyrrell County (33.6 min).
The average commute time in Madison County is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Madison County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.5), Wake County (0.4), Durham County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hyde County (0.2), Greene County (0.2), Tyrrell County (0.2).
Health
Madison County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Madison County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.7% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.6% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.8), Wake County (0.8), Watauga County (0.8).
Lowest:
Robeson County (0.8), Lenoir County (0.8), Halifax County (0.8).
Madison County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
Madison County, NC is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 21,867 residents against a local median of 71,628. The measure that sets Madison County, NC apart most is median home price: $450,956, 68% above the local median of $268,060.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 28.5 min against a local median of 20.7 min, 38% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 38% above the local median it puts Madison County, NC at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $269,064 on median home price, so Madison County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Madison County, NC has the highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, NC | 21,867 | $58,302 #3/4 | $450,956 #1/4 | 28.5 min #4/4 |
| Buncombe County, NC | 274,254 | $74,474 | $426,146 | 20.5 min |
| Greene County, TN | 71,628 | $56,389 | $157,083 | 21.7 min |
| Haywood County, NC | 59,366 | $63,952 | $268,060 | 20.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Madison County, North Carolina.
How big is Madison County, North Carolina by population?
About 21,867 people live in Madison County, North Carolina, in 8,340 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 43.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Madison County, North Carolina urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Madison County, North Carolina has 48 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 56% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Madison County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 7.7 times the median household income ($450,956 against $58,302), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $779 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Madison County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Madison County, North Carolina is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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