Population 431 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Madison
Household size in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Madison is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.3 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.6 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.7 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Madison skews older: half of its residents are older than 52.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 48.1 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Madison (10.5%), a little below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Madison
Renters in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.7% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.4% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Madison is about as common as it is nationally: 34.0% of households rent, against 34.8%. About three-quarters of owners (76.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.9% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.8% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 31.8% of the housing in Madison, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Madison are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Arkansas as a whole, where the median home dates to 1988.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $431 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $448 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $721 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $729 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$298 | +$346 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Madison costs $729 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 24.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Madison
Bachelor's degrees in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.4 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Madison than nationally: 25.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The picture is much the same across Arkansas.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.8% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.8% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Madison never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Madison
| Period | Madison | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Madison than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Madison compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | 2.21 | 52.7 | 10.5% | 34.0% | 31.8% | 1983 | $729 | 25.8% | 83.5% | 4.1% |
| Forrest City | 2.32 | 39.6 | 14.9% | 54.0% | 17.1% | 1986 | $768 | 12.2% | 83.7% | 6.5% |
| Widener | 2.91 | 39.8 | 26.5% | 20.7% | 30.8% | 1987 | $570 | 16.1% | 78.2% | 3.1% |
| Caldwell | 2.56 | 40.1 | 7.9% | 30.2% | 24.4% | 1991 | $730 | 10.1% | 86.5% | 6.1% |
| Haynes | 2.59 | 36.9 | 23.2% | 24.8% | 21.2% | 1979 | $668 | 16.2% | 86.0% | 10.3% |
| Newcastle | 2.43 | 46.9 | 10.7% | 15.5% | 13.4% | 1981 | $606 | 8.7% | 81.0% | 3.2% |
| Hicks Station | 2.95 | 40.8 | 24.0% | 22.7% | 35.1% | 1989 | $567 | 13.1% | 75.8% | 3.6% |
| Meadow Cliff | 2.67 | 34.5 | 20.3% | 45.5% | 21.1% | 1987 | $725 | 12.6% | 88.7% | 20.4% |
| Colt | 2.54 | 46.6 | 10.3% | 23.4% | 21.7% | 1985 | $753 | 13.4% | 87.2% | 11.2% |
| Palestine | 2.65 | 41.9 | 17.0% | 25.7% | 10.2% | 1985 | $770 | 16.2% | 90.4% | 5.9% |
| Slonikers Mill | 2.48 | 52.6 | 7.7% | 15.9% | 22.1% | 1984 | $808 | 11.3% | 87.5% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Amherst, NE · Aquasco, MD · Ary, KY · Asbury, WV · Auburn Junction, IN · Pearson, AR · Postville, WI · Portsville, DE · Pope Valley, CA · Pomeroy, IA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Madison. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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