State rank#22 of 254
Smallest county253,878 residentsHarris County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 48245
Jefferson County, Texas
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population253,878
Household income$60,026
Unemployment5.9%
Life expectancy73.4 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Jefferson County has 253,878 residents and ranks #22 by population among Texas county equivalents. Median household income is $60,026. The annual-average unemployment rate is 5.9%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Texas
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Jefferson County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Jefferson County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $169,500 median home value and $1,117/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $60,026, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Jefferson County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, primary care access, and median home value. College attainment is 19.7% and life expectancy is 73.4 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 721 residents, rank #47 of 221 available Texas counties.
- Primary care access: 1 per 2,097 residents, rank #100 of 231 available Texas counties.
- Median home value: $169,500, rank #127 of 250 available Texas counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Unemployment rate: 5.9%, rank #240 of 254; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,117/mo, rank #192 of 249; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median household income: $60,026, rank #167 of 254; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Texas
Rank and range use only counties in Texas with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$60,026
$60,026; below the state county median of $65,035.
State rank #167 of 254 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$169,500
$169,500; above the state county median of $169,250.
State rank #127 of 250 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,117/mo
$1,117/mo; above the state county median of $957/mo.
State rank #192 of 249 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
5.9%
5.9%; above the state county median of 4%.
State rank #240 of 254 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
19.7%
19.7%; below the state county median of 20.6%.
State rank #139 of 254 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
73.4 years
73.4 years; below the state county median of 73.9 years.
State rank #146 of 236 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
24.4%
24.4%; above the state county median of 22.8%.
State rank #162 of 254 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
20.5%
20.5%; above the state county median of 19.6%.
State rank #151 of 254 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 2,097 residents
1 per 2,097 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 2,458 residents.
State rank #100 of 231 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 721 residents
1 per 721 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 1,604 residents.
State rank #47 of 221 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Jefferson County FAQ
Is Jefferson County a good place to live?
Jefferson County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, primary care access, and median home value. College attainment is 19.7% and life expectancy is 73.4 years.
What should I know before moving to Jefferson County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $169,500 median home value and $1,117/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $60,026, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Jefferson County?
Jefferson County has 253,878 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Jefferson County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 48245; the parent state FIPS is 48.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
The ACS median household income is $60,026.
How much does housing cost in Jefferson County?
Housing benchmarks are $169,500 median home value and $1,117/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $60,026, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Jefferson County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 5.9%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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