Madison County, Missouri
Madison County is a county located in the Lead Belt region of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,626. Its county seat and largest city is Fredericktown. The county was officially organized on December 14, 1818, and was named after President James Madison. Mining has been a key industry in this area with Madison County recorded as having the oldest lead mine west of the Mississippi River. During the 1925 tri-state tornado, farm buildings were destroyed and livestock were killed.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.Adjacent counties
Major highways
National protected area
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,626 and a median age of 42.2 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.The racial makeup of the county was 92.0% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.7% of the population.
The following table details the county's racial and ethnic composition from that data set.
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone | 10,619 | 10,988 | 11,552 | 11,781 | 11,555 | 99.01% | 98.75% | 97.90% | 96.36% | 91.52% |
| Black or African American alone | 5 | 10 | 15 | 32 | 54 | 0.05% | 0.09% | 0.13% | 0.26% | 0.43% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone | 14 | 32 | 29 | 34 | 49 | 0.13% | 0.29% | 0.25% | 0.28% | 0.39% |
| Asian alone | 26 | 34 | 33 | 41 | 41 | 0.24% | 0.31% | 0.28% | 0.34% | 0.32% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone | x | x | 0 | 1 | 0 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone | 14 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 22 | 0.13% | 0.01% | 0.10% | 0.02% | 0.17% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial | x | x | 93 | 90 | 563 | x | x | 0.79% | 0.74% | 4.46% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 47 | 62 | 66 | 244 | 342 | 0.44% | 0.56% | 0.56% | 2.00% | 2.71% |
| Total | 10,725 | 11,127 | 11,800 | 12,226 | 12,626 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
39.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 60.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 5,024 households in the county, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 5,832 housing units, of which 13.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.2% were owner-occupied and 28.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,800 people, 4,711 households, and 3,330 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 5,656 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.30% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Approximately 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 4,711 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,421, and the median income for a family was $37,474. Males had a median income of $27,670 versus $15,909 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,825. About 12.80% of families and 17.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 16.20% of those age 65 or over.
Religion
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report, Madison County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Madison County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists, Independent/Non-Charismatic Churches, and National Association of Free Will Baptists.Education
Of adults 25 years of age and older in Madison County, 68.6% possesses a high school diploma while 7.8% holds a bachelor's degree as their highest educational attainment.Public schools
- Fredericktown R-I School District - Fredericktown
- *Fredericktown Elementary School
- *Fredericktown Intermediate School
- *Fredericktown Middle School
- *Fredericktown High School
- Marquand-Zion R-VI School District - Marquand
- *Marquand-Zion Elementary School
- *Marquand-Zion High School
Private schools
Public libraries
- Fredericktown Branch Library
Politics
Local
Both the Republican and Democratic parties split control of the local elected offices in Madison County.State
All of Madison County is a part of Missouri's 145th District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is currently represented by Rick Francis. The 156th District includes all of Bollinger and Madison counties as well as most of Perry County, Missouri.All of Madison County is a part of Missouri's 27th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by State Senator Holly Rehder. The 27th Senatorial District includes all of Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
| 2024 | 81.22% 4,598 | 16.60% 940 | 2.18% 123 |
| 2020 | 77.09% 4,362 | 19.90% 1,126 | 3.01% 170 |
| 2016 | 64.16% 3,405 | 32.17% 1,707 | 3.67% 195 |
| 2012 | 46.95% 2,298 | 50.15% 2,455 | 2.90% 142 |
| 2008 | 43.13% 2,160 | 54.29% 2,719 | 2.58% 129 |
| 2004 | 57.86% 2,819 | 40.48% 1,972 | 1.66% 81 |
| 2000 | 50.50% 2,210 | 46.85% 2,050 | 2.65% 116 |
| 1996 | 36.82% 1,709 | 60.51% 2,809 | 2.67% 124 |
| 1992 | 45.62% 2,289 | 54.38% 2,728 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1988 | 63.41% 2,989 | 36.42% 1,717 | 0.17% 8 |
| 1984 | 58.94% 2,746 | 41.06% 1,913 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1980 | 58.00% 2,889 | 41.92% 2,088 | 0.08% 4 |
| 1976 | 50.34% 1,994 | 49.63% 1,966 | 0.00% 0 |
Federal
Madison County is included in Missouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented by Jason T. Smith in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term of U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson. Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)
In the 2008 Missouri Presidential Preference Primary, voters in Madison County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally.Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton received more votes in Madison County during the 2008 primaries than any candidate from either party.