City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Jefferson, IA

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.

4,164
Residents
$54,286
Median income
$126,900
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Jefferson - the verdict

Nationally, Jefferson sits in the 26th percentile for household income and the 49th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

26th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
49th
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, IA

Jefferson is a small town in Iowa, home to 4,164 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Jefferson brings in $54,286 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.1%. Typical homes in Jefferson are valued around $126,900, and the median resident age is 51.5 years. About 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 53.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Jefferson (Construction Slowdown), down 90% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Jefferson reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1399.1 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). NOAA puts Jefferson's yearly average temperature at 47.8°F with 35.3 inches of precipitation per year and 31.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $919 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 31.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

4,164 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$54,286 /yr

Poverty 6.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Jefferson compare to other US cities?

Jefferson measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 26% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 49% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Iowa alone, Jefferson ranks #100 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Jefferson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

26thIncome percentile
49thSafety percentile

26th percentile nationally for median household income · 49th 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 54 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+)

$126,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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, IA Jefferson, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Jefferson, IA-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, IA median $54,286/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, IA'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, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.0%

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

Population
4,164
Median Income
$54,286
Median Home Value
$126,900
Median Age
51.5
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Labor force participation
53.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1399.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
98.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1300.9
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
47.8°F
Annual Precipitation
35.3"
Annual Snowfall
31.7"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,100 residents4,150 residents4,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,180 residents 4,150 residents ▼ -0.7%
Jefferson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 4
2021 5
2022 3
2023 14
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 90% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.1%
Carpool
14.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
3.4%
Work from Home
7.4%
Other
1.6%

Based on 1,880 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa 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 Iowa 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
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
31.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Carlisle
4,187 people
Chariton
4,235 people
Rock Valley
4,061 people
Monticello
4,055 people
Forest City
4,280 people
Hampton
4,311 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson's 4,164 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shackle Island, TN
4,164 people
Pipestone, MN
4,165 people
Northfield, VT
4,165 people
Shrewsbury, NJ
4,162 people
Jourdanton, TX
4,166 people
Capitol View, SC
4,161 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson's $54,286 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hartford, AL
$54,286 median income
Winchester, IL
$54,286 median income
Copper Harbor, MI
$54,286 median income
Hazelton, ND
$54,286 median income
Pine Ridge, SC
$54,286 median income
Lake Colorado, TX
$54,286 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Jefferson, IA 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, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 93.8% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Iowa 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) 4,164 $54,286
Carlisle 4,187 $98,333
Chariton 4,235 $52,109
Rock Valley 4,061 $67,012
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Jefferson, IA?

What is the population of Jefferson, IA? +

Jefferson, IA counts 4,164 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Jefferson households earn a median of $54,286 annually, 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 Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Jefferson, IA safe? +

Jefferson has a total crime rate of 1399.1 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, IA? +

Jefferson's median home value sits at $126,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Jefferson? +

The average annual temperature in Jefferson runs 47.8°F, 35.3 inches of precipitation, and 31.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.