Jefferson, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson, North Carolina
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Town hall
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Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
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Location within Ashe County
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| Country |  United States |
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| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Ashe | |
| Founded | as Jeffersonton (1799) as Jefferson (1799) |
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| Named for | Thomas Jefferson | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.11 sq mi (5.47 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) | |
| Elevation | 2,907 ft (886 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,622 | |
| • Density | 767.63/sq mi (296.33/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
28640
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| Area code(s) | 336, 743 | |
| FIPS code | 37-34440 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405910 | |
Jefferson is a town in and the county seat of Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,622.
Contents
History
The North Carolina General Assembly created a special commission in 1799 to found a county seat for Ashe County. The commission purchased 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land to form the town of Jeffersonton, later named Jefferson. It is one of the first towns in the nation to bear the name of Thomas Jefferson, who was the vice president of the United States in 1799.
The Ashe County Courthouse and Poe Fish Weir are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
Jefferson is located in the Appalachian Mountains.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), of which 0.0039 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.20%, is water. The New River, which is part of the Ohio River watershed and one of the oldest and most scenic rivers in the eastern United States, flows through the town.
Climate
Due to its high elevation, Jefferson has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cfb). During the winter, the town often experiences snow and cold temperatures akin to the northeastern United States. During the summer, Jefferson experiences cooler temperatures and lower humidity than areas to its east and south.
Mean coldest and warmest months
- January is the coldest month, with an average high of 32.6 °F.
- July is the warmest month, with an average high of 69.5 °F.
Extremes
- In December 1917, Jefferson observed a record low of -20 °F.
- In August 1925, Jefferson observed a record high of 98 °F.
| Climate data for Jefferson, North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
77 (25) |
85 (29) |
88 (31) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
88 (31) |
79 (26) |
83 (28) |
98 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.3 (6.3) |
46.6 (8.1) |
53.5 (11.9) |
63.1 (17.3) |
71.2 (21.8) |
78.0 (25.6) |
81.0 (27.2) |
80.2 (26.8) |
75.2 (24.0) |
65.5 (18.6) |
55.4 (13.0) |
47.0 (8.3) |
63.3 (17.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.6 (0.3) |
35.3 (1.8) |
41.4 (5.2) |
49.7 (9.8) |
58.2 (14.6) |
65.7 (18.7) |
69.5 (20.8) |
68.4 (20.2) |
62.7 (17.1) |
52.0 (11.1) |
42.0 (5.6) |
35.7 (2.1) |
51.1 (10.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21.9 (−5.6) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
36.3 (2.4) |
45.3 (7.4) |
53.4 (11.9) |
58.0 (14.4) |
56.6 (13.7) |
50.3 (10.2) |
38.5 (3.6) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
38.9 (3.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −15 (−26) |
−13 (−25) |
2 (−17) |
7 (−14) |
22 (−6) |
24 (−4) |
36 (2) |
33 (1) |
26 (−3) |
14 (−10) |
−5 (−21) |
−20 (−29) |
−20 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.91 (99) |
3.28 (83) |
4.06 (103) |
4.78 (121) |
5.34 (136) |
4.44 (113) |
4.79 (122) |
4.65 (118) |
4.35 (110) |
3.71 (94) |
3.61 (92) |
4.03 (102) |
50.95 (1,294) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.3 (11) |
3.3 (8.4) |
2.9 (7.4) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
3.7 (9.4) |
14.4 (37) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.4 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 7.4 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 8.0 | 95.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 4.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 128 | — | |
| 1880 | 196 | — | |
| 1890 | 413 | 110.7% | |
| 1900 | 230 | −44.3% | |
| 1910 | 184 | −20.0% | |
| 1920 | 196 | 6.5% | |
| 1930 | 266 | 35.7% | |
| 1940 | 304 | 14.3% | |
| 1950 | 359 | 18.1% | |
| 1960 | 814 | 126.7% | |
| 1970 | 943 | 15.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,086 | 15.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,300 | 19.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,422 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,611 | 13.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,622 | 0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,416 | 87.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 18 | 1.11% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.49% |
| Asian | 13 | 0.8% |
| Other/Mixed | 47 | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 120 | 7.4% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,622 people, 615 households, and 340 families residing in the town.
Notable people
- Charles M. Bishop, academic administrator, college professor, and Methodist minister
Notable events
In January 2025, LifeStore Bank of Jefferson was the subject of an armed robbery.
See also
In Spanish: Jefferson (Carolina del Norte) para niños
