Population 64,518 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.30 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Jefferson County is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.30, even as the national average fell. Only eight of Ohio's 88 counties have smaller households.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.4 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.8 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.2, Jefferson County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest. Jefferson County is older than at least four in five Ohio counties.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Jefferson County as they are nationally: 11.5%, against 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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.5% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Jefferson County own their homes; 29.5% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Just over half of owners (52.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Jefferson County than nationally: 12.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Jefferson County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Few Ohio counties have older homes: only two of 88.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $562 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $616 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $700 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $895 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$333 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in Jefferson County pays $895 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $333 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Jefferson County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.6%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.3 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.0% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.7% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jefferson County have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Ohio. The share with a diploma is up 5.0 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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Jefferson County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.35 | 44.2 | 11.5% | 29.5% | 12.4% | 1959 | $895 | 20.6% | 92.0% | 4.9% |
| Brooke County | 2.19 | 47.2 | 8.1% | 25.4% | 9.2% | 1964 | $696 | 23.4% | 93.4% | 6.3% |
| Hancock County | 2.22 | 45.3 | 10.2% | 25.5% | 9.4% | 1961 | $796 | 20.4% | 91.3% | 8.0% |
| Harrison County | 2.41 | 44.0 | 9.0% | 23.7% | 17.7% | 1967 | $874 | 11.5% | 90.2% | 4.3% |
| Washington County | 2.36 | 44.5 | 8.0% | 23.9% | 10.6% | 1969 | $1,098 | 33.9% | 94.6% | 4.8% |
| Allegheny County | 2.28 | 42.2 | 9.2% | 34.8% | 10.4% | 1961 | $1,305 | 46.6% | 95.5% | 5.0% |
| Tuscarawas County | 2.44 | 41.5 | 11.3% | 31.1% | 6.8% | 1969 | $911 | 19.8% | 88.1% | 4.2% |
| Westmoreland County | 2.26 | 47.1 | 8.1% | 21.6% | 8.4% | 1966 | $990 | 33.0% | 95.6% | 4.7% |
| Coshocton County | 2.55 | 42.3 | 12.9% | 27.1% | 9.8% | 1969 | $794 | 16.2% | 82.9% | 5.6% |
| Knox County | 2.63 | 40.7 | 9.4% | 24.5% | 10.5% | 1973 | $959 | 25.0% | 90.3% | 2.3% |
| Cambria County | 2.28 | 44.9 | 10.5% | 23.6% | 12.6% | 1958 | $774 | 24.3% | 93.1% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Effingham County, GA · Union County, OH · Tuolumne County, CA · Taney County, MO · Harrison County, WV · Grant County, IN · Georgetown County, SC · Franklin County, NC · Franklin County, MA · Fauquier County, VA
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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