Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Jefferson Township's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades C, 813th of 987 graded towns in Ohio. Its weakest subject is health: CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 87% of the country. Only 121 of Ohio’s 1,560 towns score higher on civic life. 19% of working residents work locally in Jefferson Township, against 6.8% in Ohio’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 80% of U.S. towns.
Where Jefferson Township beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Jefferson Township is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for hazard risk (better than 95% of comparable towns) to D for health (better than 13%), so the C overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 439 in 1850, 3,226 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1901 and 3 maps from 1905 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jefferson Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Jefferson Township.
44% of Jefferson Township adults have obesity. Jefferson Township beats the Ohio average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 15% of Jefferson Township adults have diabetes.
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 28% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Jefferson Township | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.2% | 8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.8% | 7.1% |
| More smokers | 18.5% | 15.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Jefferson Area Local school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus, with 599 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 654 | B− |
| Ashtabula County Technical and Career CampusLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 599 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Jefferson Township.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Dorset weather station, 7 miles away, records that 90 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Jefferson Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Jefferson Township is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Adults 35 to 64 are 30% of residents (38% statewide); people 65 and older are 25% of residents (18% statewide). 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Ohio. Jefferson Township’s median age is 43.7 years.
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 24% | 29% |
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.4 points. Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Jefferson Township | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.3% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.5% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.6% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.6% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.4% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.8% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.1% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.7% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.5% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The top destinations are Jefferson (13%), Ashtabula (10%) and Geneva (4%). Half commute less than 12 miles. 7.2% of residents live below the poverty line in Jefferson Township.
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Giddings Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Jefferson Township
About 4 of every 100 Jefferson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Village in Ohio, United States
Jefferson is a village in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 3,226 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan Area, 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Cleveland. Modern-day Jefferson sports the world's only perambulator museum and a historical complex including several restored 19th-century buildings. Joshua Giddings' law office has also been restored as a museum. Annual village events include the Ashtabula County Fair, the Strawberry Festival, Jefferson Days, and the Covered Bridge Festival.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Jefferson Township.
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Township | #813 | C | B | — | B− | D |
| Austinburg Township | — | — | B | — | B− | C |
| Plymouth Township | — | — | B | — | C | D− |
| Denmark Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lenox Township | — | — | A− | — | B− | D |
Austinburg Township, Plymouth Township and Lenox Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Jefferson Township, Austinburg Township, Plymouth Township and Lenox Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Denmark Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Jefferson Township with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Jefferson Township grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #813 of 987 in Ohio. It grades D for health and B− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.