Clear Fork @ Gatton Rock, 2012
Jefferson Township’s story
Jefferson Township in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 4 maps from 1915 on.
Explore the history →
Jefferson TownshipRichland County, OH
The town, home to 4,986 people, lies in Ohio.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
4,986
2025 Census estimate · +1.7% since 2020
Median home value
$217K
Census ACS
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
51.0
years
Jobs based here
954
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#611 of 987 in OH
Is Jefferson Township a good place to live?
Jefferson Township’s weakest is walkability (D). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. The town’s overall grade is B−, better than 49% of U.S. towns. That places it 611th of 987 in Ohio. Where it does best is schools (B+): its schools rank ahead of 69% of Ohio towns. It also does well on cost of living: a typical home costs about $217K, 3.6 years of the Mansfield metro’s $60K median household income. Jefferson Township's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 81% of U.S. towns. Its age of the median resident is 51 years, where Ohio’s towns sit at 41.7 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24.
What makes Jefferson Township stand out
Where Jefferson Township beats most towns.
0historic places
HistoryA−
0 historic places
A long history
Listed for their history, architecture or both.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Jefferson Township5.5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical OH town3.9
Civic lifeA−
43% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Ohio town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Jefferson Township for work
Where Jefferson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
954jobs based in Jefferson Township
10%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Jefferson Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Jefferson Township is from typical.
Its best grade is an A− for history, which describes the town but isn’t part of the overall grade; its B− comes from the livability subjects above.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SchoolsSchools do better than mostB+Open →Cost of livingBetter than most of the towns comparedB+Open →HealthOhiohealth Mansfield Hospital 11.4 miles awayC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$72K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsDOpen →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageA−Open →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Jefferson Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jefferson Township, and how to reach them.
PowerOhio Edison16.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBellville Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Jefferson Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDirector, Richland County Board of ElectionsRichland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2020
ZIP codes44813, 4482244813 98% · 44822 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Jefferson Township.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Jefferson Township’s workers commute out
The top destinations are Mansfield (19%), Columbus (8%) and Bellville (7%). Most people who work leave Jefferson Township to do it: just 10% work in town. Since 2013, Jefferson Township has added 81 jobs, to 954 in 2023. For Jefferson Township, the mean commuting time is 27 minutes.
10%work in town
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Jefferson Township10%
Mansfield19%
Columbus8%
Bellville7%
Mount Vernon5%
15 mi
median commute distance
954
jobs based in Jefferson Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 12% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
For schools, Jefferson Township earns a B+
The Clear Fork Valley Local school district runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Clear Fork High School, with 412 students. Of its 3 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason.
69%of OH districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellville Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 400 | B+ |
| Clear Fork High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 412 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Jefferson Township
In July, afternoons reach 83°; in January, nights fall to 18°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–37°
Spring38–60°
Summer59–81°
Fall41–63°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsD
0% of Jefferson Township is conserved land
Jefferson Township’s density of trails stands at 0.1 miles per square mile. 2.9 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
#585for trails in OH
0%
conserved · 0 of 23,215 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North Bellville Municipal Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthC+
Residents of Jefferson Township are less healthy than 58% of U.S. towns
For adults in Jefferson Township, the share who have been diagnosed with depression is 26%. Of 32 CDC measures, Jefferson Township beats the Ohio average on 4 and trails it on 2.
42%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Jefferson Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 38% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
4 better26 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Jefferson Township | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11% | 14.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.5% | 8.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.7% |
Ohiohealth Mansfield Hospital
11.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
55th
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Jefferson Township, with inland flooding at the top
58 flood insurance claims have been paid in Jefferson Township since 1979. On expected storm and flood damage, Jefferson Township sits below 51% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Jefferson Township break down as 77% from inland flooding and 5% from tornadoes.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
58
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 49 attractions →Ohio State Reformatory and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jefferson Township. Close and well known come first.
14 mi MuseumOhio State Reformatory
8 mi State parkMalabar Farm State Park
32 mi LandmarkHarding Tomb
36 mi Ancient siteAlligator Effigy Mound
12 mi GardenKingwood Center
39 mi MuseumAmish & Mennonite Heritage CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ohio State Reformatory: Niagara66, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Malabar Farm State Park: Jerward at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Harding Tomb: User:Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alligator Effigy Mound: Rev. Stephen D. Peet, editor, Public domain · Kingwood Center: Mar07 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center: photoswelike, CC BY-SA 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Jefferson Township
18pages on Jefferson Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Jefferson Township
Ohio State University-Mansfield CampusUniversity or college · Public · Mansfield14.7 mi$9,488 in-state tuitionNorth Central State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mansfield14.9 mi$4,624 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Jefferson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
About Jefferson Township
Township in Ohio, US
Jefferson Township is one of the eighteen townships of Richland County, Ohio, United States. It is a part of the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2020 census found 4,905 people in the township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 37 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,243 ft
Jefferson Township’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Jefferson Township.
Worthington TownshipWashington TownshipPerry TownshipBerlin TownshipBellvilleJefferson Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Township | #611 | B− | B+ | — | B+ | C+ |
| Worthington Township | #715 | C+ | B | — | B+ | C |
| Washington Township | #469 | B | B | — | B+ | C− |
| Perry Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | C+ |
| Berlin Township | — | — | B− | — | A− | C |
| Bellville | — | — | C+ | B+ | B+ | B− |
Perry Township, Berlin Township and Bellville have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Jefferson Township, Worthington Township, Washington Township, Perry Township and Berlin Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Jefferson Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Jefferson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Jefferson Township, OH a good place to live?
Jefferson Township grades B− overall, better than 49% of U.S. towns and #611 of 987 in Ohio. It grades C+ for health and B+ for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Jefferson Township, OH expensive?
Not for the 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+.