City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Madison, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Madison - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

16,464
Residents
$168,469
Median income
$882,900
Median home
$2,205
Median rent (state)

Madison - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Madison places in the 96th percentile for household income and the 88th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

96th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
88th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Madison, NJ

New Jersey's Madison is a small town, with 16,464 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Madison brings in $168,469 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.1%. Typical homes in Madison are valued around $882,900, and the median resident age is 39.0 years. About 70.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 32 residential building permits were authorized in Madison (Rapid Growth), up 33% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Madison reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 420.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,205 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Jersey's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). The average commute for Madison workers runs 20.1 minutes, with 52.9% driving alone and 25.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

16,464 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$168,469 /yr

Poverty 1.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Madison compare to other US cities?

Where Madison sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 96% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 88% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just New Jersey and the picture shifts: Madison ranks #43 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Madison against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Jersey only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Jersey-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Madison's strongest outlier among New Jersey cities

Among the 672 New Jersey cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Madison ranks #52 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Madison only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#86 of 659
87th percentile in New Jersey
Median Gross Rent
#298 of 686
41st percentile in New Jersey
Median Home Value
#52 of 672
92nd percentile in New Jersey
Poverty Rate
#500 of 680
26th percentile in New Jersey
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#77 of 686
89th percentile in New Jersey

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Jersey only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

96thIncome percentile
88thSafety percentile

96th percentile nationally for median household income · 88th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Madison's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Madison's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 64 Avg. percentile National median
Madison's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Madison's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$882,900 4th percentile more affordable than 4% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Madison $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Madison, NJ Madison, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Madison, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Madison, NJ median $168,469/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Madison, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Madison, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 70.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
16,464
Median Income
$168,469
Median Home Value
$882,900
Median Age
39.0
Poverty Rate
1.1%
Labor force participation
64.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
70.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
420.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
12.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
408.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,500 residents16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents17,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,912 residents 16,607 residents ▼ -1.8%
Madison's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
32
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
15
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 24
2020 33
2021 38
2022 14
2023 98
2024 32

Permit volume increased 33% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.1 minutes
Drive Alone
52.9%
Carpool
3.4%
Public Transit
8.1%
Walk
8.2%
Work from Home
25.2%
Other
2.2%

Based on 8,246 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Madison sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,205/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

North Arlington
16,368 people
New Milford
16,882 people
South River
16,007 people
Avenel
17,143 people
Springdale
15,672 people
Princeton Meadows
15,382 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Madison's 16,464 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

White Oak, MD
16,458 people
Havelock, NC
16,471 people
Mercedes, TX
16,449 people
Red Hill, SC
16,480 people
Hanover, PA
16,483 people
Humble, TX
16,489 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Madison's $168,469 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shady Hollow, TX
$168,477 median income
East Grand Rapids, MI
$168,487 median income
Springdale, MD
$168,400 median income
Pimmit Hills, VA
$168,548 median income
Windham, NY
$168,309 median income
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
$168,309 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Madison, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Madison, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.7% 12.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.2% White 77.7% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 5.8% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.4% Two or more races 12.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Madison compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Madison (this city) 16,464 $168,469
North Arlington 16,368 $101,493
New Milford 16,882 $113,513
South River 16,007 $101,853
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Madison, NJ?

What is the population of Madison, NJ? +

16,464 people live in Madison, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Madison, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Madison runs $168,469, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Madison? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Madison; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Madison, NJ safe? +

Madison has a total crime rate of 420.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Madison, NJ? +

A typical home in Madison is worth $882,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.