Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Madison gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $207K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the Cleveland metro’s $71K median household income. It grades A− overall, 188th of 987 graded towns in Ohio. On the plus side, the median household earns $95K. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 92% of U.S. towns, with 32 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include Addison Kimball House and Lemuel II Kimball House. 91% of households own their home in Madison, above both the Ohio town median (77%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
Where Madison beats most towns.
Its 32 National Register listings are more than in 97% of Ohio towns with a listing.
Census counts: 757 in 1870, 3,435 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1815 and 5 maps from 1905 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Madison is from typical.
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 Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Madison.
Madison gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns and sees little violent crime, but it trails even towns with similar incomes on health.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities. Since 1989, 14 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Madison.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2024, 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Madison is 5.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Madison | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 5.6 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.7 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Jobs based here grew from 511 in 2013 to 1,036.
Most working residents leave Madison for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Madison has added 525 jobs, to 1,036 in 2023. 4.1% of residents live below the poverty line in Madison.
| Madison | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 15% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.1% | 6.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Chardon weather station, 15 miles away, records that 114 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Madison’s July high is 81°F. Madison has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 9,300 U.S. towns with household incomes like Madison’s, it is less healthy than 75%, so it trails even them.
Madison beats the Ohio average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 40% of Madison adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Madison | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 23% |
| What stands out | Madison | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.6% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.9% | 14.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Madison Village Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 2. Dana's Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Madison. Close and well known come first.
Big draw38 mi MuseumRock and Roll Hall of Fame580K visitors a year
Big draw33 mi LakeLake Erie
Big draw38 mi Stadium & arenaProgressive Field
38 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Field
37 mi National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park3.0M visitors a year
38 mi Stadium & arenaRocket ArenaRock and Roll Hall of Fame: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Erie: NOAA, Public domain · Progressive Field: Jsawczuk, Public domain · Huntington Bank Field: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 · Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Rocket Arena: Cards84664, CC BY-SA 4.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Madison
About 4 of every 100 Madison residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Where Madison’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
32 places in Madison on the National Register of Historic Places.
10 notable people were born in Madison.
Village in Ohio, United States
Madison is a village in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,435 at the 2020 census. Madison was incorporated as a village in 1867.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Madison grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #188 of 987 in Ohio. It grades C+ for health, A− for safety and B− for schools.
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $207,000, 16% below the Ohio typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
10 notable people were born here, including Frederick Burr Opper and David R. Paige.
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