Madison County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
Madison County, Alabama had an estimated 423,355 residents on July 1, 2024, up 9.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 388,156, across 802 square miles. County output reached $38.96 bn in 2024, 9,295 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 265 7(a) approvals worth $147.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Madison County
How many people live in Madison County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024405,718
- Households165,031
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$86,499
- Median age38.2
- Median gross rent$1,209 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$299,200
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher46.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over278,833
- Population under 1887,718
- Share under 1821.6 percent
- Population 65 and over63,754
- Share 65 and over15.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64254,246
- Civilian labor force211,635
- Unemployment rate3.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.6 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties3rd of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included183rd of 3,222
Madison County is the 3rd largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.6 percent against 15.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Madison County
Is Madison County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024423,355
- Census 2020 base population388,156
- Population change since the 2020 census base9.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20249,464
- Births, 20244,547
- Deaths, 20243,754
- Natural change, 2024793
- Net domestic migration, 20246,666
- Net international migration, 20242,014
- Total net migration, 20248,680
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202425,335
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents182nd of 3,144
The county has grown 9.07 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Madison County
Where are people moving to Madison County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving11,408
- People arriving, from those returns21,083
- Tax returns filed by households leaving9,516
- Net household movement1,892
- Adjusted gross income arriving$825.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$86.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$72,367
- Average income of a leaving household$77,666
- Largest single originLimestone County (983 households)
- Largest single destinationLimestone County (1,562 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limestone County | 983 | 1,929 | $69.7 m |
| Morgan County | 480 | 823 | $24.9 m |
| Jefferson County | 388 | 582 | $23.3 m |
| Marshall County | 294 | 504 | $20.8 m |
| Lauderdale County | 166 | 268 | $7.8 m |
| Lincoln County | 161 | 288 | $8.9 m |
| Jackson County | 158 | 268 | $9.8 m |
| Davidson County | 135 | 230 | $11.7 m |
Households arriving report $5,299 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Limestone County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Madison County
What is the Madison County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$38.96 bn
- County GDP, 2023$36.66 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.3 percent
- GDP change over five years39.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes2nd of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes153rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$96,023
Output grew 6.3 percent in the latest year and 39.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Madison County
Employment by industry in Madison County
- Covered employment, annual average229,807
- Establishments reporting13,778
- Average annual pay$77,051
- Average weekly wage$1,482
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment43,948
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$121,088
- Manufacturing, employment27,051
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$89,668
- Retail trade, employment22,614
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,123
- Health care and social assistance, employment19,206
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$65,606
- Accommodation and food services, employment18,710
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment12,608
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 43,948 | 2,680 | $121,088 |
| Manufacturing | 27,051 | 566 | $89,668 |
| Retail trade | 22,614 | 1,509 | $39,123 |
| Health care and social assistance | 19,206 | 1,700 | $65,606 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,710 | 1,093 | $23,858 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 12,608 | 789 | $44,603 |
| Construction | 7,790 | 922 | $74,519 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,267 | 580 | $89,642 |
Professional, scientific and technical services is the largest private sector at 43,948 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Madison County
How many businesses are in Madison County?
- Establishments, all industries9,295
- Employment at those establishments191,024
- Annual payroll$12.93 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Madison County
Building permits in Madison County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20244,710
- Declared construction value permitted$982.3 m
- Single family units authorized3,478
- Multifamily units authorized1,232
- Multifamily share of units26.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$208,560
- Units authorized per 1,000 households28.5
Single-family homes are 73.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Madison County
SBA loans in Madison County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded265
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$147.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$555,127
- Median 7(a) approval$285,500
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,259,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,289
- Jobs per approval12.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active69
- Distinct industries receiving approvals127
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer7.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms21
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter210
- Franchise loans77
- Franchise share of approvals29.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (18)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (35)
- 504 approvals recorded128
- 504 gross approval dollars$106.5 m
- Average 504 approval$831,766
- Median 504 approval$636,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.4
- Most active CDCSouthern Development Council (49)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$253.6 m
The average approval of $555,127 sits well above the median of $285,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 7.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Madison County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Madison County
Do SBA loans in Madison County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded50
- Paid in full44
- Charged off6
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans12.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full44
- Status: Exempt from disclosure167
- Status: Cancelled32
- Status: Charged off6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed16
Of the 50 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Madison County
SBA lending by place in Madison County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending13
- Huntsville, approvals162
- Madison, approvals66
- Harvest, approvals10
- Owens Cross Roads, approvals8
- Gurley, approvals5
- Meridianville, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | 162 | $99,578,300 |
| Madison | 66 | $36,879,000 |
| Harvest | 10 | $1,999,100 |
| Owens Cross Roads | 8 | $3,800,000 |
| Gurley | 5 | $879,300 |
| Meridianville | 4 | $1,151,500 |
| New Market | 2 | $1,262,500 |
| Brownsboro | 2 | $479,000 |
| 5 other borrower cities | 6 | $1,080,000 |
Huntsville accounts for 162 approvals against 66 in Madison. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Madison County
How large is Madison County?
- Land area802 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties19th of 67
- Width, east to west27.2 mi
- Height, north to south35.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land506
- Establishments per square mile11.59
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Madison County
Flood risk in Madison County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Madison County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010151
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Madison County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Madison County (community 010151), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Madison County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Madison County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Madison County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024405,718
- Households165,031
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$86,499
- Median age38.2
Common questions
Madison County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Madison County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 423,355 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 405,718, in 165,031 households, ranking 3rd of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Madison County's population growing?
The population has grown 9.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 388,156, to 423,355 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 4,547 births against 3,754 deaths, with net migration of 8,680. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Madison County?
$86,499. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $299,200, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,209 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Madison County?
9,295 establishments, employing 191,024 people with an annual payroll of $12.93 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Madison County?
Professional, scientific and technical services is the largest private sector at 43,948 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 229,807 jobs at an average annual pay of $77,051, or $1,482 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Madison County?
265 7(a) approvals totaling $147.1 m since FY2020, across 69 lenders, with a median approval of $285,500, plus 128 504 approvals worth $106.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Madison County get paid back?
Of the 50 loans that have reached a final outcome, 44 were paid in full and 6 charged off, a charge-off rate of 12.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Madison County?
4,710 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $982.3 m. Multifamily was 26.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Madison County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Madison County come from?
The largest single origin is Limestone County, with 983 households. Arriving households report an average income of $72,367 against $77,666 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Madison County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Madison County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Madison County
Cities and places in Madison.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Madison County. All 12 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | city | 222,791 | 162 | 79.9 percent here, 19.7 percent Limestone County |
| Madison | city | 60,106 | 66 | 76.3 percent here, 23.7 percent Limestone County |
| Meridianville | CDP | 11,150 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Moores Mill | CDP | 6,378 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Harvest | CDP | 5,955 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Triana | city | 3,964 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hazel Green | CDP | 3,940 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| New Hope | city | 2,911 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Owens Cross Roads | city | 2,826 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| New Market | CDP | 1,314 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Redstone Arsenal | CDP | 858 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gurley | town | 607 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 265 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Madison County, the largest being Brownsboro (2), Toney (2), Somerville (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.