Boone County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Madison’s story
Madison in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →MadisonWV
A town of 2,788. Healthier than 96% of U.S. towns.
Population
2,788
−5.3% since 2010
Typical home
$143K
+8.5% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
42.7
years
Jobs based here
920
Balanced
What makes Madison stand out
The 3 things Madison does most differently from other towns.
Madison’s report card
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Madison is #1 of 63 in WV for “Closest to a top hospital”. Fair?
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Madison. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Madison tracks West Virginia closely on all 32 CDC measures.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Boone Memorial Hospital
1.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
35th
percentile among WV towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Madison
Most working residents leave Madison for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Charleston (16%), South Charleston (7%) and Danville (4%). Half commute less than 22 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Madison10%
Charleston16%
South Charleston7%
Danville4%
Beckley3%
22 mi
median commute distance
920
jobs based in Madison
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Madison home is worth about $143K
The typical Madison home is worth about $143,000, up 8.5% in a year, 20% below the West Virginia typical home.
$143KZillow home value
Typical home value
Madison$143K
West Virginia$180K
+8.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Madison’s public schools outperform 45% of West Virginia districts
The public schools Madison’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of West Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Elementary | PK–5 | 267 | C |
| Madison Middle School | 6–8 | 398 | C− |
| Scott High School | 9–12 | 564 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 87% of U.S. communities.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
71
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Madison has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–47°
Spring43–68°
Summer63–85°
Fall45–69°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Madison
Madison's reported crime rate is below West Virginia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 5 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Madison1.9
West Virginia2.6
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Madison7.4
West Virginia11.8
U.S.17.7
5
violent crimes reported in 2024
20
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Outdoors
0.2% of Madison is conserved land
3.4 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
0.2%conserved
0.2%
conserved · 9 of 4,901 acres
3.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Madison City Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Landmarks
2 places in Madison on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Madison
City in West Virginia, US
Madison is a city and former coal town in Boone County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,911 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Boone County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Madison’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Madison.
DanvilleMadison