The following is a list of Iowa State censuses that apply to Madison County. There were other censuses for other years and other counties that did not include Madison County.  Note that the records available for Madison County for the years 1849, 1851, and 1852 do not comply with the requirements listed below.

Special state census records in Iowa are available for 1849, 1851, 1852, 1854, 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 and 1925. The following lists the information collected in these state censuses.

1849 - Name of head of household, males under 10, females under 10, males 10 to 20, females 10 to 20, males 20 to 30, females 20 to 30, males 30 to 40, females 30 to 40, males 40 to 50, females 40 to 50, males 50 to 60, females 05 to 60, males 60 to 70, females 60 to 70, and totals.

1851 - Name of head of household, males under 5, females under 5, males 5 to 20, females 5 to 20, males over 21, females over 21, and totals

1852 - Name of the head of household, number of males, females, voters, militia members, and aliens.

1854 - Name of the head of household, number of males, females, colored males, colored females, voters, militia members, and aliens.

1856 - Name of each household member, age, sex, marital status, birthplace, occupation, if native voter, if subject to militia, whether owner of land and number of years residing in the state of Iowa

1885 - Name of each household member, age, color, marital status, occupation, address if in town or rural township (range and section), if born in Iowa (incl. county), whether parents were native or foreign born

1895 - Name of each household member, age, sex, birthplace, occupation, religious denomination, if served in military (incl. company and regiment), if subject to military service, whether or not entitled to vote.

1905 - This census is in alphabetical order on cards. A 1905 directory is available that lists by county and towns/townships the names of all family members and their post offices.

1915  - This census is in alphabetical order on cards. Gives name, age, county, town/township, occupation, total earnings, birthplace, if foreign born, if naturalized, years in Iowa and U.S., marital status.

1925 - Name of each household member, age, sex, marital status, relationship of all persons in household to head of household, ownership of home or farm, foreign born or naturalized, number of years in Iowa and U.S., highest grade completed in school, birthplace, name of father, his age and birthplace, name of mother, her age and birthplace, where parents were married, if served in military (incl. unit), occupation, and religious affiliation.