Madison, Alabama | |
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 The Madison Historic District was added to theNational Register of Historic Places on March 29, 2006. | |
 Seal  Logo | |
| Motto: Plant your roots | |
 Interactive map of Madison, Alabama | |
| Coordinates:34°42′40″N86°43′52″W / 34.71111°N 86.73111°W /34.71111; -86.73111 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| Counties | Madison,Limestone |
| Founded | 1818 |
| Incorporated | December 2, 1869[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ranae Bartlett |
| Area | |
• City | 30.694 sq mi (79.497 km2) |
| • Land | 30.563 sq mi (79.159 km2) |
| • Water | 0.131 sq mi (0.339 km2) |
| Elevation | 686 ft (209 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 56,933 |
• Estimate (2024)[3] | 64,029 |
| • Rank | US: 649th AL:9th |
| • Density | 2,086/sq mi (805/km2) |
| • Urban | 329,066 (US:122nd) |
| • Urban density | 1,532/sq mi (591.6/km2) |
| • Metro | 514,465 (US:109th) |
| • Metro density | 378/sq mi (145.9/km2) |
| • Combined | 879,315 (US:68th) |
| • Combined density | 255.3/sq mi (98.57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 35756, 35757, 35758 |
| Area codes | 256 and 938 |
| FIPS code | 01-45784 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404989[5] |
| Website | madisonal.gov |
Madison is a city located primarily inMadison County, near the northern border of theU.S. state ofAlabama. Madison extends west into neighboringLimestone County. The city is included in theHuntsville Metropolitan Area, the second-largest in the state, and is also included in the mergedHuntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The population was 56,933 at the2020 census.[4] Madison is bordered byHuntsville on nearly all sides with some small unincorporated lands within Madison in Madison and Limestone counties.
Madison was mostly a small city for many years, with its population being around 400-500 for much of its history until theRedstone Arsenal was established to the southeast, which attracted many people to the area for jobs. This rapidly increased the city's population and stimulated economic growth. Many of Madison's residents work in Research Park or the Redstone Arsenal. Madison has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Alabama, as well as one of the wealthiest in the state.[citation needed] In 2022 census estimates, Madison was the9th largest city in Alabama, the 8th densest city in Alabama, and the second largest city inNorth Alabama after Huntsville.[6]
The area was occupied historically by theKoasati (also known as Coushatta), aMuskogean-speaking people. Before them were thousands of years ofindigenous cultures.
Madison's first European-American resident was John Cartwright, who settled in the area in 1818. The city was originally known as "Madison Station", as it developed in the 1850s around a stop of theMemphis & Charleston Railroad. Textile mills were built in the area in the late 19th century for processing and manufacture of cotton products.
Madison was the site of a battle in theAmerican Civil War. On May 17, 1864, Col.Josiah Patterson's 5th Alabama Cavalry, supported by Col. James H. Stuart's cavalry battalion and a section ofhorse artillery, drove Col. Adam G. Gorgas's13th Illinois Infantry Regiment from the city. Patterson's men captured the 13th Illinois Regiment's wagon train, taking 66 prisoners. They also burnedUnion supplies and tore up the railroad tracks before retreating. Portions of the5th Ohio Cavalry, the59th Indiana Infantry, and the5th Iowa Infantry were sent in pursuit from Huntsville. They skirmished with Patterson's rear guard that evening at Fletcher's Ferry on theTennessee River south of Madison.
The town was incorporated on December 2, 1869.[7] From 1880 to 1950, rural Madison had a population of some 400-500 residents.
InWorld War II and the postwar period, military andNASA operations were moved toHuntsville, stimulating an increase in population in the region. Subsidized highways stimulated suburbanization, attracting residents to outlying areas where new homes were built. By 1980, Madison's population was 4,057. In the late 20th century, Madison's population increased rapidly as it developed as a suburb of Huntsville. In 1986, Madison voters overwhelmingly voted to remain independent by not merging with Huntsville.[8] By 2010, its population had grown to 42,938, and over the following ten years it grew to a population of 56,933.[9]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.694 square miles (79.50 km2), of which 30.563 square miles (79.16 km2) is land and 0.131 square miles (0.34 km2), is water.[2]
Madison is located at34°42′54″N86°44′23″W / 34.71500°N 86.73972°W /34.71500; -86.73972 (34.711236, -86.731024),[10] primarily within Madison County, while extending west into Limestone County. Downtown Huntsville is 11 miles (18 km) east of the center of Madison, although Huntsville also borders Madison to the south and west.Athens is 17 miles (27 km) to the northwest, andDecatur is 16 miles (26 km) to the southwest, across theTennessee River.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 410 | — | |
| 1900 | 412 | — | |
| 1910 | 426 | 3.4% | |
| 1920 | 435 | 2.1% | |
| 1930 | 431 | −0.9% | |
| 1940 | 455 | 5.6% | |
| 1950 | 530 | 16.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,435 | 170.8% | |
| 1970 | 3,086 | 115.1% | |
| 1980 | 4,057 | 31.5% | |
| 1990 | 14,904 | 267.4% | |
| 2000 | 29,329 | 96.8% | |
| 2010 | 42,938 | 46.4% | |
| 2020 | 56,933 | 32.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 64,029 | [3] | 12.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11][failed verification] 2020 Census[4] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 37,194 | 65.33% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,367 | 14.7% |
| Native American | 175 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 4,426 | 7.77% |
| Pacific Islander | 73 | 0.13% |
| Other/Mixed | 3,410 | 5.99% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 3,288 | 5.78% |
As of the2020 census, there were 56,933 people, 20,787 households, and 15,540 families residing in the city.[13] Thepopulation density was 1,875.1 inhabitants per square mile (724/km2) There were 21,980 housing units.
As of the2010 census, there were 42,938 people, 16,111 households and 11,770 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,450.9 inhabitants per square mile (560/km2). There were 17,203 housing units. The average household size was 2.65, while the average family size was 3.16. 30.8% of the population was age 19 or younger, 61.0% was 20–64, and 8.2% was 65 or older. The median age was 37.0 years. The population was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.
The racial makeup of the city was 74.0%White, 14.6%Black orAfrican American, 0.5%Native American, 7.0%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 1.3% fromother races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 4.6% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
According to the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Madison was the fastest-growing city in Alabama as of 2010.[14]
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The median income for a household in the city was $92,136, and the median income for a family was $111,217. Theper capita income for the city was $41,490. About 3.9% of families and 4.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Madison's largest employer isIntergraph, a computer software company. It is a subsidiary ofHexagon, a Swedish software company that bought Intergraph in 2008 and invested in the city and area to improve it. Currently, they are working on a streetlight maintenance program for Madison. Thousands of Madison residents commute to jobs atCummings Research Park andRedstone Arsenal in nearbyHuntsville, about 12 miles away. The high-tech and academic positions in the area have attracted numerous highly educated, professional residents.
The Madison City School System, formed in 1998, serves over 10,000 students from the city of Madison and town ofTriana.[15] It has consistently been rated as one of the best school systems in the state. The current superintendent is Dr. Ed Nichols. Nationally, it ranks in the top 5 best school systems.[citation needed]
The school system currently has seven elementary schools serving grades K-5 (Columbia Elementary School, Heritage Elementary School, Horizon Elementary School, Madison Elementary School, Mill Creek Elementary School, Rainbow Elementary School, and Midtown Elementary School), three middle schools serving grades 6-8 (Discovery Middle School, Journey Middle School, and Liberty Middle School), and two high schools serving grades 9-12 (Bob Jones High School andJames Clemens High School). There was formerly an additional elementary school, West Madison Elementary; however, it is permanently closed and planned to be adapted as a pre-K center.[16] Madison Elementary, built about 1936, is the oldest school in the system while Journey is the newest, opening in 2023.
In 2019, Madison residents approved a voluntary property tax increase in order to fund school growth and expansion. These funds were used to build Midtown Elementary School (completed in 2020)[17] and were also used to construct Journey Middle School, opening for the 2023–2024 school year.[18]
TheMadison Record[19] and theMadison County Record[20] have been newspapers for the city since 1967.The Madison Weekly News[21] was another local newspaper.
Madison is served byInterstate 565,US 72 (University Drive), and Madison Boulevard (Alabama State Route 20, andAlt. US 72) and Gillespie Road, as main routes for east–west traffic. Slaughter Road, Hughes Road, Wall Triana Highway, and County Line Road serve as main north–south roads in the city.
TheNorfolk Southern railway has the main line and a spur running through Madison. ThePort of Huntsville, an intermodal center that includesHuntsville International Airport and a rail cargo center, is located just south of the city.
Dial-a-ride transit service is provided by Transportation for Rural Areas of Madison County (TRAM).[22]
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TheRocket City Trash Pandas (formerlyMobile BayBears) is a Double ASouthern League affiliate of theLos Angeles Angels that moved from Mobile, Alabama to Madison. The team was to begin play in Madison atToyota Field beginning in April 2020,[23][24][25] but coronavirus concerns delayed the team's debut until May 11, 2021.
The City of Madison has several greenways and parks within city limits.[26]
Madison is working with the nearby cities of Huntsville and Decatur to create a 70-mile bicycling and walking trail.[27][28]
Municipalities and communities ofLimestone County, Alabama,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofMadison County, Alabama,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
