Jefferson County, Missouri facts for kids

Jefferson County
Quick facts for kids Jefferson County
	U.S. county
	The Jefferson County Courthouse in Hillsboro
	Seal
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
	; Missouri's location within the U.S.;
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	1818
Named for	Thomas Jefferson
Seat	Hillsboro
Largest city	Arnold
Area
• Total	664 sq mi (1,720 km2)
• Land	657 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km2) 1.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	226,739
• Density	341.47/sq mi (131.84/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 3rd, 8th

Jefferson County is located in the eastern portion of the state of Missouri. It is a part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 226,739, making it the sixth-most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Hillsboro. The county was organized in 1818 and named in honor of former president Thomas Jefferson.

In 1980, according to the U.S. census held that year, the county contained the mean center of U.S. population. Notably, this was the first census in which the center of population was west of the Mississippi River.

Jefferson County is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area and encompasses many of the city's southern suburbs.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 664 square miles (1,720 km²), of which 657 square miles (1,700 km²) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km²) (1.2%) is water. The county's eastern border is the Mississippi River and on the other side is Illinois.

Much of Jefferson County is in the projected totality path of the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Interstate 55
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 67
Route 21
Route 30
Route 109
Route 110
Route 141
Route 231

National protected area

Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	1,835	—
1830	2,592	41.3%
1840	4,296	65.7%
1850	6,928	61.3%
1860	10,344	49.3%
1870	15,380	48.7%
1880	18,736	21.8%
1890	22,484	20.0%
1900	25,712	14.4%
1910	27,878	8.4%
1920	26,555	−4.7%
1930	27,563	3.8%
1940	32,023	16.2%
1950	38,007	18.7%
1960	66,377	74.6%
1970	105,248	58.6%
1980	146,183	38.9%
1990	171,380	17.2%
2000	198,099	15.6%
2010	218,733	10.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

As of the 2020 Census Jefferson County had a population of 226,739. The ethnic and racial makeup of the county was 90.4% white (89.7% non-hispanic white), 1.0% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.8% Asian, 0.8% some other race, and 6.6% two or more races. 2.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.

As of the 2010 Census Jefferson County had a population of 218,733. The reported ethnic and racial make up of the population was 95.4% non-Hispanic white, 0.8% African-American, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% reporting some other race, 1.3% reporting two or more races and 1.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 198,099 people, 71,499 households, and 54,553 families residing in the county. The population density was 302 inhabitants per square mile (117/km²). There were 75,586 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile (44/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.48% White, 0.68% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Approximately 1.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 71,499 households, out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.00% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 18.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 31.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $60,636, and the median income for a family was $66,697. Males had a median income of $37,822 versus $25,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,058. About 4.90% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.10% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

There were 146,316 registered voters in 2008. As of Oct. 24, 2012, there were 148,011.

Recreation

Big River Saddle Club
Brown's Ford
Cedar Hill
Fletcher House
High Ridge Civic Center
Rockford Beach

Jefferson Winter Park
Minnie Ha Ha Park
Morse Mill
Pleasant Valley
Sunridge
NW Jefferson County Sports Complex

Communities

Cities

Villages

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Education

Public schools

School District 47 - Crystal City
- Crystal City High School - Crystal City
De Soto School District 73 - De Soto
- Early Childhood Center (PK)
- Athena Elementary School (K-06)
- Vineland Elementary School (K-06)
- De Soto Jr. High School (07-08)
- De Soto High School (09-12)
Dunklin R-V School District - Herculaneum
Festus R-IV School District - Festus
- Festus Elementary School (K-03)
- Festus Intermediate School (04-06)
- Festus Middle School (07-08)
- Festus High School (09-12)
Fox C-6 School District - Arnold
Grandview R-II School District - Hillsboro
- Grandview Elementary School (K-05) - Hillsboro
- Grandview Middle School (06-08) - Hillsboro
- Grandview High School (09-12) - Ware
Hillsboro R-3 School District - Hillsboro
- Hillsboro Primary School (K-02)
- Hillsboro Elementary School (03-04)
- Hillsboro Middle School (05-06)
- Hillsboro Jr. High School (07-08)
- Hillsboro High School (09-12)
Jefferson County R-VII School District - Festus
- Plattin Primary School (PK-02) - Plattin
- Telegraph Intermediate School (03-05) - Festus
- Danby-Rush Tower Middle School (06-08) - Festus
- Jefferson High School- Festus
Northwest R-I School District - High Ridge
- Brennan Woods Elementary School (K-05) - High Ridge
- Cedar Springs Elementary School (K-05) - House Springs
- High Ridge Elementary School (K-05) - High Ridge
- House Springs Elementary School (K-05) - House Springs
- Maple Grove Elementary School (K-05) - Dittmer
- Murphy Elementary School (K-05) - High Ridge
- Woodridge Middle School (06-08) - High Ridge
- Valley Middle School (06-08) - House Springs
- Northwest High School (09-12) - Cedar Hill
Sunrise R-IX School District - De Soto
- Sunrise Elementary School (K-08) - De Soto
Windsor C-1 School District - Imperial

Private schools

Christian Outreach School (K-12) - Hillsboro - Nondenominational Christian
People's Christian Academy (K-12) - Arnold - Assembly of God/Pentecostal
St. Pius X High School (09-12) - Festus - Roman Catholic
Twin City Christian Academy (PK-12) - Festus - Baptist
Good Shepherd Catholic School - (K-08) - Hillsboro - Roman Catholic
Holy Child Elementary & Middle School - Arnold - (K-08) - Roman Catholic
Manna Christian Academy - De Soto - (K-12) - Southern Baptist
Our Lady's Catholic School - Festus - (K-08) - Roman Catholic
Sacred Heart Catholic School - Festus - (K-08) - Roman Catholic
St. Anthony's Catholic School - High Ridge - (K-08) - Roman Catholic
St. Joseph's Catholic School - Imperial - (K-08) - Roman Catholic
St. Johns Lutheran School - Arnold - (PK-08) - Lutheran
St. Johns School - Imperial - (K-08) - Nondenominational Christianity
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School - De Soto - (K-08) - Roman Catholic

Post-secondary

Jefferson College - Hillsboro A public, two-year community college

Public libraries

Crystal City Public Library
De Soto Public Library
Festus Public Library
Herculaneum Public Library
Jefferson County Public Library