Editing Jefferson, Georgia

{{Hatnote group|
{{About-distinguish|the county seat of Jackson County, Georgia|Jefferson County, Georgia|Jeffersonville, Georgia}}
{{For|the community in Camden County|Jefferson, Camden County, Georgia}}
}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|official_name            = Jefferson, Georgia

|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|motto                    = 
|famous residents         = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = Jackson County Georgia Courthouse.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Jackson County Courthouse (Georgia)|Jackson County Courthouse]] in Jefferson
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = City of Jefferson Georgia Logo.png
|seal_size                = 90px
|image_shield             = 
|shield_size              = 
|image_blank_emblem       = 
|blank_emblem_type        = 
|blank_emblem_size        = 
|image_map                = Jackson_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Jefferson_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson County]] and the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|image_dot_map            = 
|dot_mapsize              = 
|dot_map_caption          = 
|dot_x                    = 
|dot_y                    = 
|pushpin_map              = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = 
|pushpin_mapsize          = <!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Georgia (U.S. state)|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson]]
|subdivision_type3        = 
|subdivision_name3        = 
|subdivision_type4        = 
|subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = Local government 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name1             = Jon Howell
|leader_title2            = [[City manager]]
|leader_name2             = Priscilla Murphy
|leader_title3            = [[City council]]
|leader_name3             = Steve Kinney (D1)<br>Dawn Maddox (D2)<br>Cody Cain (D3)<br>Mark Mobley (D4)<br>Alex Crawford (D5)
|leader_title4            = 
|leader_name4             = 
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = <!-- Area    --------------------->
|area_magnitude           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 59.23
|area_land_km2            = 58.36
|area_water_km2           = 0.88
|area_total_sq_mi         = 22.87
|area_land_sq_mi          = 22.53
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.34
|area_water_percent       = 
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|area_blank1_title        = 
|area_blank1_km2          = 
|area_blank1_sq_mi        = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 13233
|population_density_km2   = 226.77
|population_density_sq_mi = 587.32
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_km2     = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   = 
|population_urban                 = 
|population_density_urban_km2     = 
|population_density_urban_sq_mi   = 
|population_blank1_title          = 
|population_blank1                = 
|population_density_blank1_km2    = 
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi  = <!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|7|36|N|83|35|25|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
|elevation_m              = 229
|elevation_ft             = 751
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 30549
|area_code                = [[Area code 706|706]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 13-41988<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0356332<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.cityofjeffersonga.com|cityofjeffersonga.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|named_for = [[Thomas Jefferson]]
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Jefferson''' is a city and the [[county seat]] of [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2020 census,<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1341988| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Jefferson city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=May 2, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213092659/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1341988| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 9,432 at the 2010 census. As of 2024 the estimated population was 16,459.<ref name="USCensusEst2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=May 21, 2020}}</ref><ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Georgia Cities by Population (2024) |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/cities/georgia |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=worldpopulationreview.com}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA234 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=234| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref>  The city was named after [[Thomas Jefferson]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/j.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=119 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:JeffersonGeorgiaTownSquare02.jpg|left|thumb|225px|View of the north side of the city's central square]]
Jefferson is located in central Jackson County at {{coord|34|7|36|N|83|35|25|W|type:city}} (34.126736, -83.590297).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is bordered to the northwest by [[Pendergrass, Georgia|Pendergrass]] and to the southeast by [[Arcade, Georgia|Arcade]]. [[U.S. Route 129]] passes through the southwest side of the city, leading northwest {{convert|21|mi}} to [[Gainesville, Georgia|Gainesville]] and southeast {{convert|19|mi}} to [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]]. [[Interstate 85]] runs through the northern end of Jefferson, {{convert|5|mi|0}} northwest of the center of town, with access from Exits 137 and 140. I-85 leads southwest {{convert|55|mi}} to [[Atlanta]] and northeast {{convert|90|mi}} to [[Greenville, South Carolina]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Jefferson has a total area of {{convert|57.0|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|56.1|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.9|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 1.53%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> 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==
[[Image:JeffersonGeorgiaTownSquare03.jpg|left|thumb|225px|View towards the east side of the square showing the Confederate Memorial and the highway leading to Commerce, Georgia]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 419
|1890= 540
|1900= 726
|1910= 1207
|1920= 1626
|1930= 1869
|1940= 1839
|1950= 2040
|1960= 1746
|1970= 1647
|1980= 1820
|1990= 2763
|2000= 3825
|2010= 9432
|2020= 13233
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Jefferson racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1341988&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-17|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|10,240
|77.38%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,087
|8.21%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|22
|0.17%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|269
|2.03%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|3
|0.02%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/mixed]]
|572
|4.32%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,040
|7.86%
|}
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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=U.S. Census Bureau |date=March 14, 2024 |title=Annual and Cumulative Estimates of Resident Population Change for Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico and Micropolitan Statistical Area Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/metro/totals/cbsa-mic-est2023-chg.xlsx |access-date=October 28, 2024}}</ref>

== Education ==

=== Jackson County School District ===
[[Image:JeffersonGeorgiaTownSquare04.jpg|right|thumb|275px|View of the southeast side of the square with shops and parking]]

The [[Jackson County School District (Georgia)|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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson County School System |title=JCSS Schools |url=https://www.jacksonschoolsga.org/about-us/jcss-schools |access-date=October 24, 2024}}</ref> As of March 2024, the district had a total of 10,646 students, not including enrollees of EMPOWER College and Career Center.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Georgia Dept. of Education |date=March 7, 2024 |title=Student Enrollment by Grade Level (PK-12) |url=https://oraapp.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_enrollgrade.entry_form |access-date=October 24, 2024}}</ref>

*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 Comprehensive 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jefferson City Schools Board of Education |title=Jefferson City Schools Board of Education |url=https://www.jeffcityschools.org/about-us/board-of-education-1/home |access-date=October 24, 2024 |website=Jefferson City Schools}}</ref> As of March 2024, the district had 4,218 students.<ref name=":0" />
*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 (baseball)|Chris Beck]], pitcher for the [[New York Mets]]
*[[Hiram Parks Bell]], U.S. Representative
*[[Damon Jesse Gause]], [[World War II]] war hero
*[[Brantley Gilbert]], country music singer, songwriter
*[[Crawford Long|Crawford W. Long]], physician who first used ether for surgical anesthesia
*[[Brandon Mosley]], former [[Auburn University]] and former [[New York Giants]] offensive lineman
*[[Corey Smith (musician)|Corey Smith]], country music singer, songwriter
*[[Malaki Starks]], former safety for the [[Georgia Bulldogs]] current safety for [[Baltimore Ravens]]


==References==
{{reflist|2|}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cityofjeffersonga.com City of Jefferson official website]
*[http://www.mainstreetnews.com ''The Jackson Herald''], local newspaper
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/jackson/builder-of-the-nation1 Builder of the Nation] historical marker

{{Jackson County, Georgia}}
{{Georgia county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Cities in Jackson County, Georgia]]
[[Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)]]