Madison County, Iowa
4 ZIP codes · Avg score 61/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
Covering 4 ZIP codes, Madison County falls in the average tier for tap water safety — violations appear in a meaningful share of areas, and the data suggests quality depends heavily on which specific part of the county a household sits in.
How Madison County Compares
How Madison County Compares
Madison County scores 2 points above the Iowa state average (59/100) and 7 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12.7 (asthma 9.8%, diabetes 10.5%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $520, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.412% avg pipe failure probability, 25% of ZIPs at high risk
60.8% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $520
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
5,615 housing units in Madison County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Madison County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Madison County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Madison County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 4 systems in Madison County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRURO WATERWORKS | 525 | 4 |
| 2 | Xenia Rwd (des Moines) | 12,860 | 0 |
| 3 | Earlham Municipal Waterworks | 1,446 | 0 |
| 4 | Winterset Municipal Waterworks | 5,428 | 0 |
All ZIP Codes in Madison County
4 ZIP codes tracked in Madison County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50072 | Earlham | 70 | B | 0 | $299K |
| 2 | 50273 | Winterset | 70 | B | 0 | $216K |
| 3 | 50257 | Truro | 64 | C | 4 | $218K |
| 4 | 50222 | Peru | 40 | D | 0 | $234K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Madison County
Filtered against EPA monitoring data and CDC lead-exposure guidance, the guides below skip the generic catalog and connect directly to the contaminants and hazards on file here.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 60.8% of homes built before 1978
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
Overview
Madison County in Iowa covers 4 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (61/100).
1 of 4 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
← Back to Iowa water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.