Jefferson County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Name: Jefferson County, Wisconsin Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Jefferson County, Wisconsin has a population of 86,003, the 20th most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $83,750 and the median home value is $274,100. The poverty rate is 8.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Jefferson County Quick Facts

Population 86,003

Median Household Income $83,750

Median Home Value $274,100

Poverty Rate 8.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.5%

Median Age 41.5 years

Homeownership Rate 73.1%

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.5%

High School Graduation 93.0%

Cities/Places 13

Population 86,003 20th of 72

Median Income $83,750 8% higher than state

Poverty Rate 8.1%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Jefferson County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	85,867	86,003	+0.2%
Median household income	$80,604	$83,750	+3.9%
Median home value	$253,800	$274,100	+8.0%

Median Household Income

Jefferson

$83,750

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jefferson

$274,100

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.2%

$25K-$50K 15.3%

$50K-$100K 33.2%

$100K+ 40.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.7%

$10K-$15K

2.0%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

2.0%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

2.7%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

2.9%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

10.1%

$75K-$100K

15.6%

$100K-$125K

13.1%

$125K-$150K

10.1%

$150K-$200K

10.1%

$200K+

7.0%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

68.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.1%

Renter 26.9%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,035/mo 14.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.7%

18-34

21.6%

35-54

25.5%

55-74

25.9%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Jefferson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fort Atkinson	12,463	$79,302	6.7%	$211,800
Jefferson	7,732	$79,006	11.2%	$225,600
Lake Mills	6,470	$91,027	5.1%	$317,100
Waterloo	3,600	$87,776	13.7%	$230,600
Johnson Creek	3,362	$100,685	4.3%	$314,200
Ixonia	2,684	$93,359	1.0%	$345,300
Palmyra	2,195	$86,058	11.4%	$213,100
Lake Ripley	1,932	$116,179	10.1%	$366,300
Lake Koshkonong	1,010	$97,115	5.8%	$370,300
Sullivan	663	$71,250	27.2%	$257,400
Rome	620	$92,083	4.7%	$326,200
Hebron	344	$79,844	7.6%	$289,800
Helenville	96	N/A	12.5%	$391,700

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Jefferson County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 86,003. It is the 20th most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 41.5 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $83,750. This is 8% higher than the state median of $77,485. It is also 4% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.1%. This is 23% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $274,100. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 73.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jefferson County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.5%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

28.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.0%.

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 Wisconsin 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Jefferson County, Wisconsin?

Jefferson County has a population of 86,003, making it the 20th most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Jefferson County?

The median household income in Jefferson County is $83,750 with a poverty rate of 8.1%.

How many cities are in Jefferson County, Wisconsin?

Jefferson County contains 13 Census-designated places.