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Madison County, Nebraska

Map_of_Nebraska_highlighting_Madison_County
Map_of_Nebraska_highlighting_Madison_County

Madison County, Nebraska

County seat: Madison · Created: January 26, 1856; organized December 1867 · Named for: Madison, Wisconsin (itself named for President James Madison) · License plates: prefix 7 · Population: 35,585 (2020 census), the highest count yet; about 36,100 (2025) · Area: 575 sq mi (573 land) · Time zone: Central

About Madison County

Madison County lies in the Elkhorn River valley of northeast Nebraska and is the state’s seventh-most-populous county. Norfolk, where the North Fork joins the Elkhorn, is by far the largest city; Madison is the county seat, and Battle Creek and Newman Grove are the other cities. Meadow Grove is a village, part of Tilden lies in the county, and Enola is unincorporated. The county borders Pierce on the north, Wayne on the northeast, Stanton on the east, Platte on the south, Boone on the southwest and Antelope on the northwest.

The territorial legislature created the county in 1856, and German Lutheran families from Wisconsin founded Norfolk in 1866; at their suggestion the county was named for Madison, Wisconsin. The county was organized in December 1867, with Norfolk as the first seat, but in 1875 Madison won the seat by six votes over Battle Creek, and later attempts to move it to Norfolk failed. Battle Creek takes its name from the Pawnee War of 1859, which ended there without a battle. Norwegian and Swedish settlers made Newman Grove the “Norwegian Capital of Nebraska.” The county has grown at every census since 1940.

Towns of Madison County

Cities and villages

Norfolk

City · Pop. 24,955 · ZIP 68701
US 81 · US 275 · NE 24 · NE 35

Madison County’s largest city (24,955), founded in 1866 where the North Fork meets the Elkhorn; Johnny Carson’s boyhood home and the eastern end of the Cowboy Trail.

Madison

City · County seat · Pop. 2,283 · ZIP 68748
US 81 · NE 32

Madison County seat (2,283), founded in 1867 where Taylor Creek meets Union Creek; it won the county seat by six votes in 1875.

Battle Creek

City · Pop. 1,194 · ZIP 68715
NE 121 · US 275 (2 mi north)

City of 1,194 on NE 121 west of Norfolk, named for the Pawnee War of 1859, in which no battle was fought; it lost the county seat to Madison by six votes.

Meadow Grove

Village · Pop. 287 · ZIP 68752
US 275

Village of 287 on US 275 and the Cowboy Trail in northwestern Madison County, named for a meadow and a cottonwood grove.

Newman Grove

City · Pop. 667 · ZIP 68758
NE 45 · NE 32 · NE 91 (3 mi south)

City of 667 on NE 45 and Shell Creek, the “Norwegian Capital of Nebraska,” named for young Newman Warren and his cottonwood grove.

Former towns and post office communities

Enola

Unincorporated community · post office 1906–1959
Rural roads between Madison and Norfolk

Rural community between Madison and Norfolk, its name Malone spelled backward without the M; post office 1906 to 1959.

Travel Corridors

US 81 runs north–south through Norfolk and past Madison toward Columbus. US 81 Corridor → US 275 crosses the north of the county through Norfolk and past Battle Creek, Meadow Grove and Tilden. US 275 Corridor → NE 32 runs east–west through Madison and near Newman Grove. Highway 32 Corridor → NE 121 links Battle Creek with US 275 and NE 32, NE 45 follows the west county line through Newman Grove to Tilden, and NE 24 and NE 35 leave Norfolk for Stanton and Wayne. The Cowboy Trail begins in Norfolk and heads west past Battle Creek and Meadow Grove.

Cameras: View Madison County cameras → · Road conditions: Nebraska 511

Things to See

Norfolk’s Elkhorn Valley Museum has the Johnny Carson Gallery and the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame, and Carson’s boyhood home stands at 306 S. 13th St. The county has 12 places on the National Register: nine in Norfolk, among them the Grand Theater, the Hotel Norfolk and the Carnegie Library; St. Leonard’s Catholic Church and the First United Presbyterian Church in Madison; and the Warrick House in Meadow Grove. The Madison County Historical Society Museum in Madison and the Norfolk Arts Center round out the list, with historical markers at Battle Creek and Meadow Grove.

Parks and Outdoors

The Cowboy Trail, planned to run 321 miles to Chadron, starts at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park in Norfolk, which has 18 RV pads with power ($26 a night in 2026), a dog park and disc golf. Skyview Park has a 50-acre fishing lake, an arboretum and 2½ miles of trail. State wildlife areas are Oak Valley (640 acres, south of Battle Creek) and Yellowbanks (664 acres, on the Elkhorn near Meadow Grove). There are also campgrounds at Madison and Newman Grove and golf at Norfolk, Madison, Battle Creek and Newman Grove.

Madison County Business Directory

Businesses within 20 miles of: Norfolk · Madison · Newman Grove · All listings →

Adjacent Counties

Pierce County (north) · Wayne County (northeast) · Stanton County (east) · Platte County (south) · Boone County (southwest) · Antelope County (northwest).

Events

Norfolk’s Great American Comedy Festival (June 17–20 in 2026), Battle Creek Fun Days (the third weekend of June), Norfolk’s Big Bang Boom at Skyview Lake (July 3–4 in 2026), the Madison County Fair & Rodeo in Madison (July 7–12 in 2026), Shell Creek Valley Days in Newman Grove and the Norfolk Oktoberfest (Sept. 18–19 in 2026).

Events in Madison County

Know of another event in the county? Tell us about it.

Madison County Cameras

View all Madison County cameras →

US-275 West of Norfolk
US-275 W of Norfolk: View 1
US-275 W of Norfolk: View 2
US-275 W of Norfolk: View 4
US-275 W of Norfolk: View 5
US-275 W of Norfolk: View 6

US-81 Near Norfolk
US-81 Near Norfolk: View 1
US-81 Near Norfolk: View 2
US-81 Near Norfolk: View 3
US-81 Near Norfolk: View 4

MADISON COUNTY WEATHER

Madison County at a Glance

Madison County, Nebraska — created in 1856, organized in 1867 and named for Madison, Wisconsin. County seat Madison; largest city Norfolk. Population 35,585 at the 2020 census, the highest yet, and about 36,100 in 2025; Nebraska’s seventh-most-populous county. 593 listings across 6 towns.

Norfolk, Johnny Carson’s boyhood home, is the eastern trailhead of the Cowboy Trail and a regional center for health care, education and shopping in northeast Nebraska.

Getting there: US 81 and US 275 cross at Norfolk; NE 32 serves Madison and Newman Grove, and NE 121 Battle Creek. Norfolk Regional Airport serves general aviation; the nearest airline service is outside the county. Central Time.

Born here: Thurl Ravenscroft and Joyce Ballantyne (Norfolk); author Armitage Trail (Madison). Johnny Carson grew up in Norfolk.

Vehicles registered in Madison County carry license plate number 7. See what every Nebraska county number means.

Madison County Businesses & Places

593 listings in Madison County.

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Eat & Drink (91)

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Stay (12)
Outdoors & Recreation (21)
Places to Visit (9)
Events & Venues (11)
Health & Emergency (79)

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Travel Services (1)
Shopping & Gifts (30)
Community & Faith (84)

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Government & Resources (61)

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Automotive (51)
Education (30)
Professional Services (27)
Agriculture & Farm (16)
Media (15)
Home Improvement & Repair (12)
Utilities (12)
Land & Property Services (12)
Personal Services (8)
Trades & Construction (5)
Manufacturing & Industrial (5)
Transportation (4)
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