Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Among the top 6% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
- top 7% for sales tax
- top 13% for comfortable days
- bottom 9% for estimated total tax burden
Jefferson County is a county in Wisconsin with about 86,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include sales tax, comfortable days, and airport distance. It rates lower on property tax rate and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitejeffersoncountywi.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
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warm
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68%41%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in1.6 in
humid 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$77k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 48% of US counties
Home Value$238k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$981better than 25% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.64%better than 9% of US counties
Income Tax7.60%better than 11% of US counties
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.56%better than 9% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 76% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)21°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.2 in36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall40.0 inbetter than 20% of US counties
Sunny Days209 daysbetter than 22% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days96 daysbetter than 87% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk75.8better than 24% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality63.9better than 67% of US counties
Violent Crime551/100kbetter than 67% of US counties
Property Crime838/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Community
Population85,93279th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.551st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1630th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0265th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1627th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.6%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.5%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 43% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 68% of US counties
Airport Distance45 mibetter than 83% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.2%better than 79% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.82better than 72% 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 about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 48% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Jefferson County?
- The median home value in Jefferson County is $238k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
- Median household income in Jefferson County is $77k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Jefferson County?
- Median gross rent in Jefferson County is $981 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Jefferson County safe?
- Jefferson County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 551/100k (better than 67%). Property crime is 838/100k.
- What is the weather like in Jefferson County?
- Jefferson County averages 72°F in July and 21°F in January, with 37.2 in of annual precipitation and about 209 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Jefferson County?
- Public-school quality in Jefferson County is above average, scoring better than 67% 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 25 min.
Other counties in Wisconsin
Explore Wisconsin
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)