RANK #458 / 1001 NAT · POP 54,618
1YR FORECAST: +1.6%
5YR OUTLOOK: +18%
Madison County, Idaho, is defined by Rexburg, its largest city and county seat, which is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho). The presence of BYU-Idaho shapes the community, contributing to a youthful demographic and a strong family-oriented atmosphere. Located in the Upper Snake River Valley, about 25 miles northeast of Idaho Falls, the county offers access to outdoor recreation, including the St. Anthony Sand Dunes and proximity to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Commutes within the county are generally short, with an average of 16.4 minutes. The Teton Lakes Golf Course, with its 27 holes and views of the Grand Tetons, is another notable local amenity.
Life in Madison County is influenced by the university, attracting families and young professionals. The Madison School District, serving Rexburg and surrounding areas, maintains an 89% high school graduation rate. The economy is largely driven by education, government, and healthcare, with BYU-Idaho being the largest employer. Recent economic developments include ongoing infrastructure projects, such as road extensions and a new fiber optic network connecting homes across Rexburg and Sugar City. The county is also preparing for a new regional landfill and has seen plans submitted for a new WinCo Foods store in Rexburg.
Madison County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +5.1% YoY, population +1.9%, wages +3.5%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Speculative pricing
Housing looks overvalued at 29.0x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Madison County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Madison County Fairgrounds Relocation
Madison County
|
$50M | Planned |
|
Madison Commons Mixed-Use Development
Trellis Development
|
$50M | Under Construction |
|
New Landfill in Newdale
Madison County
|
$30M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Madison County scores 54/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 1001 U.S. counties (#458). Median household income is $60,160 and job growth is running at +2.3%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.
Affordability is a real challenge in Madison County. The median home is valued at $414,800 — with an income-to-home-value ratio of just 0.14, that's significantly harder to afford than in most U.S. counties. Median rent runs $1,014/month.
Madison County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.9% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +2.3% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +5.1% over the past 12 months.
In significant numbers — 9.01% of Madison County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.
Home values climbed +5.1% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Madison County is now valued at $414,800. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.