Carsonville Fire Co., PA (1), Dec. 2023, 2023
Jefferson Township’s story
Jefferson Township in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2023.
Explore the history →
Jefferson TownshipPA
A town of 365.
3 bordering townsMap →
Population
365
2025 Census estimate · +0.8% since 2020
Median home value
$242K
Census ACS
Household income
$112K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
19
A commuter town
Is Jefferson Township a good place to live?
72% of the land in Jefferson Township is conserved, above both the Pennsylvania town median (8.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is State Game Lands Number 210, 7,770 acres with 7 miles of trail. Jefferson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
365 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Rush TownshipWayne TownshipJackson TownshipJefferson Township
Nearby attractions
All 57 attractions →Hersheypark and 32 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jefferson Township. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
32 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument27 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
16 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark Stadium
16 mi MuseumHershey's Chocolate World
16 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Hersheypark Stadium: 45BearsFan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hershey's Chocolate World: Phillyfan0419, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hersheypark Arena: Hersheyarena4ever at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers84% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Jefferson Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania 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.govWho runs elections hereDauphin County Board of ElectionsDauphin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2022
ZIP code1703217032 100%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 Jefferson Township.
Outdoors
nearly a third of the land in Jefferson Township is protected from building
Walkers can cover 11 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. In Jefferson Township, the density of trails is 0.5 miles per square mile, close to both Pennsylvania’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4).
71.6%conserved
71.6%
conserved · 11,102 of 15,499 acres
11 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 210 | 7 mi | 7,770 |
| 2. Haldeman Tract - Weiser State Forest | 2.5 mi | 801 |
| 3. Greenland Tract - Weiser State Forest | 1 mi | 870 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
Jefferson Township stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally: a smaller share of its residents live below the poverty line
Among working residents in Jefferson Township, 0.6% work locally. Half of commuters travel less than 17 miles. For Jefferson Township, the median household income is $112,000. The top destinations are Harrisburg (11%), Hampden Township (7%) and Swatara Township (7%).
1%work in town
| Jefferson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 1.7% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $112,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Jefferson Township1%
Harrisburg11%
Hampden Township7%
Swatara Township7%
Halifax Township5%
17 mi
median commute distance
19
jobs based in Jefferson Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Jefferson Township is inland flooding, at a low overall level
Expected losses in Jefferson Township break down as 69% from inland flooding and 11% from hurricanes. The FEMA risk score locally is 31 of 100.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Jefferson Township: four seasons and pleasant summers
For Jefferson Township, the midsummer high is 81°F.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–36°
Spring39–58°
Summer60–79°
Fall43–61°
Oct 16
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Jefferson Township is
For adults in Jefferson Township, the share who have obesity is 33%. Two figures for adults locally: 39% sleep under 7 hours, 25% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Jefferson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 24% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better22 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Jefferson Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9% | 7.7% |
| More adults with arthritis | 34.8% | 30.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.8% |
Milton S Hershey Medical Center
17 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Jefferson Township looks like Pennsylvania by age
Age groups here sit within 4 points of the Pennsylvania average. Just over a third of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Pennsylvania. In Jefferson Township, 21% of residents are under 18.
41.8median age · PA 40.9
| Jefferson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 41.8 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 20% | 22% |
Jefferson TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school44%
Some college10%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 39% and 60% women
The Census survey reached too few of Jefferson Township’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.5 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Jefferson Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.9% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.2% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.1% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.7% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.7% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.2% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 43.6% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 10.3% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.5% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.4% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Jefferson Township
17pages on Jefferson Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Jefferson Township; the nearest are
Lebanon Valley CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annville16 mi$52,080 tuitionHarrisburg Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Harrisburg17.7 mi$6,975 in-state tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgUniversity or college · Public · Middletown21.4 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Jefferson Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
Get outside
11 miles of trails in Jefferson Township
71.6% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Jefferson Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Jefferson Township is a township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 359 at the time of the 2020 census. Jefferson Township was formed in 1842 and named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 24 sq mi
Questions about Jefferson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Jefferson Township, PA a good place to live?
Jefferson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.