Population 86,003 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Jefferson County run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Wisconsin as a whole looks much the same. Household size has dropped from 2.55 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.4 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Jefferson County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 38.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the east.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Jefferson County than nationally: 8.8%, 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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Jefferson County own their homes; 26.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 37.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.3 points, even as the national share rose.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Jefferson County: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Jefferson County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Wisconsin counties.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Jefferson County leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $773 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $811 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $881 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,074 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$301 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Jefferson County pays $1,074 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $301 a month since 2006–10, up 39%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the north.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.9% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Jefferson County than nationally: 28.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jefferson County have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Wisconsin. The share with a diploma is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jefferson County runs below the national rate: 3.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.41 | 42.1 | 8.8% | 26.9% | 6.3% | 1974 | $1,074 | 28.9% | 92.3% | 3.6% |
| Waukesha County | 2.49 | 44.2 | 6.5% | 24.0% | 5.2% | 1981 | $1,484 | 49.2% | 97.2% | 2.3% |
| Dane County | 2.29 | 37.9 | 8.0% | 42.9% | 5.0% | 1985 | $1,441 | 55.4% | 95.3% | 2.5% |
| Milwaukee County | 2.43 | 36.6 | 15.9% | 50.1% | 8.7% | 1958 | $1,176 | 34.0% | 88.9% | 5.1% |
| Iowa County | 2.35 | 44.2 | 7.5% | 22.6% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,006 | 28.5% | 94.9% | 3.0% |
| Crawford County | 2.29 | 47.5 | 8.3% | 22.8% | 19.4% | 1977 | $809 | 18.7% | 92.7% | 3.0% |
| Ottawa County | 2.68 | 38.3 | 8.0% | 20.7% | 6.2% | 1987 | $1,285 | 40.0% | 93.8% | 3.4% |
| Kent County | 2.63 | 37.4 | 10.6% | 29.7% | 5.8% | 1976 | $1,388 | 40.7% | 92.0% | 4.1% |
| Chickasaw County | 2.36 | 43.1 | 7.5% | 19.1% | 9.6% | 1966 | $717 | 21.3% | 93.7% | 1.7% |
| Ionia County | 2.69 | 39.8 | 11.0% | 22.7% | 7.1% | 1969 | $941 | 18.6% | 90.8% | 3.8% |
| Floyd County | 2.37 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 23.4% | 11.9% | 1953 | $738 | 18.1% | 95.4% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Grays Harbor County, WA · St. Croix County, WI · St. Clair County, AL · Polk County, OR · Ozaukee County, WI · Lauderdale County, AL · Josephine County, OR · James City County, VA · Guaynabo Municipio, PR · Steuben County, NY
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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