Madison

Formed January 29, 1828 (24^th county)

Madison County (109,149), Canton (10,931), Madison (27,747)

The Modern red/tan brick building replaced a classier 1855 structure.  It is located on North Street between Union and Liberty streets.  United States Highway 51 is Liberty Street in the town.  Craig & Singleton provided the 1995 courthouse designs.  The old courthouse still houses the Chancery Court.  A County Administration was added in 2008 and a Justice Court in 2002.  Madison County was established on January 29, 1828 from Yazoo County as the 24^th county.  It is named for United States President James Madison.  The county seat is named for Canton, China.  Beattie’s Bluff (1828), Livingston (1829), Madisonville (1830), and Canton (1833) have all served as county seat. 

Madison County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Three Chancery Court Judges serve Madison, Holmes, Leake, and Yazoo counties, Three District Court Judges serve Madison and Rankin counties, and Two County Court Judges serve Madison County.  The county is in the middle of the state.  Jackson, Mississippi is directly southwest and Memphis, Tennessee is northwest of the county.  The county center is 4.4 miles North of Canton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Attala, Leake, Scott, Rankin, Hinds, Yazoo, and Holmes counties. 

The area of the county is 719 square miles.  It is 15 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 6 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 151.8 persons per square mile making it 8 out of 82 in the state.  Madison County has 60.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 55 travels north to south in the county from Holmes County to Hinds County.  United States Highway 49 clips the southwest corner from Yazoo County, west, to Hinds County, south.  United States Highway 51 parallels Interstate Highway 55 from Holmes to Hinds counties.  The county looks like an arrow pointing northeast.  Canton is south of center in the county.  Madison is near the southern border of the county.  Canton is the county seat and Madison is the largest city.  Canton is 10.0% of the county population while Madison is 25.4% of the county population.  This county is in the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.