Madison receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Madison
Clinton
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs78 · Top 17%
Access
93 · Top 44%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Madison | Clinton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,946 | 27,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,338 | $74,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,649 | $37,526 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,107/sq mi | 650/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $352,900 | $225,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,853 | $1,118 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.3% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% | 47.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 71 | 38 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.6% | 46.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.89 | 14.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.6% | 56.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.7% | 51.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.3% | 48.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Madison
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Clinton
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Madison, MS · Clinton, MS · How this is calculated: methodology