Population 229,458 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.52 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.46 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Jefferson County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider St. Louis area, where it has 2.46 people. Household size has edged down from 2.71 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 38.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 39.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 40.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Jefferson County are younger than 41.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.6, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Jefferson County (11.1%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Missouri counties, Jefferson County has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Jefferson County
Renters in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 28.3% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.2% | 30.1% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.6% | 31.1% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 29.6% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Jefferson County is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 34.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.7 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.1% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 10.1% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Jefferson County than nationally: 6.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, as it has nationally. Of Missouri's 115 counties, only six have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Jefferson County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $744 | $825 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $811 | $920 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $912 | $1,010 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,089 | $1,239 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$346 | +$414 | +$383 | +$606 |
Rent in Jefferson County runs $1,089 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $346 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Among Missouri's 115 counties, though, only nine have higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Jefferson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 30.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 32.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.7% | 34.9% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.1% | 38.5% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Jefferson County: 25.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.8 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.6% | 88.8% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 90.5% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.2% | 92.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.2% | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jefferson County have finished high school (92.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the St. Louis area. The share with a diploma is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Jefferson County has been strong: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Jefferson County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 2.62 | 41.0 | 11.1% | 17.8% | 6.9% | 1987 | $1,089 | 25.1% | 92.2% | 3.2% |
| Monroe County | 2.53 | 43.6 | 6.8% | 15.3% | 6.8% | 1987 | $1,048 | 38.4% | 96.0% | 1.9% |
| Franklin County | 2.46 | 41.8 | 10.7% | 23.5% | 8.0% | 1983 | $947 | 23.7% | 90.5% | 4.3% |
| Gasconade County | 2.42 | 46.0 | 10.1% | 19.1% | 18.7% | 1976 | $797 | 17.3% | 90.4% | 3.1% |
| Washington County | 2.32 | 45.4 | 10.0% | 15.9% | 9.4% | 1972 | $840 | 23.4% | 93.1% | 4.3% |
| Osage County | 2.54 | 40.9 | 6.5% | 20.6% | 20.9% | 1982 | $700 | 24.8% | 90.9% | 1.9% |
| Jefferson County | 2.42 | 42.4 | 12.5% | 28.3% | 11.6% | 1978 | $887 | 18.4% | 92.6% | 5.8% |
| Miller County | 2.62 | 41.6 | 9.9% | 26.1% | 17.1% | 1986 | $751 | 19.7% | 88.3% | 5.2% |
| Wayne County | 2.37 | 42.5 | 8.6% | 21.6% | 10.3% | 1976 | $704 | 16.1% | 89.1% | 3.5% |
| Morgan County | 2.53 | 44.4 | 5.0% | 20.3% | 29.9% | 1982 | $794 | 16.3% | 79.6% | 3.2% |
| Edwards County | 2.30 | 45.3 | 9.6% | 20.7% | 11.6% | 1969 | $704 | 14.2% | 92.0% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cumberland County, ME · Ottawa County, MI · Onslow County, NC · Montgomery County, AL · Hinds County, MS · Erie County, PA · Elkhart County, IN · Durham County, NC · Dauphin County, PA · Cumberland County, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Jefferson County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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