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Florida County
Madison County, Florida
North Florida's agricultural crossroads and the Withlacoochee River springs - from Madison's courthouse anchoring a classic North Florida county seat to the Suwannee River State Park at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee rivers (one of North Florida's most scenic and historically significant river confluences), and a small agricultural county on the I-10 corridor between Tallahassee and the Georgia border where cattle ranching, tobacco heritage, and timber define a genuinely rural North Florida community.
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Office: Madison County Emergency Management – (850) 973-3471 | madisoncountyfl.gov
Alert System: Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Madison school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: North Florida county on the Georgia border; Madison is county seat; hurricane risk (inland – significant wind damage from panhandle/north Florida storms; Idalia 2023 caused wind damage); flooding (Suwannee River; Withlacoochee River; Alapaha River); severe thunderstorms; wildfire risk; very rural agricultural county; Greenville (birthplace of Ray Charles)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Madison County Roads – (850) 973-3471
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent
Notes: I-10 (east-west through Madison – the primary corridor; the I-10 truck stop and travel plaza economy is significant for a county of Madison’s size); US-90 (old route paralleling I-10); SR-53 (north to Valdosta, Georgia); Tallahassee is about 50 miles west on I-10; Lake City is about 40 miles east on I-10; Madison is a small county seat with a beautiful historic courthouse
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Madison County Building – (850) 973-3471
Services: Basic county permits; Madison (separate), Greenville, Lee, Pinetta small communities
Office: Madison County Veterans Services – (850) 973-3471
VA Medical: Tallahassee VA CBOC (about 50 miles west via I-10 – good access)
Notes: Tallahassee CBOC accessible via I-10; small rural veteran population; agricultural community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Madison County Public Library – (850) 973-6744 | nls.lib.fl.us
Address: Madison
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Ray Charles heritage; north Florida agricultural history; Suwannee River heritage
Notes: Single library; Ray Charles Robinson (born in Greenville, Madison County, 1930 – one of the greatest musicians in American history; the “Genius of Soul”; his childhood in Greenville and his move to Jacksonville as a young musician are the foundation of his extraordinary story; Greenville maintains a commemorative connection to Ray Charles); Madison’s beautiful antebellum courthouse and Victorian downtown are significant local heritage topics
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Suwannee River (excellent fishing and paddling; the river forms the county’s western boundary); Blue Spring (Madison County – a lovely spring with swimming); Withlacoochee River (tributary connections); Madison’s historic downtown and courthouse (beautiful antebellum architecture; the Madison County Courthouse is one of north Florida’s finest historic courthouse buildings); Ray Charles memorial (Greenville – the late musician’s hometown honors him with a small memorial)
Notes: Madison County’s natural assets are primarily the Suwannee River and surrounding farmland; the county’s most famous son (Ray Charles) was born in Greenville in 1930 and grew up in poverty; he began losing his sight at age 4 and was completely blind by 7; he moved to Jacksonville and then to Seattle to pursue his music career; his music (combining gospel, R&B, blues, and country) created a new form of American music; Madison County’s simple agricultural landscape gave rise to one of America’s greatest artists
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; SRWMD Suwannee River maps; Florida DEP; I-10 corridor maps
Notes: Minimal county GIS; SRWMD maintains the primary river management maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Madison County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Agricultural county; cattle; white-tailed deer; wild turkey; Florida black bears; Suwannee River wildlife (alligators; otters; wading birds)
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Madison County – limited; transfer stations
Environmental: Florida DEP; Suwannee River Water Management District; Withlacoochee River watershed; agricultural nonpoint source management; springs protection
Notes: Agricultural runoff management (cattle and crop farming contribute nutrients to the Suwannee River watershed); springs protection for the Blue Spring and Suwannee River spring systems; I-10 corridor stormwater management; limited development means relatively light environmental demands
About Madison County
Madison County is one of North Florida’s most rural counties – a cattle and timber community on the Georgia border where the I-10 corridor provides the primary economic connection to Tallahassee (50 miles west) and the broader Panhandle economy.
Madison (the county seat, population ~3,000) is a quiet North Florida courthouse town with a historic downtown square and a community character shaped by agricultural heritage and a modest local economy. North Florida Community College serves the county’s higher education needs.
The Suwannee River State Park – at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee rivers near the Suwannee County border – provides one of North Florida’s most dramatic river overlooks. Civil War-era earthworks built to defend the river crossing are preserved within the park.
Greenville – a small community in the county – is the birthplace of Ray Charles, born Ray Charles Robinson in 1930. A historical marker commemorates the birthplace of one of American music’s most transformative figures.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Madison County Property Appraiser at 229 SW Pinckney Street, Room 101, Madison, FL 32340, phone 850-973-6133, assesses at just value. No FL estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Madison County Clerk of Court at 125 SW Range Avenue, Madison, FL 32340, phone 850-973-1500, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
125 SW Range Ave., Madison, FL 32340
(850) 973-1500
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Madison County Clerk of Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
Madison County Genealogical Society – a member society of the Florida State Genealogical Society.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Madison County Clerk of Court, Probate Division 125 SW Range Avenue, P.O. Box 237, Madison, FL 32340 (850) 973-1500 / (850) 973-6221 Madison County sits in Florida’s 3rd Judicial Circuit.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
150 SW Range Ave., Madison, FL 32340
(850) 973-4151
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
125 SW Range Ave., Madison, FL 32340
(850) 973-6590
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Madison
912 SW Pinckney St., Madison, FL 32340
(850) 973-5000
FL DCF — Madison
(850) 973-2700
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Madison County – (850) 973-5000 | madison.floridahealth.gov
Hospital: Madison County Memorial Hospital (Madison – small critical access hospital); Tallahassee Memorial for most care
Notes: Small critical access hospital; Tallahassee for specialty care; behavioral health in isolated rural community; agricultural worker health
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Madison
Population: 18,000
Area: 692 sq mi
Established: 1827
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Madison County residents.
