Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 17,185, settled in 1800. Public schools that outperform most of Georgia.
Trash & recyclingBecause it does well by almost any measure. Jefferson earns an A+, ranked 3rd of 258 in Georgia. Its public schools beat 96% of Georgia towns on state tests and graduation, it reports less crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns, and the median household earns $110K. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. Jefferson has 5 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Jackson County Courthouse and Holder Plantation. Jefferson's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 88% of U.S. towns. Among 149 Georgia towns, just 6 have a lower violent crime rate than Jefferson.
Where Jefferson beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Elementary School | PK–2 | 1,011 |
| Jefferson Academy | 3–5 | 935 |
| Jefferson Middle School | 6–8 | 1,009 |
Its founding year, 1800, comes before those of 96% of the Georgia towns we grade with a known year.
Census counts: 419 in 1880, 13,233 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1936 and 3 maps from 1891 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Jefferson is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jefferson, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Jefferson.
Jefferson has schools in the top 5% of Georgia, draws workers from Athens and beyond and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Georgia.
Its A+ ranks #3 of the 260 Georgia towns we grade for schools.
Its public schools are run by the Jefferson City school district. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Jefferson High School, with 1,339 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 1,011 | – |
| Jefferson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,339 | A |
| Jefferson AcademyTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 935 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
13,593 jobs are based in Jefferson, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 5,889 in 2013 to 13,593.
Most working residents leave Jefferson for work: only 15% work in town. At 34 minutes, Jefferson’s average trip to work is above both the Georgia town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 5.6% of residents live below the poverty line in Jefferson.
| Jefferson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $110,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 15% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reported crimes fell from 111 to 70 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 4 reported in 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 residents.
At 3.8 per 1,000 residents, Jefferson’s property crime rate is below both Georgia’s towns (14.7) and U.S. towns (9.9).
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 84% of U.S. communities. Since 2014, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Jefferson.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 7,157 U.S. towns with household incomes like Jefferson’s, it is healthier than 58%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
Jefferson beats the Georgia average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 18% of Jefferson adults binge drink.
| Jefferson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 14% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 23% | 19% |
| What stands out | Jefferson | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.5% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12% | 17.7% |
| More binge drinkers | 17.9% | 14.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Jefferson home is worth about $412,000, down 1.7% in a year, 25% above the Georgia typical home.
| Jefferson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,074 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Commerce 4 Nnw weather station, 11 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 222 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 77% of Georgia places with climate records. The Commerce 4 Nnw weather station, 11 miles away, records that about 45 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 81% of Georgia places with climate records.
Jefferson has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Jefferson’s July high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
4.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Jefferson Parks and Recreation Department, at 27 acres.
| Jefferson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.7% | 2.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jefferson Parks and Recreation Department | 0.1 mi | 27 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Children under 18 are 30% of residents (23% statewide). Jefferson has grown 29% since 2020, to 17,185 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. The median age in Jefferson is 35.6 years.
| Jefferson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 29% | 24% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 11% | 15% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 35.6 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.8 points. Across Georgia, 51.2% of residents are women. Median age: women 37.7, men 33.2.
| Jefferson | GA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.9% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 18.6% | 11.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.9% | 12.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.6% | 12.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.8% | 9.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.6% | 5.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.2% | 10.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.1% | 26.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.6% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.9% | 21.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14% | 13.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jefferson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw21 mi LakeLake Lanier
Big draw39 mi MountainStone Mountain
18 mi Stadium & arenaSanford Stadium
30 mi MountainCurrahee Mountain
30 mi Stadium & arenaGas South Arena37 mi Theme parkNetherworld Haunted HouseLake Lanier: http://www.terraprints.com, CC BY 2.5 · Stone Mountain: KyleAndMelissa22, Public domain · Sanford Stadium: The original uploader was Clio64 at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Currahee Mountain: Wikilackey (talk), Public domain · Gas South Arena: fr:File:ArenaatGwinnettCenterSat.png : fr:User:Betp (26 janvier 2008 à 20:19), Public domain
None within 15 miles of Jefferson; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Jefferson residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Georgia.
9,432 counted in 2010 and 13,233 in 2020; an estimated 17,185 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 29.4% since 2020, after 40.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
5 places in Jefferson on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Jefferson.
City in Georgia, United States
Jefferson is a city and the county seat of Jackson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2020 census, up from 9,432 at the 2010 census. As of 2024 the estimated population was 16,459.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Jefferson.
| Town | GA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | #3 | A+ | B− | A | A+ | A− |
| Pendergrass | — | — | C | A− | A− | B+ |
| Arcade | — | — | A | C+ | A− | C+ |
Pendergrass and Arcade have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Jefferson with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Jefferson grades A+ overall, better than 98% of U.S. towns and #3 of 258 in Georgia. It grades A− for health, A for safety and A+ for schools.
That is 4.6 years of the area's median household income ($89,544 across the Jefferson, GA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
