Jobs, pay and daily life in Fort Madison, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Fort Madison is a city in Iowa with 10,133 residents. The median household earns $50,705 a year and the median rent is $826 a month, which is 19.5% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Fort Madison compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Fort Madison is #42 by population, #60 for household income (#1 = highest), #56 for college degrees (#1 = most), #55 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Lee County, is #18 of 99 counties for average pay ($57,333).
Fort Madison has 10,133 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Iowa. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,050 people per square mile. The median age is 42.1, 9% older than the state median (42.1 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $826 a month (rent plus utilities), 15% below the state median ($826 against $972). Over a year that is 19.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $94,200, which is 1.9 times the median household income ($50,705); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 72.4% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (72.4% against 71.7%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lee County was 3.5%. 55.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lee County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.3% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 1.8% walk, 6.6% work from home. 12.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 51% above the state average (12.5% against 8.2%).
18.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% below the state share (18.5% against 31.4%). 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 61% below the state share (2.3% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 15.0%, 35% above the state rate (15.0% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-4.0°C). About 948 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (128 mm) and Jan the driest (36 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Keokuk (15 miles, rent 5% higher); Burlington (17 miles, rent 12% higher); Mount Pleasant (26 miles, similar rent); Fairfield (42 miles, rent 5% higher). Rent differences are against Fort Madison; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideLee CountyIowa rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 226 federal postings open in Iowa (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.1% |
| Manufacturing | 18.3% |
| Retail trade | 13.1% |
| Public administration | 7.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.1% |
| Other services | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fort Madison lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 32,893 | $2,264 million | $68,815 | 13,719 | 1,061 | $57,333 | -0.7% | 3.5% | 14,547 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,794 | 40.7% | $81,110 | 3.37 |
| Retail trade | 1,572 | 16.8% | $33,899 | 1.15 |
| Accommodation and food services | 990 | 10.6% | $16,573 | 0.79 |
| Construction | 878 | 9.4% | $71,445 | 1.22 |
| Wholesale trade | 406 | 4.4% | $75,222 | 0.75 |
| Administrative and waste services | 391 | 4.2% | $37,898 | 0.48 |
| Finance and insurance | 357 | 3.8% | $62,799 | 0.64 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 327 | 3.5% | $38,111 | 0.79 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 261 | 2.8% | $70,307 | 0.45 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 153 | 1.6% | $13,233 | 0.66 |
| Information | 72 | 0.8% | $46,032 | 0.28 |
| Utilities | 67 | 0.7% | $127,249 | 1.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 62 | 0.7% | $40,404 | 0.29 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.3% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 1.8% |
| Work from home | 6.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,705 |
| Income per person | $29,507 |
| Median gross rent per month | $826 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.5% |
| Median home value | $94,200 |
| Homeowners | 72.4% |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.80%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.5% |
| Born abroad | 2.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.0 | 25 | 36 |
| Feb | -2.4 | 28 | 44 |
| Mar | 4.6 | 40 | 62 |
| Apr | 11.5 | 53 | 94 |
| May | 17.4 | 63 | 120 |
| Jun | 22.9 | 73 | 128 |
| Jul | 25.2 | 77 | 94 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 101 |
| Sep | 19.8 | 68 | 84 |
| Oct | 12.0 | 54 | 81 |
| Nov | 5.0 | 41 | 54 |
| Dec | -1.3 | 30 | 50 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keokuk | IA | 15 mi | 9,662 | $52,711 | $871 |
| Burlington | IA | 17 mi | 23,728 | $59,000 | $924 |
| Mount Pleasant | IA | 26 mi | 8,951 | $61,042 | $826 |
| Fairfield | IA | 42 mi | 9,456 | $51,311 | $870 |
| Quincy | IL | 48 mi | 39,109 | $56,480 | $837 |
| Washington | IA | 50 mi | 7,290 | $55,373 | $968 |
| Galesburg | IL | 56 mi | 29,481 | $48,297 | $801 |
| Muscatine | IA | 57 mi | 23,489 | $58,117 | $974 |
| Ottumwa | IA | 63 mi | 25,430 | $61,103 | $921 |
| Hannibal | MO | 63 mi | 16,771 | $53,721 | $805 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
10,133 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$826 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.5% of the median household income.
$50,705 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Lee County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.