Property Tax in Madison County, Indiana
Homeowners in Madison County, Indiana pay a median of $1,128 a year in real estate taxes, on a median home value of $147,700. Those are the Census Bureau's published medians for the county (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023) — the typical bill and the typical home value for owner-occupied households.
What the Madison County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,128 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Madison County, and $147,700 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for Madison County is 0.76% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
Madison County by the numbers
| Measure | Madison County | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $1,128 | $1,496 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $147,700 | $201,600 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.76% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $94 | $125 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Madison County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Indiana: #44 of 92 counties
- Median home value rank in Indiana: #64 of 92
- Population rank in Indiana: #13 of 92 (130,949 residents)
- Population density rank: #15 of 92 (290 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Indiana: #19 of 92 (451 sq mi, 1.3% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $94; per $1,000 of home value: $0.76
How Madison County compares
Set against its state, Madison County's median bill of $1,128 is about 25% lower than the Indiana median ($1,496). Against the country as a whole it is about 62% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #44 of 92 Indiana counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Madison County's median home, at $147,700, ranks #64 by value in Indiana, while its derived rate of 0.76% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Madison County: the median bill works out to about $94 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $764 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 130,949 people — the #13 most populous county in Indiana, spread over 451 square miles, a density of about 290 people per square mile. Its median home value, $147,700, ranks #64 among the state's 92 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 2207 record a higher median tax bill than Madison County — it sits in the top 70% nationally. The county holds roughly 1.9% of Indiana's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $147,700 versus $201,600), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.76% adds up to about 7.64% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Clay County, medians $589 — $539 less than Madison County per year.
Counties nearest Madison County in the Indiana ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, IN | $1,141 | $242,500 | 0.47% |
| Spencer County, IN | $1,138 | $180,200 | 0.63% |
| DeKalb County, IN | $1,117 | $177,900 | 0.63% |
| Howard County, IN | $1,110 | $151,500 | 0.73% |
Madison County and its population peers
Counties of a similar size can tax very differently. The table below shows the counties closest to Madison County in population across the United States, with their median bills and home values. Within the group of 9, Madison County ($1,128) ranks #8 of 9 by median tax paid.
| County | Population | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County, SC | 132,604 | $821 | $216,000 | 0.38% |
| Cambria County, PA | 132,355 | $1,487 | $115,900 | 1.28% |
| Wood County, OH | 131,795 | $2,911 | $214,400 | 1.36% |
| Strafford County, NH | 131,743 | $6,582 | $332,400 | 1.98% |
| Black Hawk County, IA | 130,693 | $2,790 | $182,400 | 1.53% |
| Tazewell County, IL | 130,555 | $3,481 | $164,500 | 2.12% |
| Skagit County, WA | 130,407 | $4,008 | $486,200 | 0.82% |
| Washington County, RI | 130,073 | $4,954 | $469,800 | 1.05% |
The closest population match is Black Hawk County, Iowa (130,693 residents), where the median real estate tax paid is $2,790 on a median home value of $182,400 — $1,662 less than Madison County pays.
Inside Indiana itself, the counties closest to Madison County in population are Johnson County (163,983 residents, median tax $1,875 on a median value of $260,400); Monroe County (139,822 residents, median tax $1,837 on a median value of $261,700); Clark County (122,800 residents, median tax $1,566 on a median value of $212,400); LaPorte County (112,141 residents, median tax $1,435 on a median value of $180,700). Same state, same broad tax framework — yet the median bills still differ, because assessed values and the mix of county, municipal and school-district rates are set locally.
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Madison County's medians imply a derived rate of 0.76%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $3,056 a year, or around $255 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Illustrative bills in Madison County at the derived rate
The derived rate of 0.76% is only an estimate built from medians, but applying it to different home values gives a sense of scale for Madison County — and a quick way to compare with the state derived rate of 0.74% and the US figure of 0.98%:
| Home value | Illustrative tax / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,146 | $96 |
| $250,000 | $1,910 | $159 |
| $350,000 | $2,674 | $223 |
| $500,000 | $3,820 | $318 |
| $750,000 | $5,730 | $478 |
Illustration only: real bills are computed from the assessed value, exemptions, and the combined rates of the property's actual taxing districts.
Checking your assessment in Madison County
Most successful appeals are won on facts, not arguments. Start with the property record card held by the Madison County assessor: wrong square footage, an extra room, or a missing homestead exemption are common and fixable. Next, line your assessed value up against recent sales of genuinely similar homes nearby. Many disputes end at an informal conversation with the assessor's office; if yours does not, file the formal appeal with the review board named on your notice before its deadline, evidence attached, and keep paying the bill in the meantime so penalties do not build up.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Madison County, Indiana?
The median real estate tax paid in Madison County, Indiana is $1,128 per year, on a median home value of $147,700 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Madison County, Indiana?
On a derived basis, 0.76%: the county's median tax bill of $1,128 divided by its median home value of $147,700. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Madison County compare with the rest of Indiana?
Madison County ranks #44 of 92 Indiana counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $1,128 is about 25% lower than the Indiana median of $1,496.
How are property taxes calculated in Madison County, Indiana?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Madison County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $1,128 on a median home value of $147,700.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Madison County, Indiana?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Madison County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.