Jefferson County, New York
Among the top 5% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
- top 10% for school quality
- top 13% for air quality
- bottom 1% for annual snowfall
Jefferson County is a county in New York with about 117,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, air quality, and commute time. It rates lower on income tax and annual snowfall.
Official websiteco.jefferson.ny.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
68%35%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.3 in
humid 68%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 24% of US counties
Home Value$170k56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 15% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 29% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.64%better than 9% of US counties
Income Tax10.90%better than 3% of US counties
Sales Tax8.53%better than 23% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden18.14%better than 4% of US counties
Unemployment6.4%better than 22% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation44.0 in52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall115.0 inbetter than 1% of US counties
Sunny Days221 daysbetter than 33% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 74% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk64.0better than 35% of US counties
Air Quality33 AQIbetter than 87% of US counties
School Quality97.1better than 90% of US counties
Violent Crime1468/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Crime1462/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Community
Population117,44583rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2851st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1391st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1930th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.3%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.4%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.9%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.6%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 83% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 49% of US counties
Airport Distance109 mibetter than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.8%better than 82% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.30better than 74% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 80% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jefferson County an affordable place to live?
- Jefferson County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 24% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Jefferson County?
- The median home value in Jefferson County is $170k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
- Median household income in Jefferson County is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Jefferson County?
- Median gross rent in Jefferson County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Jefferson County safe?
- Jefferson County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1468/100k (better than 16%). Property crime is 1462/100k.
- What is the weather like in Jefferson County?
- Jefferson County averages 69°F in July and 20°F in January, with 44.0 in of annual precipitation and about 221 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Jefferson County?
- Public-school quality in Jefferson County is above average, scoring better than 90% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Jefferson County?
- The average one-way commute in Jefferson County is 20 min.
Other counties in New York
Explore New York
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)