Jefferson County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Jefferson County, WA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around averageHealthier than 74% of counties in Washington
-
C
Income Below average
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A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,577 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 15.4 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.28% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 58.5 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 16,338 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Jefferson County grew by 14.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 33,577 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Jefferson County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 35.6% of residents. That is 19.3 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,870 11.5% -9.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,086 15.1% -8.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,374 22.0% +2.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 11,948 35.6% +19.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Washington, 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 50.1% of the people living in Jefferson County and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% Washington 49.7%
- Men 49.9% Washington 50.3%
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 C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,997 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.70% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Jefferson County is about 25% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $380,268 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,522 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.0% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 20.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,522 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Jefferson County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 137 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.5 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.0 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 137 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,257 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 23.7% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 8,088 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,208 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Washington:
Walla Walla County (12.2 min), San Juan County (12.3 min), Asotin County (13.2 min).
Slowest:
Mason County (32.0 min), Garfield County (28.4 min), Snohomish County (28.3 min).
The average commute time in Jefferson County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
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 A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.02 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.4), San Juan County (0.4), Jefferson County (0.4).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.2), Yakima County (0.2), Grant County (0.2).
Health
Jefferson County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.8% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.8% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.8), Whitman County (0.8), San Juan County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Okanogan County (0.8), Pacific County (0.8).
Jefferson County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, WA is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 33,577 residents against a local median of 77,433. The measure that sets Jefferson County, WA apart most is commute: 16.5 min, 17% below the local median of 19.9 min. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 16.5 min on commute, so Jefferson County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, WA has the 2nd lowest commute of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, WA | 33,577 | $73,997 #3/5 | $380,268 #3/5 | 16.5 min #2/5 |
| Clallam County, WA | 77,813 | $70,660 | $500,947 | 15.4 min |
| Mason County, WA | 67,950 | $83,435 | $354,523 | 32.0 min |
| Grays Harbor County, WA | 77,052 | $64,416 | $260,869 | 18.1 min |
| Kitsap County, WA | 276,921 | $104,681 | $617,222 | 21.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Jefferson County, Washington.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Washington?
About 33,577 people live in Jefferson County, Washington, in 16,338 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 58.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 21 years.
How densely populated is Jefferson County, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, Jefferson County, Washington has 15 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 18% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Jefferson County, Washington?
The median home costs 5.1 times the median household income ($380,268 against $73,997), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,522 a month takes about 25% 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, Washington?
Unemployment in Jefferson County, Washington is 6.6%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Jefferson County, Washington have a college degree?
41.9% of adults in Jefferson County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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