Madison County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 691.8 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 27.3 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 39.0%. On the 2000 census form, 99.0% of the population reported only one race, with 40.3% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 3.2% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.57 persons compared to an average family size of 3.06 persons. In 2008 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $24,224. Per capita income grew by 10.7% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2008) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	18,895	1868	Covered Employment	4,470	2071
Growth (%) since 1990	14.0%	1325	Avg wage per job	$28,063	2404
Households (2000)	6,629	1954	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	10.4%	1542
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	6,978	2123	Avg wage per job	$34,041	1924
Unemployment Rate (2008)	7.0	745	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	3.0%	1115
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$21,293	2942	Avg wage per job	$42,290	886
Median Household Income (2007)	$39,394	1775	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	15.9%	379
Poverty Rate (2007)	21.0	475	Avg wage per job	$24,224	1791
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	67.5	2,667	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	1.6%	2448
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	10.2	2,620	Avg wage per job	$33,973	2032