City · Wisconsin
Jefferson, Wisconsin
Jefferson, city, in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Jefferson had 7,814 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,793 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 7,732 (±21). GEOID 5537900.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,814
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,793 · ACS 2020-2024: 7,732 ±21
Median household income
$79,006
±$8,267 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$225,600
±$25,223 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,071
±$54 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Jefferson and what county is it in?
Jefferson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. It covers 5.8 square miles of land, 1,336 residents per square mile in 2020.
Jefferson is in the Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Jefferson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,814 people lived in Jefferson on July 1, 2025, up 0.3% since 2020, slower than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 7,793 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 7,732 (±21).
| Measure | Jefferson | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,732 ±21 | 86,003 | −259 |
| Households | 3,312 ±238 | 34,873 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.24 ±0.16 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,542 ±232 | 36,890 | no clear change |
Jefferson's population since 2000
From 7,338 in 2000 to 7,814 in 2025: up 6.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Jefferson as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Jefferson?
The median resident of Jefferson is 42.0 years old; 19.5% are under 18 and 16.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 14.6%.
| Measure | Jefferson | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 ±3.4 | 41.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.5% ±2.7 pts | 19.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.3% ±3.0 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Male | 50.3% ±3.7 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.6% ±3.8 pts | 8.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.5% ±4.8 pts | 87.0% | −8.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±2.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.0% ±2.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.1% ±2.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±1.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 18.7% ±4.1 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.4% ±2.5 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1% ±3.5 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.6% ±4.5 pts | 28.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.2% ±2.1 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.2% ±3.5 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±1.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Jefferson earn?
Half of Jefferson's 3,312 households earn less than $79,006 a year (±$8,267), against $83,750 in Jefferson County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $73,112 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Jefferson | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,006 ±$8,267 | $83,750 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $105,131 ±$17,213 | $100,082 | – |
| Per capita income | $46,658 ±$7,731 | $41,881 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.2% ±3.8 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.2% ±9.3 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.9% ±4.3 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.9% ±4.7 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.7% ±5.0 pts | 90.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Jefferson?
Owners occupy 66.8% of Jefferson's occupied homes and renters 33.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,600 by its owner (±$25,223). The median renter pays $1,071 a month including utilities, and 32.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Jefferson | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $225,600 ±$25,223 | $274,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,071 ±$54 | $1,035 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.1% ±11.9 pts | 30.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,568 ±$110 | $1,730 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.8% ±4.6 pts | 73.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.2% ±4.6 pts | 26.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,542 ±232 | 36,890 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.9% ±5.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.1% ±4.8 pts | 71.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.1% ±1.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.2% ±1.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.4% ±3.8 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.4% ±1.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Jefferson building?
Builders took permits for 80 new housing units in Jefferson in 2025 (28 in single-family houses), 10.2 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Jefferson work and get to work?
80.0% of Jefferson's workers drive alone and 4.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.1 minutes.
| Measure | Jefferson | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.7% ±4.2 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±2.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.0% ±5.7 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.9% ±4.5 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.0% ±2.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.9% ±2.3 pts | 10.5% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.1 min ±3.1 | 24.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Jefferson?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Jefferson, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $77,089 (Tract 1010) to $80,139 (Tract 1011).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1011Jefferson County | 4,141 | $80,139 |
| Tract 1010Jefferson County | 3,860 | $77,089 |
| Tract 1013Jefferson County | 6,108 | $80,792 |
| Tract 1007Jefferson County | 4,673 | $98,702 |
| Tract 1009Jefferson County | 3,903 | $93,176 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Jefferson) · Census block assignment files
How does Jefferson compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Jefferson is the 3,803rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 124th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Jefferson ranks 584th of 914 places in Wisconsin with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 124th | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 499th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 130th | 914 |
| Median household income | 584th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 335th | 911 |
| Median home value | 649th | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 341st | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 197th | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 607th | 914 |
| Median age | 581st | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 729th | 914 |
| Work from home | 800th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 352nd | 914 |
Jefferson's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Jefferson with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Jefferson?
13 of the 57 figures for Jefferson on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Jefferson are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Jefferson.