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Jefferson County, GA: population growth, jobs and income

Jefferson County lost 148 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.0%).

Jefferson County had an estimated 15,011 residents in 2025, down 4.2% (666 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Georgia as a whole (+5.3%), and the 151st fastest growth of 159 counties in Georgia.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Jefferson County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Jefferson County, ranked against Georgia and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$731/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes19.8%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months242025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

24

2025

1.6 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 108 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 4,046 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.2% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.2% in 2025, 0.8 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 24 new homes in 2025, or 1.6 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $53,014 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +43.2% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,860th.

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Jefferson County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202515,011−148
202415,159−111
202315,270−59
202215,329−161
202115,490−187
202015,677–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Jefferson County

Jefferson County lost 666 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−435).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−57−435
International migrationfrom and to other countries+18+98
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−108−326
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1−3
Total change−148−666

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn GeorgiaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth151st of 1592,860th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents146th of 1592,731st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth93rd of 1581,063rd of 3,092
Median household income106th of 1592,571st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate130th of 1591,766th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents121st of 1561,741st of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Jefferson County, GA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Jefferson County lost population faster than all 8 of its neighbouring counties (−4.2%, 2020–25).

3 of its 8 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Jefferson County's $53,014 (2020–24).

Jefferson County, GA and its 8 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Jefferson County, GA This county15,011−4.2%−7.21.6$53,014
Glascock County, GA3,141+8.4%25.8–$54,934
Washington County, GA19,453−2.5%−6.95.1$46,023
Johnson County, GA9,310+1.4%12.10.0$51,028
McDuffie County, GA21,640+0.1%−2.64.0$56,733
Warren County, GA5,269+1.2%19.90.0$44,289
Emanuel County, GA23,147+1.2%−3.82.1$52,772
Richmond County, GA206,559−0.0%−3.22.6$55,637
Burke County, GA24,408−0.9%4.04.1$53,014

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 159 Georgia counties · Every state

Questions

Is Jefferson County growing?

No. Its population fell 4.2% between 2020 and 2025, about 666 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Georgia as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 151st of 159 counties in Georgia for population growth.

How many people moved to Jefferson County?

On net, none in 2025: about 108 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Jefferson County?

It averaged 4.2% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Jefferson County?

About 15,011 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Jefferson County?

Private employers there had 4,046 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.2% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Georgia

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Georgia county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Jefferson County data alerts

Email me when Jefferson County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Jefferson County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.