Jefferson County, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson County
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Jefferson County Courthouse in Madison
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
|
|
 Indiana's location within the U.S. |
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| Founded | 1811 |
| Named for | Thomas Jefferson |
| Seat | Madison |
| Largest city | Madison |
| Area | |
| • Total | 362.89 sq mi (939.9 km2) |
| • Land | 360.63 sq mi (934.0 km2) |
| • Water | 2.26 sq mi (5.9 km2) 0.62%% |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 33,147 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
33,056  |
| • Density | 91.3417/sq mi (35.2672/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Indiana county number 39 | |
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Indiana, USA. It's in the southeastern part of Indiana. In 2020, about 33,147 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Madison.
Contents
History of Jefferson County
Jefferson County was officially formed on February 1, 1811. It was named after Thomas Jefferson, who was a very important person in early American history. He helped create the Northwest Ordinance, which set rules for new territories. He also served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809.
Jefferson County was one of Indiana's first counties. Many important early leaders came from Madison, including William Hendricks. For a long time, Madison was one of the biggest cities in Indiana. It competed with other cities like Vincennes and New Albany. After the American Civil War, the county's economy slowed down. Many industries started moving to northern Indiana instead.
Courthouse Fire in 2009
On the evening of May 20, 2009, the county courthouse caught fire. The fire started in the steeple, which was being rebuilt. Firefighters from many areas came to help. The fire burned for several hours. It badly damaged the inside of the building and destroyed many county records. The fire also caused the nearby county jail to be emptied. It closed down the downtown area of Madison for a while. Later, it was found that workers accidentally started the fire while welding on the roof.
Fremont Falls
The tallest waterfall in Indiana is called Fremont Falls. You can find it in Hanover, which is also in Jefferson County.
Geography of Jefferson County
Jefferson County covers about 362.89 square miles. Most of this area, about 360.63 square miles, is land. The rest, about 2.26 square miles, is water. Jefferson County is part of the "Madison, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area."
Cities and Towns
- Brooksburg
- Dupont
- Hanover
- Madison (This is the county seat)
Census-Designated Places
Townships
- Graham
- Hanover
- Lancaster
- Madison
- Milton
- Monroe
- Republican
- Saluda
- Shelby
- Smyrna
Neighboring Counties
Jefferson County shares borders with several other counties:
- Ripley County (to the north)
- Switzerland County (to the east)
- Carroll County, Kentucky (to the southeast)
- Trimble County, Kentucky (to the south)
- Clark County (to the southwest)
- Scott County (to the west)
- Jennings County (to the northwest)
Main Roads and Highways
These are some of the important roads that go through Jefferson County:
U.S. Route 421
Indiana State Road 3
Indiana State Road 7
Indiana State Road 56
Indiana State Road 62
Indiana State Road 250
Indiana State Road 256
Indiana State Road 356
Indiana State Road 362
Protected Natural Areas
Part of the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge is located in Jefferson County. This is a special area set aside to protect wildlife.
Climate and Weather
| Weather chart for Madison, Indiana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3.1
39
23
|
3
44
26
|
4.3
55
34
|
4.3
65
43
|
5
75
53
|
4.4
83
62
|
4.4
87
66
|
4.1
85
65
|
2.9
79
57
|
3.2
67
45
|
3.8
55
36
|
3.7
44
27
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Metric conversion
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In Madison, the average temperature in January is around 23°F (about -5°C). In July, it's much warmer, with an average high of 87°F (about 31°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded was -18°F (-28°C) in December 1989. The hottest was 108°F (42°C) in July 1954. The amount of rain and snow changes throughout the year. May usually gets the most, while September gets the least.
People of Jefferson County (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 8,038 | — | |
| 1830 | 11,465 | 42.6% | |
| 1840 | 16,614 | 44.9% | |
| 1850 | 23,916 | 44.0% | |
| 1860 | 25,036 | 4.7% | |
| 1870 | 29,741 | 18.8% | |
| 1880 | 25,977 | −12.7% | |
| 1890 | 24,507 | −5.7% | |
| 1900 | 22,913 | −6.5% | |
| 1910 | 20,483 | −10.6% | |
| 1920 | 20,709 | 1.1% | |
| 1930 | 19,182 | −7.4% | |
| 1940 | 19,912 | 3.8% | |
| 1950 | 21,613 | 8.5% | |
| 1960 | 24,061 | 11.3% | |
| 1970 | 27,006 | 12.2% | |
| 1980 | 30,419 | 12.6% | |
| 1990 | 29,797 | −2.0% | |
| 2000 | 31,705 | 6.4% | |
| 2010 | 32,428 | 2.3% | |
| 2020 | 33,147 | 2.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 33,056 | 1.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
|||
According to the 2010 United States Census, there were 32,428 people living in the county. There were 12,635 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 89.9 people per square mile.
Most people in the county were white (95.2%). About 1.7% were black or African American, and 0.7% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 2.3% of the population. Many families had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in the county was 39.7 years old.
The average income for a household in the county was about $47,697. For families, the average income was about $52,343. Some families and individuals had lower incomes.
Education
All residents of Jefferson County who are five years old or older can get a free library card. This card is for the Jefferson County Public Library in Madison. The public schools in Jefferson County are part of the Madison Consolidated Schools system.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Indiana) para niños
