Racine Street Bridge, Spanning Rock River
Jefferson’s story
Jefferson in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers and a map from 1983 on.
Explore the history →JeffersonWI
A town of 868.
Population
868
2025 Census estimate · +3.1% since 2020
Median home value
$263K
Census ACS
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
26.9
years
Jobs based here
88
A commuter town
Is Jefferson a good place to live?
37% of residents are under 18 in Jefferson, above both the Wisconsin town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). No town among the 363 in Wisconsin we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Jefferson. Jefferson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
868 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
CashtonMelvinaPortlandSheldonClintonWellsRidgevilleJefferson
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Jefferson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jefferson, and how to reach them.
PowerVernon Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCashton WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offRecycling Center, 3 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Jefferson ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54619, 5464854619 91% · 54648 9%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.
Work & commute
Most of Jefferson’s workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Jefferson for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Jefferson fell to 88 in 2023, 25 fewer than in 2013. 11% of Jefferson residents live below the poverty line, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 6.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
1%work in town
| Jefferson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Jefferson1%
Sparta19%
La Crosse15%
Cashton8%
Tomah6%
20 mi
median commute distance
88
jobs based in Jefferson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Jefferson has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Jefferson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Jefferson’s July high is 80°F.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–27°
Spring34–55°
Summer58–78°
Fall38–57°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Jefferson is
Jefferson beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 42% of Jefferson adults have obesity.
| Jefferson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better29 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Jefferson | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 16.2% | 13.6% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 63.7% | 67.1% |
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 84.1% | 85.9% |
Mayo Clinic Health Systm Franciscan Healthcare Sparta
12.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Jefferson
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Jefferson
15pages on Jefferson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Jefferson; the nearest are
University of Wisconsin-La CrosseUniversity or college · Public · La Crosse24.1 mi$10,070 in-state tuitionWestern Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · La Crosse24.8 mi$4,820 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Jefferson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Jefferson for work
Where Jefferson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
88jobs based in Jefferson
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Jefferson
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Jefferson is a town in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 841 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of St. Mary's is located within the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 35 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,385 ft
- Area code
- 608
Questions about Jefferson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Jefferson, WI a good place to live?
Jefferson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.