Madison, Wisconsin Population 2023

269,897

Madison is a city located in Dane County Wisconsin. Madison has a 2023 population of 269,897. It is also the county seat of Dane County.Madison is currently growing at a rate of 0.13% annually and its population has increased by 0.39% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 268,846 in 2020.

The average household income in Madison is $94,746 with a poverty rate of 16.6%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Madison is 31.5 years, 31.2 years for males, and 31.9 years for females.

Madison is the capital of the state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County in the southern part of the state, about 122 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois and 77 miles west of Milwaukee. Madison is the second-largest city in Wisconsin and the 83rd largest in the United States.

The Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, including Dane, Iowa, and Columbia counties, has a population estimated at 578,000, the 86th largest metro area in the United States.

Madison Religion

Madison is home to the third-largest congregation of Unitarian Universalists in the country, and the First Unitarian Society of Madison has its home in the Unitarian Meeting House, which was designed by world-famous architect and member, Frank Lloyd Wright. There are many Christian denominations present in the city, along with Buddhism, Hinduism and more. Long known as a center for non-theists, Madison is also home to the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Madison Population Growth

Madison is the fastest-growing municipality in Wisconsin, with a population growth rate of almost 3% in 2011 and 2012. Madison has a high quality of life, which has helped its population grow nearly 11% from 2000 to 2008. By 2030, Madison is projected to have a population of 270,000.

Madison Facts

Madison's history dates back to 1829 when former federal judge James Doty bought more than one thousand acres of forest and swamp land on the isthmus between Lakes Monona and Mendota. He intended to build a city. When the Wisconsin Territory was created seven years later, the legislature was tasked with choosing a permanent location for the capital. Doty lobbied for Madison as the new capital and offered buffalo robes to the cold legislators and promised the best lots in the city at a discount to undecided voters. The city -- which only existed on paper at this point -- was named the capital of the territory.

Madison was incorporated as a village in 1846 with a population of just over 600. When Wisconsin became a state two years later, Madison remained the capital, and it then became the site of the University of Wisconsin. It was incorporated as a city in 1856 with a population of nearly 6,700.

Madison served as the center for the Union Army in Wisconsin during the Civil War, and it was the last stop for soldiers heading to fight the Confederates. Camp Randall in Madison was used as a prison camp, military hospital and training camp, and it was absorbed into the University of Wisconsin and Camp Randall Stadium in 1917.

Madison Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Madison was:

  • White: 76.11%
  • Asian: 8.93%
  • Black or African American: 6.83%
  • Two or more races: 6.2%
  • Other race: 1.57%
  • Native American: 0.33%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.04%
Land Area (mi²)
79.3 sq mi
Density (mi²)
3,401.90/sq mi
Growth Rate
0.13% (351)
Growth Since 2020
0.39% (1,051)
The current population of Madison, Wisconsin is 269,897 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 268,846.

Madison, Wisconsin Population 2023

Population by Race

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White

Asian

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Madison Population by Race

Madison Population Pyramid 2023

Madison Median Age

31.5

Total

31.2

Male

31.9

Female

Madison Adults

There are 221,757 adults, (32,202 of whom are seniors) in Madison.

Madison Age Dependency

40

Age Dependency Ratio

17

Old Age Dependency Ratio

23

Child Dependency Ratio

Madison Sex Ratio

Female132,70449.99%
Male132,74350.01%

Madison Population by Age

Madison Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

2.89

Average Family Size

2.16

Average Household Size

47.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Madison Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Madison Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Madison Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 87.91%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 47.78%.

Madison Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$50,784

Average Earnings

$54,643

Average Male

$45,236

Average Female

Madison Earnings by Educational Attainment

Madison Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Madison Language

86.32% of Madison residents speak only English, while 13.68% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 7.92% of the population.

Madison Language

Madison Poverty by Race

rate

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16.6%

Overall Poverty Rate

15.72%

Male Poverty Rate

17.48%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Madison

The race most likely to be in poverty in Madison is Multiple, with 31.71% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Madison is Islander, with 12.09% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.68%. Among those working part-time, it was 33.05%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.42%.

Madison Poverty

rate

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Madison Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Madison Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Madison Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Madison Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

37.2%

Overall Marriage Rate

37.9%

Male Marriage Rate

36.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Madison Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Madison Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Madison Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Madison Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

9,297

Number of Veterans

8,442

Male Veterans

855

Female Veterans

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Madison Veterans by War

count

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Madison Veterans by Age

count

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Madison Veterans by Race

Madison Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

7.56%

Veteran Poverty Rate

23.6%

Veteran Disability Rate

Madison Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

71.3%

Labor Force Participation

69.2%

Employment Rate

2.7%

Unemployment Rate

Madison Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Madison Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Madison Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

51.67%

Born in Madison

86.79%

Native Born

11.82%

Foreign Born

7.28%

Non Citizen

4.54%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

86.79% of Madison residents were born in the United States, with 51.67% having been born in Wisconsin. 7.28% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Madison Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Madison Population by Year