The Town FilesMadison, Nebraska
City in Madison County · population 2,283 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,200
- Household income
- $62,738
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 35.9
Madison is a city of 2,283 people in Madison County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $133,200, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks better transit than 93% of Nebraska towns, more of a college town than 80% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 77% of Nebraska towns.
How Madison ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Madison is worth $133,200, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $62,738, which is more affordable than 61% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $971 a month. 73.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Madison | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,200 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $971 | $818 |
| Median household income | $62,738 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.3% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Madison
| People | Madison | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 36.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 14.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 87.8% |
Weather in Madison
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 28.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.7 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 16, 2014 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 24 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 17, 1968.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 6, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4616: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 29, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4375: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 22,011 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,267 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Madison itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Madison
5 public schools with 555 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 224 | 12.4 |
| MADISON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 158 | 9.3 |
| MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 102 | 12.8 |
| MADISON PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | 71 | 35.5 |
| NORTHEAST NE JUVENILE SERVICES | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Madison
- Humphrey, NE9.8 mi · 857 people · home $231,300
- Battle Creek, NE13.8 mi · 1,194 people · home $194,300
- Norfolk, NE13.9 mi · 24,955 people · home $211,700
- Stanton, NE15.1 mi · 1,520 people · home $177,100
- Woodland Park, NE16.6 mi · 1,830 people · home $165,600
- Newman Grove, NE17.4 mi · 667 people · home $100,000
- Clarkson, NE18.7 mi · 641 people · home $84,500
- Tilden, NE24.3 mi · 992 people · home $156,500
Madison questions
Is Madison, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Madison scores better for retirees than 19% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 31%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Madison?
The median owner-occupied home in Madison is valued at $133,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,738, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $971 a month.
What is the weather like in Madison?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.2 inches of precipitation a year and 27.7 inches of snow.
Does Madison get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 16, 2014. The typical Nebraska town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)