Jobs, pay and daily life in 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.
Madison is a city in Alabama with 60,106 residents. The median household earns $134,655 a year and the median rent is $1,453 a month, which is 12.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Huntsville, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 266,650 jobs.
How Madison compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Madison is #9 by population, #3 for household income (#1 = highest), #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #5 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Madison County, is #2 of 67 counties for average pay ($77,051).
Madison has 60,106 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Alabama. It covers 31 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,966 people per square mile. The median age is 37.3, 5% younger than the state median (37.3 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $1,453 a month (rent plus utilities), 44% above the state median ($1,453 against $1,007). Over a year that is 12.9% 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 $398,800, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($134,655); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 74.0% of households own their home, 5% above the state average (74.0% against 70.2%).
The Huntsville, AL metropolitan area has 266,650 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,740 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,740 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (25,350 jobs, median $48,200); office and administrative support (23,050 jobs, median $44,100); food preparation and serving related (21,530 jobs, median $28,850). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (4.4 times) and computer and mathematical (2.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($131,530) and architecture and engineering ($120,720). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Madison County was 3.2%. 68.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Madison County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.9% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 19.2% work from home. 3.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 74% below the state average (3.8% against 14.7%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
64.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 127% above the state share (64.5% against 28.4%). 9.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 143% above the state share (9.7% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 4.3%, 73% below the state rate (4.3% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,397 mm (55 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (151 mm) and Oct the driest (93 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: Huntsville (5 miles, rent 19% lower); Athens (12 miles, rent 38% lower); Meridianville (15 miles, rent 7% lower); Decatur (16 miles, rent 38% lower). Rent differences are against Madison; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideMadison CountyAlabama 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 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 7,570 | 3.14 | $46,390 | $32,040 | $48,200 | +4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,030 | 1.05 | $33,120 | $23,570 | $47,340 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 7,030 | 2.43 | $128,080 | $79,630 | $175,460 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 6,800 | 1.17 | $77,090 | $51,760 | $98,260 | -21% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,330 | 1.10 | $34,620 | $29,740 | $47,270 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,030 | 0.76 | $27,180 | $22,160 | $34,270 | -13% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,880 | 42.03 | $131,090 | $78,890 | $195,190 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 4,700 | 1.61 | $46,090 | $31,370 | $61,680 | -3% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,370 | 0.86 | $39,500 | $31,070 | $49,250 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 4,320 | 0.82 | $29,860 | $22,710 | $35,740 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,050 | 0.67 | $136,340 | $61,340 | $282,970 | +29% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,340 | 0.75 | $38,400 | $30,760 | $57,210 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,290 | 0.85 | $27,990 | $16,950 | $37,300 | -21% |
| Engineers, All Other | 3,110 | 11.77 | $155,630 | $93,890 | $195,190 | +27% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 3,100 | 1.66 | $124,950 | $77,000 | $183,040 | +50% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 3,010 | 1.21 | $79,220 | $53,920 | $134,360 | -5% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,950 | 2.68 | $29,310 | $23,650 | $35,100 | -5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,850 | 0.75 | $33,600 | $23,870 | $42,810 | -9% |
| Logisticians | 2,780 | 6.46 | $117,060 | $72,310 | $151,240 | +42% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 2,740 | 3.26 | $94,990 | $57,700 | $149,070 | +22% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,630 | 4.33 | $168,380 | $111,780 | $232,010 | -2% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,250 | 1.96 | $164,060 | $99,680 | $219,550 | -6% |
| Financial Managers | 890 | 0.61 | $158,620 | $98,570 | $258,330 | -5% |
| Engineers, All Other | 3,110 | 11.77 | $155,630 | $93,890 | $195,190 | +27% |
| Managers, All Other | 570 | 0.54 | $153,920 | $120,720 | $212,290 | +8% |
| Purchasing Managers | 520 | 3.60 | $146,970 | $98,070 | $193,420 | -1% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 560 | 4.27 | $142,670 | $83,820 | $195,190 | -12% |
| Pharmacists | 600 | 1.08 | $136,840 | $102,620 | $163,070 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,050 | 0.67 | $136,340 | $61,340 | $282,970 | +29% |
| Sales Managers | 660 | 0.61 | $134,690 | $74,690 | $260,470 | -9% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 890 | 5.38 | $133,330 | $81,970 | $195,190 | +2% |
| Lawyers | 730 | 0.56 | $133,220 | $62,470 | $229,170 | -17% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,660 | 5.40 | $132,410 | $77,900 | $204,150 | -1% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,880 | 42.03 | $131,090 | $78,890 | $195,190 | -3% |
| Information Security Analysts | 1,840 | 5.63 | $130,330 | $75,940 | $176,510 | +1% |
| Electrical Engineers | 2,190 | 6.42 | $130,330 | $85,420 | $208,130 | +8% |
| Software Developers | 7,030 | 2.43 | $128,080 | $79,630 | $175,460 | -6% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 3,100 | 1.66 | $124,950 | $77,000 | $183,040 | +50% |
| Management Analysts | 1,710 | 1.11 | $121,970 | $79,890 | $168,810 | +20% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 890 | 1.19 | $120,450 | $58,200 | $168,580 | +3% |
These figures are for the whole Huntsville, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,740 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 24.1% |
| Education and health care | 16.5% |
| Manufacturing | 15.6% |
| Public administration | 11.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.7% |
| Retail trade | 8.3% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.6% |
| Other services | 3.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Madison lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Limestone County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 405,718 | $38,958 million | $96,023 | 229,807 | 13,778 | $77,051 | +2.2% | 3.2% | 227,978 |
| Limestone County | 111,233 | $6,971 million | $62,669 | 34,080 | 2,050 | $62,717 | +4.9% | 3.0% | 59,309 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 43,948 | 24.3% | $121,088 | 2.75 |
| Manufacturing | 27,051 | 15.0% | $89,668 | 1.43 |
| Retail trade | 22,614 | 12.5% | $39,123 | 0.99 |
| Health care and social assistance | 19,206 | 10.6% | $65,606 | 0.58 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,710 | 10.4% | $23,858 | 0.90 |
| Administrative and waste services | 12,608 | 7.0% | $44,603 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 7,790 | 4.3% | $74,519 | 0.65 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,267 | 2.9% | $89,642 | 0.58 |
| Finance and insurance | 4,145 | 2.3% | $93,772 | 0.44 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4,109 | 2.3% | $42,416 | 0.59 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,550 | 2.0% | $55,440 | 0.36 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 3,287 | 1.8% | $23,755 | 0.85 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,005 | 1.7% | $62,090 | 0.84 |
| Educational services | 2,141 | 1.2% | $41,858 | 0.45 |
| Information | 1,941 | 1.1% | $96,726 | 0.45 |
| Management of companies | 854 | 0.5% | $110,915 | 0.22 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 343 | 0.2% | $98,384 | 0.18 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 139 | 0.1% | $76,394 | 0.16 |
| Utilities | 19 | 0.0% | $126,233 | 0.02 |
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 | 73.9% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 19.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $134,655 |
| Income per person | $56,185 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,453 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 12.9% |
| Median home value | $398,800 |
| Homeowners | 74.0% |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,740 |
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; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. 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: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 64.5% |
| Born abroad | 9.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 119 |
| Feb | 6.2 | 43 | 135 |
| Mar | 10.9 | 52 | 125 |
| Apr | 15.7 | 60 | 125 |
| May | 20.4 | 69 | 117 |
| Jun | 24.8 | 77 | 103 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 121 |
| Aug | 26.5 | 80 | 104 |
| Sep | 23.2 | 74 | 99 |
| Oct | 16.8 | 62 | 93 |
| Nov | 10.2 | 50 | 105 |
| Dec | 5.9 | 43 | 151 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | AL | 5 mi | 222,791 | $74,714 | $1,171 |
| Athens | AL | 12 mi | 29,002 | $69,922 | $899 |
| Meridianville | AL | 15 mi | 11,150 | $97,434 | $1,348 |
| Decatur | AL | 16 mi | 57,361 | $61,563 | $896 |
| Hartselle | AL | 21 mi | 15,847 | $76,290 | $804 |
| Pulaski | TN | 37 mi | 8,285 | $48,538 | $835 |
| Cullman | AL | 37 mi | 19,319 | $61,224 | $925 |
| Scottsboro | AL | 41 mi | 15,712 | $53,929 | $830 |
| Albertville | AL | 44 mi | 22,813 | $56,099 | $872 |
| Lawrenceburg | TN | 49 mi | 11,844 | $42,343 | $775 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
60,106 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,453 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 12.9% of the median household income.
$134,655 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Madison County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.