The Town Files

Jefferson, Ohio

Village in Ashtabula County · population 3,226 (2020 Census)

Map: where Jefferson is in OhioJefferson
Median home
$200,300
Household income
$53,333
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 81°
Snow a year
90 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
49.3

Jefferson is a village of 3,226 people in Ashtabula County, Ohio. The median home is worth $200,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for retirees than 78% of Ohio towns, more of a college town than 76% of Ohio towns, hipper than 70% of Ohio towns.

How Jefferson ranks

Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.

Jefferson lifestyle rankings vs other Ohio townsRetirement78th pctFamilies33rd pctQuiet50th pctWalkability26th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals49th pctVibrancy32nd pctHip & trendy70th pctCollege town76th pctUpscale42nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving67th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Jefferson is worth $200,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $53,333, which is more affordable than 7% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $963 a month. 76.7% of households own their home.

Jefferson vs Ashtabula County vs typical Ohio townJeffersonAshtabula CountyTypical Ohio townHome value$200,300$159,500$171,100Household income$53,333$57,728$67,019Monthly rent$963$828$914
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Ohio towns with 500+ people.
HousingJeffersonTypical Ohio town
Median home value$200,300$171,100
Median rent$963$914
Median household income$53,333$67,019
Home value ÷ income3.8×2.6×
Homeownership76.7%71.7%
Median year built19691965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Jefferson

PeopleJeffersonTypical Ohio town
Median age49.340.6
Age 65 and over27.3%19.1%
Under 1822.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.4%21.3%
Below the poverty line6.5%10.3%
Veterans5.1%—
Born outside the U.S.0.2%—
Work from home7.1%8.6%
Average commute29.0 min23.3 min
Homes with broadband79.6%90.9%

Weather in Jefferson

July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 19.1°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 89.9 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.

Jefferson monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°19°Jan36°19°Feb44°26°Mar58°36°Apr69°46°May77°55°Jun81°60°Jul79°58°Aug73°52°Sep61°42°Oct49°34°Nov38°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.929.61.715.82.412.53.42.43.33.74.33.63.93.70.43.18.42.320.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Ashtabula Co Ap station (4.7 mi away); snow from Dorset (6.5 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jefferson since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 22, 1985 about 1.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2011.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Jefferson by decade11950s21960s11970s31980s01990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 17, 2014.

Severe weather in Ashtabula County since 1996

Storm events in Ashtabula County since 1996 by typeHail89Flood9High Wind65Lightning8Heavy Snow62Flash Flood41Strong Wind11Winter Storm78
NOAA Storm Events Database, Ashtabula County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Ashtabula County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 31, 2020BiologicalDR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3457: Covid-19
January 3, 2013HurricaneDR-4098: Severe Storms And Flooding Due To The Remnants Of Hurricane Sandy
June 30, 2012Severe StormEM-3346: Severe Storms
April 24, 2008SnowstormEM-3286: Record Snow And Near Record Snow

Jobs and pay in Ashtabula County

Ashtabula County had 29,406 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,141 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Jefferson itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.

Largest industries in Ashtabula CountyManufacturing7,009 jobs · $62,126Health care & social assistan…5,272 jobs · $47,159Retail3,284 jobs · $31,810Hotels & restaurants3,031 jobs · $19,383Administrative & support1,237 jobs · $37,774Construction1,091 jobs · $61,943
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Ashtabula County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Ashtabula 4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Jefferson

4 public schools with 1,974 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Jefferson ElementaryK-664019.4
Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus6-1259910.9
Jefferson Area Sr High School9-1242723.7
Jefferson Area Junior High School7-830830.8

Towns near Jefferson

Jefferson questions

Is Jefferson, Ohio a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jefferson scores better for retirees than 78% of Ohio towns and quieter than 50%. 27.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).

How much does a house cost in Jefferson?

The median owner-occupied home in Jefferson is valued at $200,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,333, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $963 a month.

What is the weather like in Jefferson?

July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 19.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 89.9 inches of snow.

Does Jefferson get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jefferson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 22, 1985. The typical Ohio town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Jefferson's Census boundary (GEOID 3938500). Comparisons use the median of Ohio towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.