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Alabama›Jefferson County
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West JeffersonAL

A town of 482.

Population
482
2025 Census estimate · +15.6% since 2020
Typical home
$152K
−0.3% in a year
Household income
$41K
median
Median age
39.1
years
Jobs based here
37
A commuter town

Is West Jefferson a good place to live?

8.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in West Jefferson, below both the Alabama town median (23%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). West Jefferson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

482 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Dora · 4 miSumiton · 5 miGraysville · 6 miAdamsville · 6 miCardiff · 7 miMaytown · 9 mi
AdamsvilleBirminghamAdamsvilleBirminghamWest Jefferson
Nearby attractions

Legion Field and 19 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Jefferson. Close and well known come first.

All 28 attractions →
16 mi Stadium & arenaLegion Field17 mi Stadium & arenaProtective Stadium19 mi LakeLewis Smith Lake18 mi MuseumSloss Furnaces17 mi Stadium & arenaLegacy Arena20 mi Theme parkAlabama Adventure & Splash Adventure
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Legion Field: USGS, Public domain · Protective Stadium: Unknown, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sloss Furnaces: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Legacy Arena: AuburnShuffle, CC0

Getting set up

Moving to West Jefferson: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in West Jefferson, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of West Jefferson Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have West Jefferson’s trash rules yet
SchoolsJefferson County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereJefferson - Bessemer County Circuit ClerkJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes35130, 3506235130 88% · 35062 12%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in West Jefferson.

Housing

A typical West Jefferson home is worth about $152K

The typical West Jefferson home is worth about $152,000, about the same as a year ago, 36% below the Alabama typical home. 91% of West Jefferson households own their home, against 69% in Alabama’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.

$152KZillow home value

Typical home value

West Jefferson$152K
Alabama$239K
−0.3%
value change, 1 year
Full pageWest Jefferson’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsAbout the same as a year agoYears of income to buyA typical home costs 3.7 years of incomeRents$750 a month · Median rentVs. the neighbors2 bordering towns

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Schools

The schools West Jefferson’s kids attend

Its public schools are run by the Jefferson County school district. Its one school is below.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
West Jefferson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5111C+
Full pageWest Jefferson’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsJefferson CountyVs. the neighbors2 bordering townsEvery school1 school · West Jefferson Elementary SchoolQuestions“Are West Jefferson’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts

Work & commute

Most of West Jefferson’s workers commute out: the town has 0.3 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave West Jefferson for work: only 2% work in town. Jobs based in West Jefferson fell to 37 in 2023, 40 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in West Jefferson is 28 minutes.

2%work in town
West JeffersonAlabama townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town1.5%10%8%
Average trip to work28 minutes25 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line13%16%9.6%

Where working residents work

In West Jefferson2%
Birmingham25%
Bessemer8%
Hoover6%
Hueytown5%
19 mi
median commute distance
37
jobs based in West Jefferson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Full pageWest Jefferson’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here37 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work2% work in West JeffersonCommute times28 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 19 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazards

Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in West Jefferson

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.

68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
68High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
Full pageWest Jefferson’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesHigh riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters36 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready4.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

West Jefferson has mild winters and hot summers

West Jefferson has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. West Jefferson’s July high is 91°F.

1″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter35–57°
Spring50–75°
Summer69–90°
Fall52–76°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 23
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageWest Jefferson’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 33°Rain & snow1″ of snow a winter · 56 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

West Jefferson stands out in Alabama and nationally, with more of its adults who have been diagnosed with depression

27% of West Jefferson adults have been diagnosed with depression. West Jefferson beats the Alabama average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 42% of West Jefferson adults have high blood pressure.

West JeffersonAlabama townsU.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)38%36%33%
Depression (CDC PLACES)27%24%23%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)19%16%14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)34%40%36%
32 measures vs. Alabama
2 better25 too close to call5 worse
What stands outWest JeffersonAL
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off8.2%9.6%
Fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours33.8%39.1%
More adults with COPD10.1%8%
Princeton Baptist Medical Center
16.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
Full pageWest Jefferson’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby16.4 miles to an ER · Princeton Baptist Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than AL on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about West Jefferson

16pages on West Jefferson
The big questions
Schools1 schoolHealthBetter than AL on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of living$152K typical home · down 0.3% in a yearWork & commute$41K median household income · 37 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 68% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
PlacesAttractions28 nearby · Legion Field 16 miLibraryGraysville Public LibraryColleges
The story
Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 80 residentsClimate91° summer highs · 1″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of West Jefferson; the nearest are

Miles CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Fairfield15.2 mi$13,314 tuitionBevill State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Jasper17.2 mi$4,734 in-state tuitionUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity or college · Public · Birmingham18.1 mi$9,098 in-state tuition

About 2 of every 100 West Jefferson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

98% of working residents leave West Jefferson for work

Where West Jefferson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

25% → Birmingham Birmingham 25% 8% → Bessemer Bessemer 8% 6% → Hoover Hoover 6% 5% → Hueytown Hueytown 5% 5% → Homewood Homewood 5% 3% → Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa 3% West Jefferson · 2% stay
37jobs based in West Jefferson
2%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About West Jefferson

Town in Alabama, United States

Official town website ↗

West Jefferson is a town in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in October 1964. As of the 2020 census, West Jefferson had a population of 417.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.9 sq mi
Elevation
410 ft
Area code
205

Questions about West Jefferson

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is West Jefferson, AL a good place to live?

West Jefferson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.