Jefferson County, Florida Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Jefferson County is located in Florida with a total population of 15,091. It is the 61st most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 47.6 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 42.6 years. 10.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $61,212. This is 18% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.0%. This is 67% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.4%. This is 54% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $232,600. Housing costs are 35% lower than the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 75.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Jefferson County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 27.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (27.8% vs 14.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (5.1%) is well below the state average of 27.4%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

19.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 44% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jefferson County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.