Madison County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Madison County Courthouse in March 2012 | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
 Tennessee's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:35°37′N88°50′W / 35.61°N 88.84°W /35.61; -88.84 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | 1821 |
| Named after | James Madison[1] |
| Seat | Jackson |
| Largest city | Jackson |
| Area | |
• Total | 559 sq mi (1,450 km2) |
| • Land | 557 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 98,823 |
| • Density | 176/sq mi (68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
Madison County is acounty located in the western part of theU.S. state ofTennessee. As of the2020 census, the population was 98,823.[2] Itscounty seat isJackson.[3] Madison County is included in theJackson metropolitan area.
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Madison County was formed in 1821, and named for founding father and president,James Madison. The county was part of lands the United States purchased from theChickasaw in 1818.[4] After Congressional passage of theIndian Removal Act of 1830, most Chickasaw were forced out of the state and west to Indian Territory beyond the Mississippi River.[citation needed]
Pinson Mounds, one of the largestWoodland period (c. 1-500CE) mound complexes in the United States, is located in Madison County. It has the second-tallest earthwork mound in the United States.[5]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 559 square miles (1,450 km2), of which 557 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.[6]
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport, renamedJackson Regional Airport in 2025, ("MKL") serves the county and the surrounding communities.[7][8]Lake Graham, a large 500 acre reservoir primarily intended for recreation and wildlife habitat, is located in the county 5 miles east of Jackson.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 11,594 | — | |
| 1840 | 16,530 | 42.6% | |
| 1850 | 21,470 | 29.9% | |
| 1860 | 21,535 | 0.3% | |
| 1870 | 23,480 | 9.0% | |
| 1880 | 30,874 | 31.5% | |
| 1890 | 30,497 | −1.2% | |
| 1900 | 36,333 | 19.1% | |
| 1910 | 39,357 | 8.3% | |
| 1920 | 43,824 | 11.3% | |
| 1930 | 51,059 | 16.5% | |
| 1940 | 54,115 | 6.0% | |
| 1950 | 60,128 | 11.1% | |
| 1960 | 60,655 | 0.9% | |
| 1970 | 65,727 | 8.4% | |
| 1980 | 74,546 | 13.4% | |
| 1990 | 77,982 | 4.6% | |
| 2000 | 91,837 | 17.8% | |
| 2010 | 98,294 | 7.0% | |
| 2020 | 98,823 | 0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[2] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 53,264 | 53.9% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 35,837 | 36.26% |
| Native American | 175 | 0.18% |
| Asian | 1,227 | 1.24% |
| Pacific Islander | 13 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 3,585 | 3.63% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 4,722 | 4.78% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 98,823 people, 38,930 households, and 25,748 families residing in the county.
As of thecensus[18] of 2000, there were 91,837 people, 35,552 households, and 24,637 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 165 people per square mile (64 people/km2). There were 38,205 housing units at an average density of 69 units per square mile (27/km2). There were 35,552 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% weremarried couples living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.
The racial makeup of the county was 65.20%non-Hispanic White orEuropean American, 32.46%non-Hispanic Black orAfrican American, 0.16%Native American, 0.63%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.67% fromother races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.71% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 35,552 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% weremarried couples living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,982, and the median income for a family was $44,595. Males had a median income of $34,253 versus $23,729 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,389. About 10.80% of families and 14.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
Madison County was historically part of the Democratic stronghold in West Tennessee, but began shifting toward the Republican Party in the mid 20th century. Today the county leans Republican in statewide and national elections, though Democrats remain competitive inJackson, the county's largest city and urban center. The last Democrat to carry the county wasJimmy Carter in 1976.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 1,036 | 25.06% | 2,702 | 65.36% | 396 | 9.58% |
| 1916 | 1,194 | 30.44% | 2,659 | 67.78% | 70 | 1.78% |
| 1920 | 2,665 | 33.54% | 5,280 | 66.46% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 1,110 | 22.51% | 3,422 | 69.40% | 399 | 8.09% |
| 1928 | 1,894 | 34.64% | 3,574 | 65.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,124 | 18.64% | 4,813 | 79.83% | 92 | 1.53% |
| 1936 | 1,223 | 16.64% | 6,095 | 82.93% | 32 | 0.44% |
| 1940 | 1,271 | 17.06% | 6,154 | 82.63% | 23 | 0.31% |
| 1944 | 1,793 | 23.85% | 5,706 | 75.91% | 18 | 0.24% |
| 1948 | 1,681 | 18.68% | 4,722 | 52.48% | 2,594 | 28.83% |
| 1952 | 7,243 | 45.50% | 8,623 | 54.17% | 53 | 0.33% |
| 1956 | 6,642 | 41.42% | 8,540 | 53.25% | 855 | 5.33% |
| 1960 | 8,863 | 50.09% | 8,083 | 45.68% | 747 | 4.22% |
| 1964 | 10,932 | 50.83% | 10,573 | 49.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 6,143 | 29.14% | 5,517 | 26.17% | 9,420 | 44.69% |
| 1972 | 15,481 | 72.31% | 5,203 | 24.30% | 725 | 3.39% |
| 1976 | 11,364 | 46.08% | 12,989 | 52.67% | 306 | 1.24% |
| 1980 | 13,667 | 50.27% | 12,986 | 47.77% | 534 | 1.96% |
| 1984 | 17,819 | 59.64% | 12,006 | 40.18% | 55 | 0.18% |
| 1988 | 16,952 | 60.46% | 11,001 | 39.23% | 86 | 0.31% |
| 1992 | 14,869 | 47.66% | 13,629 | 43.69% | 2,698 | 8.65% |
| 1996 | 14,908 | 50.42% | 13,577 | 45.92% | 1,080 | 3.65% |
| 2000 | 17,862 | 52.64% | 15,781 | 46.51% | 287 | 0.85% |
| 2004 | 21,679 | 56.05% | 16,840 | 43.54% | 156 | 0.40% |
| 2008 | 23,290 | 53.12% | 20,209 | 46.09% | 347 | 0.79% |
| 2012 | 21,993 | 54.03% | 18,367 | 45.13% | 342 | 0.84% |
| 2016 | 21,335 | 55.97% | 15,448 | 40.52% | 1,337 | 3.51% |
| 2020 | 23,943 | 55.75% | 18,390 | 42.82% | 617 | 1.44% |
| 2024 | 23,385 | 58.52% | 16,115 | 40.32% | 464 | 1.16% |
The county is headed by an electedcounty mayor (currently A.J. Massey) andcounty commission of 25 members elected from 10 districts.[20]
West Tennessee Healthcare (Jackson-Madison County General Hospital District), created by a law passed by theTennessee General Assembly in 1949, serves as the public hospital system of the county. The county appoints some of the members of the board of trustees.[21]
This is the Madison County to whichKenny Rogers refers in his song "Reuben James".[22]
Jackson-Madison County School System is the public school district.[23]
Lane College is a private historically Black college associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
Union University is a private school affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
West Tennessee School for the Deaf is a state-operated school in the county.
Places adjacent to Madison County, Tennessee | |
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Municipalities and communities ofMadison County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
