Population 12,774 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Jefferson County has 2.54 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in Montana as a whole, where it has 2.44 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.37, even as the national average fell.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.8 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.0 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.8 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.5 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Jefferson County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has dropped from 46.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.2% of households in Jefferson County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.8% of households in Jefferson County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 40.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Montana counties have a lower share of renters: only three of 56.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Jefferson County than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally. No other Montana county has 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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Jefferson County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $791 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $848 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,161 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,009 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$217 | +$487 | +$606 |
Rent in Jefferson County runs $1,009 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $217 a month since 2006–10, up 27%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the south.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.2% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.0% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Jefferson County (33.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southwest. Jefferson County has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of Montana counties.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Jefferson County: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Montana. The share with a diploma is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jefferson County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Still, the rate is higher than in Montana as a whole (3.7%). 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 | 2.54 | 45.5 | 6.2% | 15.8% | 6.6% | 1988 | $1,009 | 33.6% | 94.5% | 4.5% |
| Broadwater County | 2.79 | 46.0 | 5.1% | 12.2% | 12.8% | 1999 | $1,054 | 27.0% | 92.3% | 2.4% |
| Lewis and Clark County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 9.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,193 | 42.7% | 95.0% | 3.3% |
| Silver Bow County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 9.5% | 29.2% | 11.8% | 1961 | $1,016 | 28.5% | 94.3% | 3.9% |
| Powell County | 2.24 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 1965 | $840 | 20.0% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| Deer Lodge County | 2.05 | 47.8 | 6.9% | 27.0% | 16.7% | 1955 | $721 | 25.0% | 92.7% | 3.9% |
| Meagher County | 2.15 | 53.5 | 0.8% | 24.6% | 36.3% | 1974 | $1,244 | 30.7% | 91.9% | 0.3% |
| Granite County | 2.25 | 52.4 | 6.0% | 22.1% | 36.5% | 1981 | $678 | 33.6% | 93.9% | 3.7% |
| Ravalli County | 2.56 | 48.6 | 6.0% | 20.6% | 12.3% | 1988 | $1,131 | 29.0% | 93.4% | 3.0% |
| Wheatland County | 2.18 | 43.9 | 7.5% | 24.5% | 23.9% | 1959 | $849 | 23.3% | 93.6% | 0.8% |
| Sweet Grass County | 2.44 | 46.6 | 7.7% | 20.3% | 16.2% | 1979 | $1,218 | 24.4% | 97.4% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Deaf Smith County, TX · Emmons County, ND · Ellis County, OK · Edwards County, KS · Edmunds County, SD · Eddy County, ND · Douglas County, SD · Donley County, TX · Dolores County, CO · Doddridge County, WV
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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