Ashtabula County Courthouse Group · OZinOH on Flickr / CC BY 2.0Giddings-Law-Office-No1 · Chrisgiddings at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Town Hall in Jefferson · Alfredtwo / CC BY-SA 3.0
Jefferson is a small town of 3,319 in Ohio, with a median household income of $45,547
and a 2.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Jefferson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Jefferson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Jefferson city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 91.9
Jefferson's overall cost of living index is 91.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Jefferson costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Jefferson, OH
National Avg
Median Home Value
$175,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$856
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
69.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$45,547
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Jefferson's violent crime rate is 189.1 per 100,000 residents
— 50% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
189.1 /100k
Property Crime
661.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Jefferson is served primarily by Jefferson Area Local.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Jefferson, OH
National Avg
School District
Jefferson Area Local
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.0:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
85.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Jefferson sees average highs of 33.2°F in January
and 81.0°F in July,
with 37.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 89.9 inches of snow per year.
Jefferson's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Jefferson roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $175,400 and median rent is $856/month.
Jefferson's violent crime rate is 189.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 661.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Jefferson are operated by Jefferson Area Local.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1. 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Jefferson, OH has a population of 3,319, a median household income of $45,547, and an unemployment rate of 2.7%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Jefferson averages 33.2°F in January and 81.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.1 inches
with about 89.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Jefferson, OH is covered by 1 ZIP code: 44047.
The population of Jefferson, Ohio is 3,319 with a median age of 44.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Jefferson: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $175,400, median household income $45,547, crime index 42 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Jefferson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
