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Jefferson County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Jefferson County
U.S. county
Jefferson County courthouse
Jefferson County courthouse
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Jefferson County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
Founded 1839
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Seat Jefferson
Largest city Watertown
Area
 • Total 583 sq mi (1,510 km2)
 • Land 556 sq mi (1,440 km2)
 • Water 26 sq mi (70 km2)  4.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 84,900
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 85,743 Increase
 • Density 145.63/sq mi (56.23/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 5th

Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. In 2020, about 84,900 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Jefferson. Jefferson County is part of a larger area that includes Watertown and Fort Atkinson.

History of Jefferson County

Jefferson County was created in 1836 when Wisconsin was still a territory. It officially became organized in 1839. Many of the first settlers came from New England.

The county was named after Jefferson County, New York. Some of the early settlers came from that county. Even the town of Watertown, Wisconsin was named after Watertown, New York.

Geography and Nature

Jefferson County covers an area of about 583 square miles. Most of this area, about 556 square miles, is land. The rest, about 26 square miles, is water. This means about 4.5% of the county is covered by water.

Main Roads and Travel

Many important roads pass through Jefferson County. These roads help people travel easily across the county and to other places.

  • I-94.svg Interstate 94
  • US 12.svg U.S. Highway 12
  • US 18.svg U.S. Highway 18
  • WIS 16.svg Wisconsin Highway 16
  • WIS 19.svg Wisconsin Highway 19
  • WIS 26.svg Wisconsin Highway 26
  • WIS 59.svg Wisconsin Highway 59
  • WIS 89.svg Wisconsin Highway 89
  • 20生产者 Wisconsin Highway 106
  • WIS 134.svg Wisconsin Highway 134

Railroads in the County

Trains also help move people and goods in and out of Jefferson County.

Airports for Local Travel

The county has a few airports that serve the local communities.

  • Watertown Municipal Airport (KRYV)
  • Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport (61C)

Neighboring Counties

Jefferson County shares its borders with several other counties.

People of Jefferson County

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840 914 —
1850 15,317 1,575.8%
1860 30,438 98.7%
1870 34,040 11.8%
1880 32,156 −5.5%
1890 33,530 4.3%
1900 34,789 3.8%
1910 34,306 −1.4%
1920 35,022 2.1%
1930 36,785 5.0%
1940 38,868 5.7%
1950 43,069 10.8%
1960 50,094 16.3%
1970 60,060 19.9%
1980 66,152 10.1%
1990 67,783 2.5%
2000 74,021 9.2%
2010 83,686 13.1%
2020 84,900 1.5%
2023 (est.) 85,743 2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

In 2020, the county had a population of 84,900 people. This means there were about 152 people living in each square mile. Most people in the county (88.5%) are White. Other groups include Black or African American (1.0%), Asian (0.8%), and Native American (0.4%). About 8.3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

The Dwight Foster Public Library is an important resource for the county. It serves over 19,000 people and is part of the Bridges Library System.

Cities, Towns, and Villages

Jefferson County has many different communities. These include cities, smaller villages, and towns.

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or village.

Education in Jefferson County

Many school districts serve the students of Jefferson County, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

  • Cambridge School District
  • Edgerton School District
  • Fort Atkinson School District
  • Jefferson School District
  • 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

Images for kids

  • USA Jefferson County, Wisconsin age pyramid

    Age pyramid for Jefferson County in 2000

  • Jefferson County Wisconsin Fairgrounds Grandstand

    Grandstands at the county fairgrounds in Jefferson

  • Jefferson County Wisconsin Fairgrounds sign

    Sign at the county fairgrounds

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Wisconsin) para niños

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