City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Jefferson, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Jefferson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

14,249
Residents
$96,761
Median income
$346,800
Median home
$1,153
Median rent (state)

Jefferson - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Jefferson lands in the 76th percentile for household income and the 86th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

76th
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
86th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Jefferson, GA

14,249 people live in Jefferson, Georgia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $96,761 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.4%. Home values in Jefferson run a median of $346,800, and the median resident age is 34.8 years. Educational attainment runs 33.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 215 residential building permits were authorized in Jefferson (Building Boom), up 95% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Jefferson reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 492.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Georgia at 96.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,153 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Georgia's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 41.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

14,249 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$96,761 /yr

Poverty 5.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Jefferson compare to other US cities?

Where Jefferson sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 86% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Georgia, Jefferson ranks #19 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Jefferson against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Georgia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Georgia-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Jefferson toward the top of Georgia's cities

Among the 577 Georgia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Jefferson ranks #60 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Jefferson only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#59 of 610
90th percentile in Georgia
Median Gross Rent
#300 of 638
52nd percentile in Georgia
Median Home Value
#60 of 577
89th percentile in Georgia
Poverty Rate
#484 of 637
24th percentile in Georgia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#111 of 638
83rd percentile in Georgia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Georgia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

76thIncome percentile
86thSafety percentile

76th percentile nationally for median household income · 86th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Jefferson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Jefferson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 70 Avg. percentile National median
Jefferson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Jefferson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$346,800 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Jefferson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Jefferson, GA Jefferson, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Jefferson, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Jefferson, GA median $96,761/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Jefferson, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Jefferson, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
14,249
Median Income
$96,761
Median Home Value
$346,800
Median Age
34.8
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Labor force participation
68.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
492.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
36.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
456.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,000 residents14,000 residents16,000 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,396 residents 17,185 residents ▲ +28.3%
Jefferson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
215
housing units authorized
Single-Family
215
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
15.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 110
2020 204
2021 490
2022 106
2023 196
2024 215

Permit volume increased 95% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.7%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.1%
Work from Home
12.0%
Other
1.2%

Based on 7,018 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Jefferson sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,153/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
41.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Covington
14,334 people
Bainbridge
14,353 people
Braselton
14,139 people
Belvedere Park
14,422 people
Dallas
14,440 people
Wilmington Island
14,457 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson's 14,249 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Athens, TN
14,250 people
Hidalgo, TX
14,250 people
Orange, CT
14,251 people
West Freehold, NJ
14,233 people
Warrenville, IL
14,232 people
Pineville, LA
14,268 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson's $96,761 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Piru, CA
$96,765 median income
Princeton, TX
$96,766 median income
Aloha, OR
$96,754 median income
Amsterdam, MT
$96,750 median income
Shokan, NY
$96,750 median income
Muir, PA
$96,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Jefferson, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Jefferson, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.4% 14.5% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.3% White 75.4% Black or African American 14.5% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.7% Two or more races 7.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Jefferson compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Jefferson (this city) 14,249 $96,761
Covington 14,334 $47,797
Bainbridge 14,353 $41,531
Braselton 14,139 $113,810
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Jefferson, GA?

What is the population of Jefferson, GA? +

Jefferson, GA has a population of 14,249 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Jefferson, GA? +

Median annual household income in Jefferson runs $96,761, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Jefferson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Jefferson; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is Jefferson, GA safe? +

Jefferson has a total crime rate of 492.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Jefferson, GA? +

A typical home in Jefferson is worth $346,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.