The best of Jefferson’s subject grades is an A− for history; the weakest is a D for incomes. Only 89 of Texas’ 990 towns score lower on incomes. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Jefferson, where Texas’ towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Its National Register listings include Presbyterian Manse and Freeman Plantation House. Jefferson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA⁻HistoryWeakestDJobs & income C⁻Health CHazard risk CSchools

What makes Jefferson stand out

Where Jefferson beats most towns.

Alley-Carlson House

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1841

18 places on the National Register

A history going back 185 years.

Alley-Carlson House · National Register of Historic Places

Jefferson’s story

185 years in pictures

Census counts: 988 in 1860, a peak of 4,190 in 1870, 1,875 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1872 and 2 maps from 1962 on.

18 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1841Jefferson is settled

Explore the history →

How Jefferson grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Jefferson is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & income$42K median household incomeDOpen →HealthLess healthy than 84% of U.S. towns; North Caddo Medical Center 22.2 miles awayC⁻Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →SafetyC⁺Open →Cost of livingTypical home $160K, 3.2 years of the county’s $50K median household incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 9.3% of households have no car; 1.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors2 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC⁺Open →History11 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life4.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.1–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Jefferson: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Jefferson, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerSWEPCO12.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Jefferson water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Jefferson’s trash rules yet

SchoolsJefferson Independent School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereMarion County Early Voting ClerkMarion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025

ZIP code7565775657 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.

HousingCost of living grade B

Jefferson stands out in Texas and nationally, with the median rent lower than most

At $653 a month, Jefferson’s median rent is against $1,208 a month in Texas’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. 54% of households own their home in Jefferson. The typical Jefferson home is worth about $160,000, down 1.6% in a year, 46% below the Texas typical home.

$160KZillow home value

	Jefferson	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	54%	69%	73%
Median rent	$653 a month	$1,208 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Jefferson$160K

Texas$296K

−1.6%

value change, 1 year

Full pageJefferson’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.9 years of income Rents$653 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsC

Public schools in Jefferson fall behind 72% of Texas districts

Its public schools are run by Jefferson ISD. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Jefferson H S, with 383 students.

28%of TX districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Jefferson J HLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8	Grades 5–8	307	C
Jefferson H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	383	B

Full pageJefferson’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsJEFFERSON ISD Every school4 schools · Jefferson H S Questions“Are Jefferson’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation

HealthC⁻

A larger share of adults in Jefferson have high blood pressure than in the typical Texas or U.S. town

49% of Jefferson adults have high blood pressure. Jefferson beats the Texas average on 6 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 18% of Jefferson adults have diabetes.

17%healthier than U.S. townsC⁻Health Grade

	Jefferson	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	18%	13%	12%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	49%	35%	35%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	81%	74%	79%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	17%	15%	14%

31 measures vs. Texas

6 better12 too close to call13 worse

What stands out	Jefferson	TX
Fewer uninsured adults	11.9%	19.1%
Fewer binge drinkers	12.3%	17%
More adults with COPD	10.7%	5.7%

North Caddo Medical Center

22.2 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageJefferson’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby22.2 miles to an ER · North Caddo Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than TX on 6 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Who lives here

Older than Texas overall

People 65 and older are 26% of residents (13% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 27% of residents (38% statewide). Jefferson has grown 2.9% since 2020, to 2,056 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Texas.

37.1median age · TX 35.6

	Jefferson	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Aged 65 or older	26%	14%	18%
Median age	37.1 years	35.9 years	40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	27%	23%	29%

JeffersonTexasUnited States

TXU.S.

Ages · share of residents

15%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma8%

High school40%

Some college16%

Associate’s9%

Bachelor’s24%

Graduate3%

Women and men · all residents

62% women, 38% men

About 62 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6.2 points). Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 94% are women (TX 49%).

Ages and education in Jefferson
	Jefferson	TX	U.S.
Under 10	14.8%	13.3%	11.6%
10 to 17	8.9%	11.7%	10.3%
18 to 24	10.5%	9.7%	9.1%
25 to 34	13.4%	14.5%	13.7%
35 to 44	13.7%	14.1%	13.2%
45 to 54	4.2%	12.3%	12.2%
55 to 64	9%	11.1%	12.7%
65 to 74	14.8%	8.2%	10.2%
75 and older	10.8%	5.2%	7%
No diploma	8.4%	14%	10.4%
High school	39.8%	24.3%	26%
Some college	15.7%	20.1%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.8%	7.7%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	23.9%	21.5%	21.6%
Graduate	3.3%	12.3%	14.1%

Full pageJefferson by the numbersOpen the page

Ages37.1 median age · 26% are 65 or older Schooling27% have a four-year degree Homes54% own their home · Homeowners Income$42K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,100, single groups can be off by several points

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

Jefferson faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 25 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Jefferson.

68risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingStrong windTornadoes

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageJefferson’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims25 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in Jefferson Get ready0.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Jefferson, expect mild winters and hot summers

Jefferson has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Jefferson’s July high is 94°F.

1″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter38–59°

Spring54–76°

Summer72–93°

Fall55–78°

Nov 8

typical first frost

Mar 18

typical last frost

+0.5°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageJefferson’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 94°, January lows 36°Rain & snow1″ of snow a winter · 50 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.5° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

SafetyC⁺

Jefferson reports more crime per resident than 65% of U.S. towns

The violent crime rate in Jefferson is 1 per 1,000 residents.

35%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁺Safety Grade

	Jefferson	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	1 per 1,000 residents	1.9	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	7.5 per 1,000 residents	10.7	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Jefferson1

Texas3.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Jefferson7.5

Texas18.1

U.S.15.5

35th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

violent crimes reported in 2025

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageJefferson’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type1 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Questions“Is Jefferson, TX safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Jefferson draws in 1,049 commuters

Most working residents leave Jefferson for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Jefferson fell to 1,189 in 2023, 70 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Longview (12%), Marshall (7%) and Tyler (4%).

17%work in town