Madison County is a county in Florida, United States, in the Big Bend region along the Georgia state line. It had a population of 17,968 at the 2020 census and covers 696 square miles (1,803 km2) centred near 30°27′N 83°28′W.
Madison is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 32340. The county holds 2 incorporated municipalities and about 16 unincorporated communities, no civil townships, and sits entirely in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Madison County
Madison County contains 18 named places: two incorporated municipalities — the city of Madison and the town of Greenville — and roughly sixteen unincorporated rural communities, none of which carry a current Census Bureau CDP designation.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | City · seat | 2,912 | 32340 |
| Greenville | Town | — | 32331 |
| Bailey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherry Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dennet | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ebb | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hopewell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lee | Unincorp. | — | 32059 |
| Leland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lovett | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maysland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinetta | Unincorp. | — | 32350 |
| Reams | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sirmans | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spray | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stern | Unincorp. | — | — |
Lee straddles the Madison–Hamilton county line, and its post office ZIP also serves outlying farm addresses over the county boundary; the settlement itself is treated here as a Madison County community.
ZIP Codes
- 32340 — Madison (also serves Cherry Lake and most of the county’s rural addresses)
- 32331 — Greenville
- 32350 — Pinetta
- 32059 — Lee
The smaller unincorporated communities — Bailey, Dennet, Ebb, Hamburg, Hanson, Hopewell, Leland, Lovett, Maysland, Reams, Sirmans, Spray and Stern — do not have their own dedicated ZIP code and are served by the Madison or Greenville post offices depending on location.
Geography
Madison County lies in Florida’s Big Bend, the flat, forested coastal-plain transition zone between the Panhandle and the peninsula. Pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks and farmland cover most of the county, and the Withlacoochee River runs along part of its eastern edge before joining the Suwannee River system downstream. The county has no significant natural lakes of its own; Cherry Lake, in the north, is one of the few named water bodies.
Madison County borders Georgia to the north, Hamilton County to the northeast, Suwannee County to the east, Lafayette County to the southeast, Taylor County to the south, and Jefferson County to the west.
Demographics
Madison County had a population of 17,968 at the 2020 census, giving it a density of about 26 people per square mile — a rural county by Florida standards. Madison, with 2,912 residents, and Greenville are the county’s two largest incorporated communities; most of the population lives outside either town, on farms and in unincorporated settlements strung along US 90 and the county’s rail lines. Household income in Madison County runs well below the Florida median of $73,311, reflecting the county’s agricultural, low-wage-service economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor Madison County’s economy: timber, cattle ranching and row crops including watermelon have been mainstays since the plantation era. North Florida College, a small public two-year institution, is based in the city of Madison and is one of the county’s larger employers alongside the county government and school district. Interstate 10 traffic supports truck-stop and service businesses at its four county interchanges.
History
Madison County was created in 1827 and named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. It grew as a cotton- and tobacco-plantation county built on enslaved labor before the Civil War, and its economy stagnated after Reconstruction as plantation agriculture declined. The county’s history includes a documented pattern of racial violence in the decades after Reconstruction, part of the broader record of lynching in the postwar South. Greenville, in the county’s east, is the birthplace of rhythm-and-blues musician Ray Charles.
Getting There
Interstate 10 crosses Madison County east–west with four interchanges, and US Highway 90 runs parallel through the city of Madison; US 221 connects the county north–south toward Valdosta, Georgia.
- Tallahassee — 55 miles west
- Valdosta, Georgia — 35 miles north
- Live Oak — 25 miles east
- Lake City — 45 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Tallahassee International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Madison County, Florida?
It sits in the Big Bend region of North Florida, on the Georgia state line, between Tallahassee and Lake City.
What is the population of Madison County?
17,968 people, as of the 2020 census.
How big is Madison County?
696 square miles (1,803 km2) of land area.
What is the county seat of Madison County?
The city of Madison is the county seat.
How many towns are in Madison County?
Two incorporated municipalities — Madison and Greenville — plus about sixteen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Madison County?
The main ZIP codes are 32340 (Madison), 32331 (Greenville), 32350 (Pinetta) and 32059 (Lee).
Where was Ray Charles born?
Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia, but grew up in Greenville, Madison County, which he considered his hometown.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Florida.