Jefferson County, New York: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, New York has a population of 115,040 across 1,269 square miles, down 3.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $8.28 bn in 2024, 2,348 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 72 7(a) approvals worth $27.3 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population115,040
- Households47,606
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$66,301
- Median age33.7
- Median gross rent$1,213 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$188,200
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over74,083
- Population under 1827,653
- Share under 1824.0 percent
- Population 65 and over17,381
- Share 65 and over15.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6470,006
- Civilian labor force48,205
- Unemployment rate5.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.2 percent
- Rank by population among New York counties25th of 62
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents549th
Jefferson County is the 25th largest of 62 New York counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.0 percent against 15.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.06 percent
- Census 2020 base population116,716
- Births, 20241,783
- Deaths, 20241,070
- Natural change, 2024713
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1,703
- Net international migration, 2024575
- Total net migration, 2024-1,128
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-7,441
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2750th
The county has lost 3.06 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Jefferson County
Where people moving to Jefferson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,287
- People arriving, from those returns8,768
- Adjusted gross income arriving$231.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$54,100
- Largest single originJefferson County Non-migrants (39,153 households)
- Largest single destination (39,153 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Non-migrants | 39,153 | 80,066 | $2.56 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,009 | 3,889 | $104.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,026 | 2,048 | $53.6 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 356 | 631 | $19.6 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 339 | 674 | $17.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 320 | 542 | $18.3 m |
| Other flows - West | 288 | 536 | $13.8 m |
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 206 | 484 | $11.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Jefferson County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Jefferson County
What the Jefferson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$8.28 bn
- County GDP, 2023$8.00 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.4 percent
- GDP change over five years24.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among New York counties25th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents513th
- GDP per resident$71,936
Output grew 3.4 percent in the latest year and 24.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Jefferson County
Who employs people in Jefferson County
- Covered employment, annual average40,308
- Establishments reporting2,950
- Average annual pay$55,545
- Average weekly wage$1,068
- Sector 62, employment6,712
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,819
- Sector 44-45, employment5,675
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$37,065
- Sector 72, employment4,049
- Sector 72, average annual pay$25,397
- Sector 31-33, employment1,758
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$66,346
- Sector 23, employment1,708
- Sector 48-49, employment1,483
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 6,712 | 290 | $62,819 |
| Sector 44-45 | 5,675 | 401 | $37,065 |
| Sector 72 | 4,049 | 315 | $25,397 |
| Sector 31-33 | 1,758 | 70 | $66,346 |
| Sector 23 | 1,708 | 280 | $68,764 |
| Sector 48-49 | 1,483 | 80 | $51,968 |
| Sector 81 | 1,399 | 268 | $34,664 |
| Sector 56 | 1,019 | 140 | $59,067 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 6,712 jobs, 16.7 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jefferson County
What businesses operate in Jefferson County
- Establishments, all industries2,348
- Employment at those establishments28,622
- Annual payroll$1.39 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Jefferson County
What is being built in Jefferson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024191
- Declared construction value permitted$34.3 m
- Single family units authorised191
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$179,468
- Units authorised per 1,000 households4.0
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Jefferson County
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded72
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$27.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$379,138
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$39,100
- 90th percentile approval$800,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)570
- Jobs per approval7.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals41
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms16
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter52
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals2.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (6)
- Most active lenderWatertown Savings Bank (30)
- 504 approvals recorded24
- 504 gross approval dollars$19.1 m
- Average 504 approval$795,167
- Median 504 approval$690,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval11.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.2
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (22)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals75.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$46.4 m
The average approval of $379,138 sits well above the median of $200,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 22.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jefferson County
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full15
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans6.3 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure39
- Status: Paid in full15
- Status: Cancelled15
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Of the 16 loans that have reached a final outcome, 6.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jefferson County
Which parts of Jefferson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending19
- Watertown, approvals26
- Theresa, approvals7
- Clayton, approvals6
- Dexter, approvals4
- MANNSVILLE, approvals4
- CARTHAGE, approvals4
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Watertown | 26 | $11,641,300 |
| Theresa | 7 | $1,500,600 |
| Clayton | 6 | $1,239,300 |
| Dexter | 4 | $818,800 |
| MANNSVILLE | 4 | $1,400,000 |
| CARTHAGE | 4 | $2,140,000 |
| Sackets Harbor | 3 | $600,700 |
| Alexandria Bay | 3 | $188,000 |
Watertown accounts for 26 approvals against 7 in Theresa. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jefferson County
How big is Jefferson County
- Land area1,269 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New York counties10th of 62
- Width, east to west45.8 mi
- Height, north to south50.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land91
- Establishments per square mile1.85
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Jefferson County
What hazards affect Jefferson County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book42
- Of those, participating in the NFIP41
- NFIP participation rate97.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Jefferson County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Jefferson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population115,040
- Households47,606
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$66,301
- Median age33.7
Common questions
Jefferson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jefferson County, New York?
115,040, in 47,606 households, ranking 25th of 62 New York counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jefferson County growing?
The population has fallen 3.06 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,783 births against 1,070 deaths, with net migration of -1,128. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$66,301. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $188,200, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,213 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Jefferson County?
2,348 establishments, employing 28,622 people with an annual payroll of $1.39 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Jefferson County?
Average annual pay is $55,545, or $1,068 a week, across 40,308 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County?
72 7(a) approvals totalling $27.3 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 24 504 approvals worth $19.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
Of the 16 loans that have reached a final outcome, 15 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 6.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Jefferson County?
191 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $34.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jefferson County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Jefferson County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County Non-migrants, with 39,153 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,100 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jefferson County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Jefferson County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.