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Living in
Jefferson.
About
Life in Jefferson
Living in Jefferson means you're getting a genuinely affordable small city that's growing fast without losing its character. With a median home value around $377,000 and median household income near $110,000, housing is reasonable compared to Atlanta (55 miles away via I-85), and the job market is solid at 2.9% unemployment—though many residents do commute to bigger cities for work, averaging about 35 minutes. The city itself is growing rapidly, ranked as the fastest-growing micropolitan area in the US from 2020-2023, so you'll see new development, families moving in, and a younger demographic (median age 34.5) that keeps things energetic without feeling overly crowded yet.
Jefferson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
7.0%
Broadband Internet
93.1%
of households
Population Growth
+29.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.0% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in Jefferson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Jefferson, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (23.1%), and 6.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.4%
of residents
65 and Older
11.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
46.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.0%
of households
Married Couples
69.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% below GA average
Rent, home values, and income in Jefferson
In Jefferson, rent runs 23% below the GA average, and home values are 24% above the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,491
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2005
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $411,731 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below GA average
Unemployment in Jefferson
Unemployment in Jackson County, which includes Jefferson, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the GA average.
Unemployment rate
Jefferson: Jackson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jackson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Jefferson Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute33.9 min avg
How Jefferson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Jefferson, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 59 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 93% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Jefferson runs 93% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
23.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
380.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Jefferson Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
41.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jackson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jackson County, which includes Jefferson, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $19,000 |
| 2024 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $132,000 |
| 2022 | 4 | Winter Weather | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $47,000 |
| 2018 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $56,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jackson County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hall County, GA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Jefferson) is typically good — 210 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
210
per year
Moderate Days
154
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Hall County, GA (18 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Jefferson has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
60
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 4.83" |
| Feb | 56°F | 34°F | 4.79" |
| Mar | 65°F | 40°F | 4.84" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 4.09" |
| May | 80°F | 57°F | 3.84" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.70" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 3.84" |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 4.49" |
| Sep | 83°F | 62°F | 3.84" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.78" |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 4.07" |
| Dec | 55°F | 33°F | 4.99" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Jefferson
Uninsured
8.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Jefferson's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Ngmc Barrow, Llc
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.9 mi away · Winder
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Jefferson
Jefferson's student/teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Jefferson
Jefferson has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
41 mi awayMartin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
51 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
58 mi awayOcmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
90 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Jefferson
Regional Office/Outreach Services
990 Washington St, Jefferson
Jefferson Public Library
1000 Washington Street, Jefferson
Cities Near Jefferson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Jefferson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Jefferson FAQ
Is Jefferson, Georgia affordable?⌄
Jefferson's median rent is $1,074/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $109,828/year. Median home value is $377,300.
Is Jefferson, Georgia safe?⌄
Jefferson's violent crime rate was 23 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 381 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Jefferson, Georgia?⌄
Jackson County, which includes Jefferson, has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Jefferson, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Jefferson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,074/month and median household income is $109,828/year. The median home value is $377,300. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Jefferson, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Jefferson is 34 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from