Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,988, settled in 1839. A regional job hub with 1,932 jobs.
Madison grades D− overall, 608th of 634 graded towns in Florida, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 98% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its schools rank behind 86% of the state's. One bright spot: it is more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns. 35% of residents live below the poverty line in Madison, above both the Florida town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On history, just 14 of Florida’s 779 towns do better. Madison is home to North Florida College.
Where Madison beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Census counts: 423 in 1860, 2,912 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Madison is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 87% of comparable towns) to D− for health (better than 2%), so the D− overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Madison, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Madison.
Madison draws workers from Valdosta and beyond, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Florida.
Against the 630 U.S. towns with household incomes like Madison’s, it is less healthy than 74%, so its D− isn’t only a matter of income.
22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Madison. Madison beats the Florida average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 23. 39% of adults get no exercise outside work in Madison.
| Madison | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 20% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Madison | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.4% | 14.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.3% | 9.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.5% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Madison school district. One of its 5 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Creative Arts Academy IncLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 397 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
1,932 jobs are based in Madison, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 38.6 minutes, against 28 across Florida.
Madison’s average trip to work is 39 minutes. Only 2 of the 638 Florida towns we compare have a lower median household income than Madison. 19% of Madison working residents work locally.
| Madison | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 39 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $31,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Madison home is worth about $187,000, down 4.5% in a year, 50% below the Florida typical home. The median rent in Madison is $887 a month.
| Madison | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 39% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $887 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Madison.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Madison weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 273 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 89% of Florida places with climate records. January nights average 40.5°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 93% of Florida places with climate records; July afternoons average 91.6°.
Madison has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Madison | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 41°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Madison's reported crime rate is well above Florida's. Among 132 Florida towns, just 7 have a higher violent crime rate than Madison. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Madison | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.6 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 19.6 per 1,000 residents | 12.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Madison
About 1 of every 100 Madison residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
Where Madison’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
8 places in Madison on the National Register of Historic Places.
9 notable people were born in Madison.
City in Florida, United States
Madison is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, on the central northern border of Florida, United States. The population was 2,912 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Madison grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #608 of 634 in Florida. It grades D− for health and D for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($48,485 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
9 notable people were born here, including LeGarrette Blount and Patterson Dial.
