Jefferson is a city and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Jackson County,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2020 census, up from 9,432 at the 2010 census. As of 2024 the estimated population was 16,459.

History

Jefferson was founded in 1800. That same year, the seat of Jackson County was transferred to Jefferson from Clarkesboro. Jefferson was incorporated as a town in 1806 and as a city in 1896. The city was named after

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

Geography

Jefferson is located in central Jackson County at (34.126736, -83.590297). It is bordered to the northwest by Pendergrass and to the southeast by Arcade. U.S. Route 129 passes through the southwest side of the city, leading northwest to Gainesville and southeast to

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

. Interstate 85 runs through the northern end of Jefferson, northwest of the center of town, with access from Exits 137 and 140. I-85 leads southwest to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

and northeast to

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville ( ; ) is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, sixth-most pop ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Jefferson has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.53%, are water. Curry Creek, a tributary of the North Oconee River, flows just to the east of downtown, and the Middle Oconee River runs along the western edge of the city.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,233 people, 3,933 households, and 2,885 families residing in the city. In a 2024 report, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Jefferson, GA was the fastest growing micropolitan statistical area in the country from 2020 to 2023. The population increased by an estimated 16.24% in that period.

Education

Jackson County School District

The Jackson County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of seven elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, and one charter school. As of March 2024, the district had a total of 10,646 students, not including enrollees of EMPOWER College and Career Center. *East Jackson Elementary School *Gum Springs Elementary School *Maysville Elementary School *North Jackson Elementary School *South Jackson Elementary School *West Jackson Elementary School *Heroes Elementary School *East Jackson Middle School *West Jackson Middle School *Legacy Knoll Middle School *East Jackson High School * Jackson County High School *EMPOWER College and Career Center (charter school)

Jefferson City School District

The Jefferson City School District holds preschool to grade twelve, and consists of one preschool, two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. As of March 2024, the district had 4,218 students. *Center for Early Learning *Jefferson Elementary School *Jefferson Academy *Jefferson Middle School *Jefferson High School

Martin Institute

The Martin Institute was a school in Jefferson from 1818 to 1942.

Notable people

* Chris Beck, pitcher for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

* Hiram Parks Bell, U.S. Representative * Damon Jesse Gause,

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

war hero * Brantley Gilbert, country music singer, songwriter * Crawford W. Long, physician who first used ether for surgical anesthesia * Brandon Mosley, former

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

and former

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

offensive lineman * Corey Smith, country music singer, songwriter * Malaki Starks, former safety for the

Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The offic ...

current safety for

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...

References

External links

City of Jefferson official website''The Jackson Herald''
local newspaper
Builder of the Nation
historical marker {{authority control Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in Jackson County, Georgia County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)