Jefferson County, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Jefferson County, MS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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F
Health Well below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Mississippi
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F
Income Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Mississippi
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,068 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 13.4 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.78% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.1 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,494 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Jefferson County declined by 21.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,068 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Jefferson County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.3% of residents. That is 2.9 points above Mississippi as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,495 21.1% -1.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,373 19.4% -0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,577 22.3% +2.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,253 17.7% on par
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Mississippi, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.6% of the people living in Jefferson County and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 49.4% Mississippi 48.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Jefferson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Jefferson County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,487 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.20% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Jefferson County is about 34% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $5,000 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $447 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.9% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 0.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $447 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Jefferson County spend about 52 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 217 hours, about 9.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 26.1 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 52.1 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 217 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,734 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,418 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 176 | 914 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Mississippi:
Sharkey County (11.9 min), Coahoma County (13.2 min), Leflore County (15.2 min).
Slowest:
Wilkinson County (36.8 min), Tate County (32.8 min), Greene County (32.7 min).
The average commute time in Jefferson County is 26 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Mississippi.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Jefferson County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.69 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Mississippi:
Madison County (0.4), Lafayette County (0.3), Oktibbeha County (0.3).
Lowest:
Issaquena County (0.1), Tallahatchie County (0.2), Greene County (0.2).
Health
Jefferson County has a health index of F, which means it scores poorly in health.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.3 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 33.8% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 28.1% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Mississippi:
Madison County (0.8), Lafayette County (0.8), Oktibbeha County (0.8).
Lowest:
Holmes County (0.7), Quitman County (0.7), Sharkey County (0.7).
Jefferson County, MS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Jefferson County, MS compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, MS | 7,068 | $37,487 #3/3 | $5,000 #3/3 | 26.1 min #3/3 |
| Adams County, MS | 28,803 | $43,475 | $312,941 | 15.7 min |
| Copiah County, MS | 27,855 | $48,851 | $98,699 | 25.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Jefferson County, Mississippi.
How big is Jefferson County, Mississippi by population?
About 7,068 people live in Jefferson County, Mississippi, in 2,494 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 40.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Jefferson County, Mississippi mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Jefferson County, Mississippi has 13 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 16% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Jefferson County, Mississippi an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 0.1 times the median household income ($5,000 against $37,487), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $447 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Jefferson County, Mississippi is only 1.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
17.9% of adults in Jefferson County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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