Jefferson County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 84,900. Its county seat is Jefferson. Jefferson County comprises the Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area.

History Jefferson County was created in 1836 as part of Wisconsin Territory and was organized in 1839. Jefferson County was founded by "Yankee" settlers from New England. It was named after Jefferson County, New York, where some of the original settlers came from."Term: Jefferson County [origin of place name] " in Dictionary of Wisconsin History. The town of Watertown was named after Watertown, New York, in Jefferson County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (4.5%) is water.

Major highways

Interstate 94 U.S. Highway 12 U.S. Highway 18 Wisconsin Highway 16 Wisconsin Highway 19 Wisconsin Highway 26 Wisconsin Highway 59 Wisconsin Highway 89 Wisconsin Highway 106 Wisconsin Highway 134

Railroads Amtrak Canadian Pacific Union Pacific Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Buses

Airports Watertown Municipal Airport (KRYV) provides services for the county and surrounding communities. Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport (61C), enhances county service.

Adjacent counties Dodge County - north Waukesha County - east Walworth County - southeast Rock County - southwest Dane County - west

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Jefferson County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)64,76165,96969,76575,90373,32597.90%97.32%94.25%90.70%86.37%Black or African American alone (NH)1051881846288640.16%0.28%0.25%0.75%1.02%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1061702162122060.16%0.25%0.29%0.25%0.24%Asian alone (NH)1742783235516460.26%0.41%0.44%0.66%0.76%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census131319xx0.02%0.02%0.02%Other race alone (NH)1171830572020.18%0.03%0.04%0.07%0.24%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census4597672,570xx0.62%0.92%3.03%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8891,1603,0315,5557,0681.34%1.71%4.09%6.64%8.33%Total66,15267,78374,02183,68684,900 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 84,900, a population density of , and 36,376 housing units at an average density of .

The median age was 41.0 years; 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.9 males age 18 and over.

There were 33,844 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.7% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.5% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.4% from some other race, and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.3% of the population.

55.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.5% lived in rural areas.

Of the 36,376 housing units, 7.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.2% were owner-occupied and 28.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 83,686 people, 32,117 households, and 21,872 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 30,092 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 96.34% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 4.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 55.1% were of German, 6.1% Norwegian, 6.0% Irish and 5.1% American ancestry.

There were 28,205 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

In 2017, there were 861 births, giving a general fertility rate of 53.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the eleventh lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

The Dwight Foster Public Library, which serves as the resource library for the county, had a total service population of 19,095 in 2010. It is a member of the Bridges Library System.

Government The County Board of Supervisors, with 30 members, serves as the legislative body for the county. There are seven elected officials in addition to the County Board of Supervisors. County-wide partisan elections are held in November. The County Board's members are elected for two-year terms during a spring non-partisan election. The County Board is responsible for the county administrator. The County Board elects a chairman, vice-chairman, and second vice-chairman.

Politics

Jefferson County has been primarily Republican since 1940. Only three Democratic presidential candidates have won the county since then, in 1964, 1996, and 2008. Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 is the last Democratic Party candidate to win a majority of the county's votes.

Communities

Cities Fort Atkinson Jefferson (county seat) Lake Mills Waterloo Watertown (partly in Dodge County) Whitewater (mostly in Walworth County)

Villages Cambridge (mostly in Dane County) Johnson Creek Lac La Belle (mostly in Waukesha County) Palmyra Sullivan

Towns

Aztalan Cold Spring Concord Farmington Hebron Ixonia Jefferson Koshkonong Lake Mills Milford Oakland Palmyra Sullivan Sumner Waterloo Watertown

Census-designated places Hebron Helenville Ixonia Lake Koshkonong Lake Ripley Rome

Unincorporated communities

Aztalan Blackhawk Island Busseyville Carcajou Cold Spring Concord Ebenezer Farmington Glenn Oaks Beach Heath Mills Hoopers Mill Hubbleton Jefferson Junction Koshkonong (partial) Koshkonong Manor Koshkonong Mounds Kroghville Lake Lac La Belle London (partial) Maranatha Baptist University (College Campus) Milford North Shore Oakland Pipersville Portland (partial) Slabtown Sylvan Mounds Vinnie Ha Ha

Education School districts (all K-12) include: - Text list

Cambridge School District Edgerton School District Fort Atkinson School District School District of Jefferson Johnson Creek School District Kettle Moraine School District Lake Mills Area School District Oconomowoc Area School District Palmyra-Eagle Area School District Waterloo School District Watertown School District Whitewater School District

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Wisconsin

References

External links

Jefferson County Jefferson County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Daily Jefferson County Union newspaper