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Jefferson, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Ashe County County

2.4 /5.0
C Fair
1,852 Population 878/sq mi density
$35,938 Median Income $21,674 per capita
$186,300 Home Value $350,804 Zillow
$688 Median Rent 28.9% income on rent
51°F Avg Temperature 299 sunny days/yr
62 Violent Crime/100K 804 property/100K
C
Overall
2.4 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.1 / 5.0
$35,938 median income, 2.0% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.8 / 5.0
$186,300 home value, $688/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
62 violent crimes/100K
D
Education
1.8 / 5.0
9.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Jefferson, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$35,938
52% below
$21,674 per capita
Home Value
$186,300
34% below
Zillow: $350,804
Median Rent
$688/mo
41% below
28.9% of income on rent
Violent Crime
62/100K
84% below
804/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
9.4%
72% below
85.9% high school+
Unemployment
2.0%
44% below
18.0% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
36.2%
13% above
16.0% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
51°F
299 sunny days/yr

How Jefferson Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Jefferson's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
48%
Home Value
66%
Rent
59%
Poverty
145%
Bachelor's
28%
Unemployment
56%
Crime
16%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Jefferson a Good Place to Live?

C
2.4 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Jefferson residents earn a median household income of $35,938 , which is 52% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $21,674. The unemployment rate stands at 2.0% (44% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 18.0% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 772 business establishments, including 50 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Jefferson is $186,300 , 34% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $350,804. Median rent is $688/month, with 28.9% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.3 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1978.

Safety & Crime

Jefferson reports 62 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 84% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 804/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

9.4% of adults in Jefferson hold a bachelor's degree or higher (72% below the national average). 85.9% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Jefferson has an average annual temperature of 51°F (11°C). Winters average 33°F in January while summers reach 70°F in July. The area gets 299 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 51.0 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population1,852
Median Age50.1 yrs
Density878/mi²
Male / Female46% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans2.6%

Economy

B
Median Income$35,938
Per Capita$21,674
Unemployment2.0%
Poverty18.0%
County GDP$1,069M
Avg Weekly Wage$928

Housing

B+
Home Value$186,300
Rent$688
Ownership50.2%
Zillow$350,804
Housing Units860
Rent Burden28.9%

Crime

F
Violent62/100K
Property804/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault62/100K
Burglary186/100K

Health

Obesity36.2%
Diabetes9.9%
Smoking16.0%
Heart Disease5.9%
Premature Death9,771/100K

Climate

Avg Temp51°F
Sunny Days299/yr
Rain51.0 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation2,905 ft

Education

D
Bachelor's+9.4%
High School+85.9%
Graduate+4.6%
School Score6.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 72% / D 27%
Commute16 min
Broadband75.5%
Internet Speed179 Mbps
EV Stations3
Libraries1

Did You Know?

The median home in Jefferson was built in 1978.
The nearest airport is Foothills Regional (42 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.441 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
18.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 179 Mbps.
The county recorded 2 fatal vehicle crashes.