Jefferson County, New York: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, New York had an estimated 113,140 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,716, across 1,269 square miles. 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 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024115,040
- 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-equivalents, Puerto Rico included549th of 3,222
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 affordable 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's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024113,140
- Census 2020 base population116,716
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.06 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-435
- 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 of 3,144
The county has lost 3.06 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Jefferson County
Where are people moving to Jefferson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,287
- People arriving, from those returns8,768
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,907
- Net household movement-620
- Adjusted gross income arriving$231.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-38.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$54,100
- Average income of a leaving household$55,012
- Largest single originForeign - APO/FPO ZIPs (206 households)
- Largest single destinationForeign - APO/FPO ZIPs (169 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 206 | 484 | $11.6 m |
| St. Lawrence County | 155 | 277 | $5.8 m |
| Lewis County | 152 | 270 | $7.6 m |
| Onondaga County | 123 | 197 | $9.9 m |
| Oswego County | 96 | 180 | $5.4 m |
| Honolulu County | 94 | 229 | $4.9 m |
| El Paso County | 77 | 184 | $4.2 m |
| Muscogee County | 71 | 175 | $4.4 m |
Households arriving report $912 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs, 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 is the Jefferson County economy?
- 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 the New York areas BEA publishes25th of 62
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes513th of 3,127
- 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
Employment by industry in Jefferson County
- Covered employment, annual average40,308
- Establishments reporting2,950
- Average annual pay$55,545
- Average weekly wage$1,068
- Health care and social assistance, employment6,712
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$62,819
- Retail trade, employment5,675
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,065
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,049
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,397
- Manufacturing, employment1,758
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,346
- Construction, employment1,708
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,483
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,712 | 290 | $62,819 |
| Retail trade | 5,675 | 401 | $37,065 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,049 | 315 | $25,397 |
| Manufacturing | 1,758 | 70 | $66,346 |
| Construction | 1,708 | 280 | $68,764 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,483 | 80 | $51,968 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,399 | 268 | $34,664 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,019 | 140 | $59,067 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,712 jobs, 16.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jefferson County
How many businesses are 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. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Jefferson County
Building permits in Jefferson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024191
- Declared construction value permitted$34.3 m
- Single family units authorized191
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$179,468
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.0
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Jefferson County
SBA loans in Jefferson County (7(a) and 504)
- 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$39,190
- 90th percentile approval$788,200
- 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$668,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval11.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.2
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (22)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$46.4 m
The average approval of $379,138 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here 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
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jefferson County
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full15
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure39
- Status: Paid in full15
- Status: Cancelled15
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 16 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jefferson County
SBA lending by place in Jefferson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending19
- Watertown, approvals26
- Theresa, approvals7
- Clayton, approvals6
- Carthage, approvals4
- Mannsville, approvals4
- Dexter, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Watertown | 26 | $11,641,300 |
| Theresa | 7 | $1,500,600 |
| Clayton | 6 | $1,239,300 |
| Carthage | 4 | $2,140,000 |
| Mannsville | 4 | $1,400,000 |
| Dexter | 4 | $818,800 |
| Sackets Harbor | 3 | $600,700 |
| Adams Center | 3 | $555,000 |
| 11 other borrower cities | 15 | $7,402,200 |
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 large 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
Flood risk in Jefferson County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book42
- Of those, participating in the NFIP41
- NFIP participation rate97.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Jefferson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Jefferson County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 97.6 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024115,040
- 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?
The Census Bureau estimates 113,140 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 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's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.06 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,716, to 113,140 on July 1, 2024. 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 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 employment by industry in Jefferson County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,712 jobs, 16.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 40,308 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,545, or $1,068 a week. 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 totaling $27.3 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 24 504 approvals worth $19.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Jefferson County?
191 housing units were authorized 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 Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs, with 206 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,100 against $55,012 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Jefferson County
Cities and places in Jefferson.
41 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jefferson County. All 41 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | city | 24,375 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Drum | CDP | 16,065 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Carthage | village | 3,510 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Calcium | CDP | 2,935 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Carthage | village | 1,864 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clayton | village | 1,661 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Black River | village | 1,651 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Adams | village | 1,531 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sackets Harbor | village | 1,490 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Alexandria Bay | village | 1,212 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Adams Center | CDP | 1,075 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Theresa | village | 945 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Great Bend | CDP | 938 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pamelia Center | CDP | 907 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Philadelphia | village | 821 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dexter | village | 754 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Brownville | village | 700 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Antwerp | village | 683 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cape Vincent | village | 658 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Evans Mills | village | 653 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chaumont | village | 650 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Glen Park | village | 624 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| La Fargeville | CDP | 512 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Pierrepont Manor | CDP | 425 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mannsville | village | 417 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Felts Mills | CDP | 402 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Redwood | CDP | 371 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Deferiet | village | 366 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Depauville | CDP | 310 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Thousand Island Park | CDP | 222 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Belleville | CDP | 220 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rodman | CDP | 220 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Henderson | CDP | 207 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Plessis | CDP | 176 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ellisburg | village | 150 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lorraine | CDP | 107 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oxbow | CDP | 92 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fishers Landing | CDP | 91 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Natural Bridge | CDP | 91 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Three Mile Bay | CDP | 44 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Herrings | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby