Jefferson, Wisconsin
Jefferson is a city of 7,732 people in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Why visit Jefferson
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 23 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Highway 18 Outdoor Theater, Hoard's Dairyman Farm, Jefferson Fire Station and Jefferson Golf Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 11°F.
Weather in Jefferson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jefferson
Jefferson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It lies at the confluence of the Rock and Crawfish rivers. The population was 7,793 at the 2020 census. The city is partially bordered by the Town of Jefferson.
From the Wikipedia article Jefferson, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
Hoard's Dairyman Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Farm in Koshkonong, Wisconsin, United States
Jefferson Fire Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Fire station in Jefferson, Wisconsin
Jefferson High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Public secondary school in Jefferson, Wisconsin
Jefferson Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Carnegie library in Jefferson, Wisconsin
Main Street Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Jefferson, Wisconsin
Michael and Margaritha Beck Farmstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Farm in Jefferson, Wisconsin
Richard C. Smith House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes23
Tan-a- Latte
Cafe · Coffee Shop
122 South Main Street, Jefferson
Duck-In Waddle Out
Bar and pub
105 North Main Street, Jefferson
Urban's Place Restaurant
Restaurant
221 South Main Street, Jefferson
11 more on the map.
History
Jefferson's founders were settlers from New England, part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Specifically, on December 18, 1836, three settlers, all of them from Milwaukee, Rodney J. Currier, Andrew Lansing and Capt. Robert Masters, came from Bark Mills (Hebron) and "distributed" themselves about the Jefferson area. Currier and Lansing were the first known settlers in the area as they later erected a log cabin on a claim previously made. Most arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal as well as the end of the Black Hawk War. Jefferson's location was selected to make use of the water power and transportation opportunities offered by the Rock River. It was the furthest point a steamboat could navigate the Rock in 1839. Later bridges built downstream prevented such navigation.
From the History section of Jefferson, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
AmericInn by Wyndham Jefferson
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
1456 South Ryan Avenue, Jefferson
Churches and places of worship4
Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · Evangelical Lutheran
215 East Church Street, Jefferson
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Map of Jefferson
75 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 11°F | 1.6 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 14°F | 1.6 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 4.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.5 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.5 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 4.3 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 41°F | 3.1 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 28°F | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 18°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jefferson Wwtp (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jefferson County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-19: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2007-08-26: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.
- Fort Atkinson 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Cambridge 11 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Whitewater 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Lake Koshkonong 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Watertown 13 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Deerfield 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Ixonia 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Oconomowoc 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Edgerton 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Dousman 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Main Street Commercial Historic District, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Richard C. Smith House, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hoards old barn, Abirch87 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Jefferson Fire Station, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jefferson Public Library, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Michael and Margaritha Beck Farmstead, farmhouse, TheCatalyst31, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.