Madison County vs Nelson County
A side-by-side comparison of Madison County and Nelson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Madison County and Nelson County are counties in Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Nelson County has the higher population (14,777 vs 13,931 in Madison County). Madison County has the higher median household income ($82,972 vs $68,525 in Nelson County). Madison County has the higher median home value ($331,400 vs $283,000 in Nelson County).
Population, income & housing
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,931 | 14,777 |
| Median age | 46.2 yrs | 51.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $82,972 | $68,525 |
| Median home value | $331,400 | $283,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $950 |
| Housing units | 6,110 | 9,947 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 79.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 33.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,170 → 13,931 (+5.8%) | 14,831 → 14,777 (-0.4%) |
| Median household income | $57,895 → $82,972 (+43.3%) | $64,313 → $68,525 (+6.5%) |
| Median home value | $257,900 → $331,400 (+28.5%) | $235,000 → $283,000 (+20.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $687 → $1,048 (+52.5%) | $759 → $950 (+25.2%) |
Madison County
13,17013,931
$57,895$82,972
$257,900$331,400
$687$1,048
Nelson County
14,83114,777
$64,313$68,525
$235,000$283,000
$759$950
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.7% | 5.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.3% | 12.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 7.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.8% | 9.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 9.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.8% | 10.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.7% | 16.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.2% | 18.4% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 10.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 84.1% | 79.9% |
| Black or African American | 8.4% | 10.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.5% | 4.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.3% | 11.3% |
| High school graduate | 35.0% | 30.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 26.1% | 24.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.1% | 22.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 13.5% | 11.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.0% | 63.6% |
| Carpooled | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 2.4% | 2.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 13.4% | 22.7% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 94.1% | 77.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.6% | 2.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 0.3% | 9.3% |
| 20 or more units | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.5% | 9.5% |
Poverty & households
| Madison County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 14.4% |
| Average household size | 2.53 | 2.27 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1980 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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