1st Advantage MortgageIn Madison County, Iowa, the typical household earns $90,855 a year and the typical rent is $1,036. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Who lives in Madison County
- Paychecks and income spread in Madison County
- Work, industries and travel time in Madison County
- Madison County housing compared with Iowa
- Madison County next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up Madison County
- What a median Madison County budget can carry
- What the numbers mean for Madison County borrowers
- Madison County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Steps before you apply in Madison County
- Licensing and complaints for Madison County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Madison County
Roughly 16,926 residents live in Madison County, Iowa, 42nd by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 561 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 30 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area. Winterset is the biggest of its 7 Census places, at roughly 5,416 people (32% of the county total).
Paychecks and income spread in Madison County
At $90,855, the typical Madison County household income is 38% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 3rd among Iowa's 99 county-level areas.
| Households earning | Madison County | +/- vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 12.9% | -8.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.2% | +1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.7% | +5.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.2% | +1.6 pts |
Some 13% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 43% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 7.0% of Madison County residents in poverty, against 11.1% across Iowa. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.391 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Madison County
Education and health care employs 19% of working residents, the largest share; construction is next with 15%. Construction stands out: 15% of workers here, versus 7% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.5% in Madison County. Long commutes are common here: 18% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Top industries | Madison County share | +/- vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.0% | -5.2 pts |
| Construction | 14.8% | +7.9 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 13.2% | +5.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.1% | +0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.1% | -7.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Madison County housing compared with Iowa
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,036 in Madison County versus $972 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 36% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $245,100, about 2.7 times the median household income. 80% of Madison County households own their home and 20% rent. Median construction year: 1977.
| Measure | Madison County | Iowa | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,036/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $245,100 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.3% | 3.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 8% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Madison County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Madison County next to its neighbors
Warren County is closest, 23 miles from center to center; the sixth, Polk County, is 34 miles off. Income ranges from $57,772 in Union County to $102,379 in Dallas County; 2 of these neighbors top Madison County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | - | $90,855 | $1,036/mo | 80% |
| Warren County, IA | 23 mi | $94,588 | $973/mo | 82% |
| Clarke County, IA | 24 mi | $71,641 | $931/mo | 72% |
| Adair County, IA | 24 mi | $68,092 | $799/mo | 74% |
| Union County, IA | 24 mi | $57,772 | $721/mo | 72% |
| Dallas County, IA | 25 mi | $102,379 | $1,311/mo | 69% |
| Polk County, IA | 34 mi | $83,576 | $1,149/mo | 67% |
The communities that make up Madison County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 52% of Madison County residents live in one of the 7. Earlham has the highest median household income on the list ($115,086) and Winterset the lowest ($67,708), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Earlham ($770) and steepest in Winterset ($1,095). Live in one of these Madison County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winterset | city | 5,416 | $67,708 | $1,095 | 1 mi |
| Earlham | city | 1,528 | $115,086 | $770 | 13 mi |
| St. Charles | city | 914 | $82,841 | $855 | 11 mi |
| Truro | city | 518 | $78,750 | $888 | 12 mi |
| Patterson | city | 346 | $82,969 | n/a | 7 mi |
| East Peru | city | 92 | $68,333 | $850 | 8 mi |
| Macksburg | city | 56 | $33,125 | $794 | 12 mi |
What a median Madison County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Madison County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Madison County: $7,571
- Rent at the median, $1,036, takes 14% of that
- Under a 43% cap, $3,256 total minus rent leaves $2,220
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
What the numbers mean for Madison County borrowers
A few patterns in the Madison County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Long drives. With 18% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Madison County budgets.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 43% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Madison County borrower sees (free reports).
Madison County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 27% of the adult population. 4.9% of residents have no health coverage.
| Madison County | Iowa | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.1% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 3.4% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.9% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Madison County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 32.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.7% |
| 60+ min | 6.6% |
Steps before you apply in Madison County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Verify the Iowa license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Licensing and complaints for Madison County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Madison County resident can confirm its license with the Iowa Division of Banking. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Iowa guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Iowa guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Madison County earn?
The median is $90,855; 43% earn $100,000 or more and 13% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Madison County rent compare with Iowa?
$1,036 locally versus $972 for the state, 7% above.
I own my home in Madison County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 80% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Does this page cover Winterset?
Yes, along with the other 6 Census places in Madison County, such as Earlham, St. Charles, Truro.
Is the fit check different in Madison County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.