Madison County

Madison County is a county of the state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area. 
It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the first to visit the state of Alabama. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 334,811.  Its county seat is Huntsville. Madison County covers parts of the former Decatur County.
==History==
Madison County was established on December 13, 1808 by the governor of the Mississippi Territory. It is recognized as the "birthplace" of Alabama, which was founded there on December 14, 1819. For much of the county's history, the economy revolved mainly around agriculture. Madison County was one of the largest cotton-producing counties in the state, and textile mills operated around the county.
This changed when a group of German rocket scientists, led by Wernher von Braun, came to Redstone Arsenal in 1950. They developed, among others, the Redstone rocket, which was modified to launch the first two Americans into space. Tens of thousands of jobs came to the area as a result of the Space Race, and the population of Madison County rose from 72,903 in 1950 to 334,811 during the 2010 Census.
==Geography==
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 812.85mi^2, of which 804.92mi^2 (or 99.02%) is land and 7.93mi^2 (or 0.98%) is water.
The topography in the southern and eastern portions of the county is dominated by the dissected remnants of the Cumberland Plateau, such as Keel Mountain, Monte Sano Mountain and Green Mountain.  The northern and western portions of the county are flatter.
===Major highways===
*Interstate 565
*U.S. Highway 72
*U.S. Highway 231
*U.S. Highway 431
*State Route 53
*State Route 255
===Rail===
*Norfolk Southern Railway
*Huntsville and Madison County Railroad Authority
===Rivers===
*Tennessee River
*Flint River
*Paint Rock River
===Adjacent counties===
*Lincoln County, Tennessee (north)
*Franklin County, Tennessee (northeast)
*Jackson County (east)
*Marshall County (southeast)
*Morgan County (southwest across the Tennessee River)
*Limestone County (west)
===National protected area===
* Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (part)
==Demographics==
As of the census of 2000, there were 276,700 people, 109,955 households, and 75,319 families residing in the county.  The population density was 344 people per square mile (133/km2).  There were 120,288 housing units at an average density of 149 per square mile (58/km2).  The racial makeup of the county was 72.06% White, 22.78% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races.  Nearly 1.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 109,955 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 53.40% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. Nearly 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.30 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,704, and the median income for a family was $54,360. Males had a median income of $40,779 versus $26,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,091.  About 8.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
==Education==
The Madison County School System runs public schools throughout the unincorporated areas of the county and the incorporated and unincorporated communities of Gurley, New Hope, Meridianville, Hazel Green, Toney, Monrovia, New Market,  and Owens Cross Roads. The system runs 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 5 high schools and a ninth grade school, and a career/technical center.
High schools in the Madison County School System are:
* Buckhorn High School
* Hazel Green High School
* Madison County High School
* New Hope High School
* Sparkman High School
There are a number of private schools serving Madison County.  These include Madison Academy, Westminster Christian Academy, Faith Christian Academy, and several others.
==Municipalities and census-designated places==
*Gurley
*Harvest
*Hazel Green
*Huntsville (part - part of Huntsville is in Limestone County)
*Madison (city) (part - part of Madison is in Limestone County)
*Meridianville
*Moores Mill
*New Hope
*New Market
*Owens Cross Roads
*Redstone Arsenal
*Triana
*Toney
==Places of interest==
Madison County is home to Monte Sano State Park, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and part of the Flint River. It also contains Hampton Cove Golf Course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
==See also==
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Huntsville, Alabama
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Alabama
==References==
==External links==
*Madison County Commission
*Madison County Schools
*Madison Alabama Chamber of Commerce
*Madison County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of Alabama).
Category:Counties
Category:Index
Category:Huntsville–Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Category:Huntsville Metropolitan Area
Category:Madison County