Madison County is a county in Kentucky, United States, about 25 miles south of Lexington on Interstate 75. It had a population of 92,701 at the 2020 census, an estimated 95,769 by 2024, and covers 443 square miles (1,150 km2) centred near 37°43′N 84°17′W.
Richmond is the county seat and the county’s largest city; its postal code is 40475. The county holds 2 cities and 20 unincorporated communities, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS code is 21151.
Towns & Villages in Madison County
Madison County has 22 named places on record: Richmond and Berea are incorporated cities, and 20 more are unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. Kentucky has no civil townships, so places here are organized directly under the county. CDP stands for census designated place; Unincorp. covers crossroads and rural communities with no formal boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | City · seat | 34,585 | 40475 |
| Berea | City | 15,539 | 40403 |
| Waco | Unincorp. | — | 40385 |
| Kingston | Unincorp. | — | 40385 |
| Bighill | Unincorp. | — | 40405 |
| Baldwin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bobtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boonesborough | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buggytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bybee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| College Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dreyfus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kirksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Million | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moberly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newby | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redhouse | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Round Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ruthton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Speedwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Valley View | Unincorp. | — | — |
Waco and Kingston share ZIP 40385 — both are small crossroads communities south of Richmond along US 421, close enough together that the postal service routes them under one office. Most of the smaller communities on this list have no ZIP of their own; mail there is delivered under Richmond’s or Berea’s code depending on which side of the county they sit.
ZIP Codes
- 40475 — Richmond (also serves 40476, a Richmond PO box ZIP)
- 40403 — Berea (also serves 40404, a Berea College unique ZIP)
- 40385 — Waco and Kingston
- 40405 — Bighill, PO box ZIP
Baldwin, Bobtown, Boonesborough, Buggytown, Bybee, College Hill, Dreyfus, Kirksville, Million, Moberly, Newby, Redhouse, Round Hill, Ruthton, Speedwell, Union City and Valley View have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is delivered under Richmond’s or Berea’s code.
Geography
Madison County sits in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, in the west, and reaches into the Cumberland Plateau foothills toward its eastern edge near Berea. Of its 443 square miles, 437 are land and 6.0 are water, about 1.3 percent, mostly the Kentucky River along the county’s northern boundary and Silver Creek and the Muddy Creek watershed further south. The Kentucky River forms Madison County’s border with Clark and Fayette counties and runs past Fort Boonesborough, the county’s oldest permanent settlement site.
Fayette County lies to the north, Clark County to the northeast, Estill County to the east, Jackson County to the southeast, Rockcastle County to the south, Garrard County to the southwest, and Jessamine County to the northwest. Fayette County, Clark County, Estill County, Jackson County, Rockcastle County, Garrard County and Jessamine County all border Madison directly.
Demographics
Madison County had a population of 92,701 at the 2020 census, and the latest estimate puts the county near 95,769 residents as of 2024. Richmond and Berea are by far the two largest communities, together holding well over half the county’s population; both figures include the large student populations of Eastern Kentucky University and Berea College, which shape the county’s age structure toward the college-age brackets. Median household income runs $63,351, above Kentucky’s statewide figure of $61,118 (2023 ACS). The county sits within the Richmond–Berea micropolitan area and the wider Lexington-Fayette-Richmond-Frankfort combined statistical area.
Economy & Local Life
Health care and social assistance employs the most workers in the county, about 6,588 people, followed by educational services at 6,131 and manufacturing at 5,974. Eastern Kentucky University, founded in 1906, is Richmond’s largest employer and anchor institution, drawing tens of thousands of students and staff into the city each year. Berea College, a private liberal arts school founded in 1855 that charges no tuition, drives much of Berea’s economy and its identity as Kentucky’s official Folk Arts and Crafts Capital, with working craft studios and galleries downtown. The Blue Grass Army Depot, a U.S. Army ammunition storage and demilitarization installation south of Richmond, is one of the county’s largest employers and received close to $1 billion in federal funding in February 2026 to expand its energetics manufacturing capacity. Hitachi Astemo Americas, an automotive parts manufacturer with a plant in Berea, announced a $153 million expansion in 2023 expected to add 167 jobs. Berea’s annual Spoonbread Festival, held each September, is the county’s biggest local event, drawing craft vendors and visitors downtown.
History
Virginia’s General Assembly established Madison County on 15 December 1785, carving it from Lincoln County while Kentucky was still part of Virginia. It was named for James Madison, later the fourth president of the United States. Daniel Boone and the Transylvania Company, led by Judge Richard Henderson, founded Fort Boonesborough on the Kentucky River in April 1775, one of Kentucky’s first pioneer settlements and a key stop on the Wilderness Road.
The Battle of Richmond took place on 30 August 1862, a decisive Confederate victory during the Civil War that opened the way for Confederate forces to occupy Lexington and Frankfort. The battlefield south of Richmond is preserved today with interpretive markers along US 421 and KY 876.
Getting There
Interstate 75 crosses the county’s western half through Richmond and Berea. US 25 and US 421 run through the county, along with KY 52, KY 169, KY 388, KY 876, KY 1156 and KY 1986.
- Lexington — about 25 miles north
- London — about 30 miles south
- Winchester — about 20 miles northeast
- Danville — about 25 miles southwest
Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, roughly 25 miles north of Richmond, is the nearest major commercial airport. Central Kentucky Regional Airport, between Richmond and Berea, handles general aviation only. CSX operates a north–south freight line through Richmond serving the Blue Grass Army Depot; no Amtrak passenger service reaches Madison County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Madison County located?
It sits in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, about 25 miles south of Lexington on Interstate 75, bordered by Fayette, Clark, Estill, Jackson, Rockcastle, Garrard and Jessamine counties.
What is the population of Madison County?
92,701 at the 2020 census, with a 2024 estimate near 95,769.
How big is Madison County?
443 square miles (1,150 km2), of which 437 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Madison County?
Richmond, established in 1798, is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and cities are in Madison County?
Two incorporated cities — Richmond and Berea — plus 20 unincorporated communities including Waco, Kingston, Bighill, Bybee and Boonesborough.
What ZIP codes does Madison County use?
40475 and 40476 for Richmond, 40403 and 40404 for Berea, 40385 for Waco and Kingston, and 40405 for Bighill.
What is Madison County known for?
Fort Boonesborough, one of Kentucky’s first pioneer settlements, and the two colleges that anchor its economy, Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond and tuition-free Berea College in Berea.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.