Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 35,585. Its county seat is Madison and its largest city is Norfolk. Madison County was likely named for Madison, Wisconsin, which is where many of the county’s residents came from; the city was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States. Madison County is part of the Norfolk, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska license plate system, Madison County is represented by the prefix 7 (the county had the seventh-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

The terrain in Madison County consists of gently rolling terrain, sloped to the east-southeast, largely devoted to agriculture. The Elkhorn River runs eastward across the upper central portion of the county. The county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km), of which 573 square miles (1,480 km) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km) (0.5%) is water.

• Express Arrow

• Oak Valley State Wildlife Management Area
• Yellowbanks State Wildlife Management Area

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	1,133		—
1880	5,589		393.3%
1890	13,669		144.6%
1900	16,976		24.2%
1910	19,101		12.5%
1920	22,511		17.9%
1930	26,037		15.7%
1940	24,269		−6.8%
1950	24,338		0.3%
1960	25,145		3.3%
1970	27,402		9.0%
1980	31,382		14.5%
1990	32,655		4.1%
2000	35,226		7.9%
2010	34,876		−1.0%
2020	35,585		2.0%
US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 35,226 people, 13,436 households, and 8,894 families in the county. The population density was 62 inhabitants per square mile (24/km). There were 14,432 housing units at an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 91.35% White, 0.94% Black or African American, 1.19% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.06% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. 8.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,436 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.80% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.12.

The county population contained 26.80% under the age of 18, 11.60% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,807, and the median income for a family was $45,073. Males had a median income of $30,631 versus $21,343 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,804. About 7.50% of families and 11.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.00% of those under age 18 and 11.50% of those age 65 or over.

• Battle Creek
• Madison (county seat)
• Newman Grove (partial)
• Norfolk
• Tilden (partial)

• Meadow Grove

Madison County voters have been strongly Republican for many decades, voting for the Republican candidate in every presidential election except for three from 1880 onward. In addition, no Democratic presidential candidate has won the county since 1936.

United States presidential election results for Madison County, Nebraska

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	12,145	77.13%	3,360	21.34%	242	1.54%
2020	11,940	75.48%	3,478	21.99%	401	2.53%
2016	10,628	74.10%	2,711	18.90%	1,004	7.00%
2012	10,062	72.47%	3,485	25.10%	338	2.43%
2008	9,655	68.74%	4,142	29.49%	248	1.77%
2004	10,981	77.94%	2,934	20.82%	174	1.24%
2000	9,636	74.97%	2,772	21.57%	445	3.46%
1996	7,965	62.97%	3,047	24.09%	1,637	12.94%
1992	7,877	57.10%	2,364	17.14%	3,555	25.77%
1988	9,137	76.30%	2,779	23.21%	59	0.49%
1984	9,790	84.48%	1,757	15.16%	42	0.36%
1980	9,718	78.82%	1,926	15.62%	685	5.56%
1976	7,846	68.49%	3,433	29.97%	176	1.54%
1972	8,580	79.42%	2,224	20.58%	0	0.00%
1968	7,066	70.35%	2,364	23.54%	614	6.11%
1964	6,155	56.91%	4,661	43.09%	0	0.00%
1960	8,350	73.25%	3,050	26.75%	0	0.00%
1956	7,968	72.99%	2,949	27.01%	0	0.00%
1952	8,294	76.21%	2,589	23.79%	0	0.00%
1948	5,486	62.41%	3,304	37.59%	0	0.00%
1944	6,892	67.14%	3,373	32.86%	0	0.00%
1940	7,353	64.87%	3,982	35.13%	0	0.00%
1936	5,149	45.41%	6,044	53.30%	147	1.30%
1932	3,489	31.85%	7,366	67.24%	99	0.90%
1928	6,229	64.32%	3,407	35.18%	48	0.50%
1924	3,537	40.68%	1,959	22.53%	3,199	36.79%
1920	5,171	73.29%	1,716	24.32%	169	2.40%
1916	2,428	49.58%	2,358	48.15%	111	2.27%
1912	1,181	29.47%	1,718	42.87%	1,108	27.65%
1908	2,137	52.52%	1,878	46.15%	54	1.33%
1904	2,210	62.82%	1,049	29.82%	259	7.36%
1900	2,060	54.07%	1,690	44.36%	60	1.57%

The 2013 film Nebraska is set mostly in Madison County, in the fictional town of Hawthorne. Filming was done in Madison and Norfolk.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Nebraska
• Madison County USGenWeb

41°55′N 97°36′W / 41.92°N 97.60°W / 41.92; -97.60