Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Jefferson’s best subject grades are an A− for health and an A for history; its weakest is a D for hazard risk. Jefferson’s median age is 58 years, where New Hampshire’s towns sit at 44.8 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Only 15 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns score lower on incomes. 38% of the land in Jefferson is conserved, above both New Hampshire’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 16 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns score lower on the outdoors. The biggest park or preserve is Randolph Community Forest, at 1,308 acres. Jefferson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Jefferson beats most towns.
Census counts: 112 in 1800, 1,043 in 2020. The archive holds 37 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 4 maps from 1893 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), 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 19, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Jefferson.
32 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Among 127 New Hampshire towns, just 9 have a lower trail density than Jefferson.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pondicherry Division of Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge | 7.3 mi | 3,973 |
| 2. Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge | — | 3,973 |
| 3. Randolph Community Forest | — | 1,308 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heartwood Public Charter SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 89 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests and graduation
30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Jefferson.
| Jefferson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Jefferson | NH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 76.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 90.7% | 88.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.7% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Jefferson for work: only 7% work in town. Jefferson’s average trip to work is 35 minutes. Among 127 New Hampshire towns, just 10 have a lower median household income than Jefferson.
| Jefferson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $103,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.5% | 10% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 6.8% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median rent in Jefferson is $867 a month. The typical Jefferson home is worth about $345,000, about the same as a year ago, 32% below the New Hampshire typical home. 91% of Jefferson households own their home.
| Jefferson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 82% | 73% |
| Median rent | $867 a month | $1,388 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Among 127 New Hampshire towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Jefferson. Jefferson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jefferson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi MountainMount Washington
in town Theme parkSanta's Village
21 mi National forestWhite Mountain National Forest
20 mi Ski areaCannon Mountain104 runs · 2,201 ft vertical
39 mi LakeLake Willoughby10 mi Ski areaBretton Woods Ski Area90 runs · 1,395 ft verticalMount Washington: wwoods, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa's Village: Alex McLeod, CC BY-SA 2.0 · White Mountain National Forest: Ken Gallager at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Cannon Mountain: Mikespenard at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Willoughby: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of Jefferson; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Jefferson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Hampshire.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in New Hampshire, United States
Jefferson is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,043 at the 2020 census. It is home to parts of the White Mountain National Forest in the south and northeast and to Santa's Village, a Christmas-themed amusement park. There are also several private campgrounds, motels and inns. Jefferson is part of the Berlin, New Hampshire-Vermont Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
2 notable people were born here, including Thaddeus S. C. Lowe and Harris M. Plaisted.
