Population 253,878 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Jefferson County average 2.60 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in Texas overall, where it has 2.83 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.7 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Jefferson County is 38.1 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The picture is much the same across Texas. The median age has crept up from 37.4 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Jefferson County: 17.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Jefferson County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Texas counties.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.3% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.9% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Jefferson County rent their homes (37.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 57.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.9% of the housing in Jefferson County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 1.3 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +8 | +6 |
The typical home in Jefferson County was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are older than in Texas as a whole, where the median home dates to 1992. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $741 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $772 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $903 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,212 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$471 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Jefferson County costs $1,212 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $471 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 31.7% of the typical renter's income, 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.3% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.2% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Jefferson County: 20.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.0% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.2% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Jefferson County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Texas. The share with a diploma has risen 3.0 points since 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Jefferson County than nationally: unemployment was 6.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.60 | 38.1 | 17.1% | 37.5% | 13.9% | 1980 | $1,212 | 20.2% | 85.2% | 6.1% |
| Orange County | 2.67 | 39.1 | 12.3% | 24.8% | 13.9% | 1985 | $1,194 | 18.6% | 90.8% | 5.9% |
| Cameron Parish | 2.50 | 43.9 | 12.8% | 4.6% | 36.6% | 2002 | $1,364 | 15.7% | 90.4% | 2.1% |
| Liberty County | 3.43 | 32.3 | 13.3% | 17.7% | 14.3% | 1999 | $1,063 | 11.0% | 73.5% | 6.8% |
| Waller County | 3.05 | 34.3 | 13.1% | 28.0% | 10.8% | 1999 | $1,511 | 28.8% | 86.5% | 6.5% |
| Vermilion Parish | 2.69 | 39.8 | 16.0% | 26.6% | 16.1% | 1985 | $868 | 18.5% | 83.7% | 4.9% |
| Lafayette Parish | 2.54 | 38.8 | 14.2% | 34.5% | 12.4% | 1991 | $1,092 | 36.8% | 90.0% | 4.6% |
| Iberia Parish | 2.87 | 39.8 | 20.6% | 32.7% | 17.3% | 1982 | $996 | 17.6% | 82.3% | 7.6% |
| Washington County | 2.27 | 42.6 | 8.8% | 30.2% | 12.7% | 1987 | $1,192 | 30.7% | 90.5% | 3.1% |
| Assumption Parish | 2.29 | 43.5 | 11.8% | 15.2% | 11.6% | 1984 | $816 | 13.8% | 79.8% | 5.8% |
| Bastrop County | 2.98 | 37.5 | 9.6% | 23.5% | 7.8% | 1997 | $1,439 | 24.2% | 79.6% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Galveston County, TX · San Juan Municipio, PR · Rutherford County, TN · Rockland County, NY · Rockingham County, NH · Richmond County, GA · Richmond City, VA · Howard County, MD · Henrico County, VA · Hamilton County, IN
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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