1st Advantage MortgageThe median Madison County household earns $75,793, and 11% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Madison County, IL: the basics
- What it costs to live in Madison County
- Income in Madison County compared with Illinois
- Work, industries and travel time in Madison County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Madison County
- Counties near Madison County
- A Madison County household budget, worked through
- Madison County households compared
- Reading the Madison County data as a borrower
- Checking a lender's license in Illinois
- Checklist for Madison County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Madison County, IL: the basics
Roughly 264,238 residents live in Madison County, Illinois, 8th by population among the state's 102 counties and county equivalents. It covers 716 square miles of land, or about 369 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Granite City is the biggest of its 32 Census places, at roughly 26,549 people (10% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Madison County
A typical Madison County rental runs $1,024 a month including utilities, which is 20% below Illinois. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 47% of renter households here. With a median value of $173,000, a typical Madison County house costs 2.3 times what the median household earns in a year. 74% of Madison County households own their home and 26% rent.
| Cost | Madison County | Illinois figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,024/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $173,000 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 47% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.2% | 2.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 8% | 8% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Income in Madison County compared with Illinois
Half of Madison County households take in less than $75,793 a year and half take in more, 9% below the Illinois median of $83,390. That places it 23rd among Illinois's 102 county-level areas.
| Household income | Madison County | vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.5% | +0.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.9% | +4.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.9% | -1.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.8% | -4.0 pts |
About 21% of households earn under $35,000, while 37% clear $100,000. Census counts 11.1% of Madison County residents in poverty, against 11.8% across Illinois. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.441 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Madison County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Work, industries and travel time in Madison County
The biggest employer of Madison County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.6% in Madison County. About 78% drive to work alone and 13% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 5.7% of the total (11.0% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Madison County workers | vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% | +0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.5% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.4% | -1.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | +0.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.4% | +0.4 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Madison County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Madison County
The table lists the 14 largest of 32 Census places in Madison County, by population. Together all 32 hold about 221,439 people, so roughly 16% of residents live outside any named place. Moro has the highest median household income on the list ($133,462) and Venice the lowest ($32,066), counting places with at least 500 residents. No Madison County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 32.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granite City | city | 26,549 | $59,205 | $834 | 14 mi |
| Edwardsville | city | 26,474 | $86,721 | $1,306 | 5 mi |
| Alton | city | 25,279 | $54,568 | $1,015 | 15 mi |
| Collinsville | city | 24,031 | $67,612 | $1,038 | 12 mi |
| Godfrey | village | 17,712 | $94,543 | $1,153 | 19 mi |
| Glen Carbon | village | 13,977 | $97,168 | $1,097 | 7 mi |
| Troy | city | 11,647 | $112,434 | $1,116 | 7 mi |
| Wood River | city | 10,279 | $62,703 | $936 | 10 mi |
| Highland | city | 10,262 | $82,551 | $855 | 12 mi |
| Bethalto | village | 9,239 | $64,775 | $981 | 9 mi |
| Maryville | village | 8,316 | $100,670 | $1,145 | 8 mi |
| Pontoon Beach | village | 6,025 | $62,861 | $1,277 | 11 mi |
| East Alton | village | 5,689 | $48,815 | $881 | 12 mi |
| Rosewood Heights | CDP | 4,229 | $72,102 | n/a | 10 mi |
Counties near Madison County
Distances run center to center, from St. Louis city at 23 miles out to Macoupin County at 30. Clinton County leads the group on income ($86,588), St. Louis city trails ($56,160), and Madison County out-earns 4 of the six. Some neighbors are in Missouri. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Madison County resident follows Illinois rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | - | $75,793 | $1,024/mo | 74% |
| St. Louis city, MO | 23 mi | $56,160 | $997/mo | 45% |
| St. Clair County, IL | 25 mi | $73,854 | $1,090/mo | 68% |
| Bond County, IL | 25 mi | $65,959 | $785/mo | 77% |
| Clinton County, IL | 30 mi | $86,588 | $912/mo | 80% |
| Jersey County, IL | 30 mi | $80,361 | $846/mo | 81% |
| Macoupin County, IL | 30 mi | $70,805 | $801/mo | 78% |
A Madison County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Madison County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Madison County: $6,316
- 16% goes to median rent ($1,024)
- With a 35% ceiling, about $1,187 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- $1,818: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $1,024, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Madison County households compared
College graduates make up 31% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 6.9% for Illinois.
| Residents | Madison County | Illinois | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.0% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.1% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.7% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.9% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
Reading the Madison County data as a borrower
Based on the Madison County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 47% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Checking a lender's license in Illinois
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Madison County borrowers answers to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Illinois guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Madison County applicants
A short checklist for Madison County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Madison County-area credit union.
- A Illinois license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Illinois guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Madison County household make?
About $75,793 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 9% below the Illinois median.
How does Madison County rent compare with Illinois?
$1,024 locally versus $1,274 for the state, 20% below.
Which towns does the Madison County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 32 Census places: Granite City, Edwardsville, Alton, Collinsville, Godfrey.
Is the fit check different in Madison County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Is there a Madison County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Illinois it is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.