Jefferson County, Georgia

Jefferson County is a county in Georgia, United States, about 40 miles northeast of Augusta. It
had a population of 15,709 at the 2020 census, an estimated 15,011 by 2025, and covers 530 square
miles (1,400 km2) centred near 33°03′N 82°25′W.

Louisville is the county seat and the county’s largest city; its postal code is 30434. The
county holds 6 cities, 1 town and 1 census-designated place, plus a scattering of unincorporated
communities, and it runs on Eastern Time.

Towns & Villages in Jefferson County

Jefferson County has 24 named places on record: 6 cities, 1 town, 1 census-designated place
(CDP) and 16 unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. CDP stands for
census designated place; Unincorp. covers crossroads and rural communities with no formal
boundary.

Keysville straddles the county line: most of its area and the bulk of its 300 residents sit
across the border in Burke County, with only the western edge of the municipality reaching into
Jefferson. Its population figure above is citywide, not a Jefferson County-only count.

ZIP Codes

• 30434 — Louisville
• 30833 — Wrens
• 30818 — Wrens Station area and Matthews
• 30477 — Wadley
• 30823 — Stapleton
• 30803 — Avera
• 30413 — Bartow
• 30816 — Keysville (shared with Burke County)

Aldreds, Almira, Atwell, Brinson Crossing, Cunningham Corner, Ellis Plantation, Magnolia,
Moxley, Noah, Old Town, Omaha Springs, Pine Hill, Stapletons Crossroads, Stellaville and Zebina
have no ZIP code of their own; mail to these crossroads communities is delivered under the
nearest incorporated town’s code.

Geography

Jefferson County sits in Georgia’s upper coastal plain, a belt of flat to gently rolling
farmland between the fall line and the Savannah River basin. Of its 530 square miles, 526 are
land and 3.2 are water, a little over half a percent — the county has no large natural lake
and only Rocky Comfort Creek and the Ogeechee River’s headwater tributaries account for most
of its surface water. The Ogeechee River forms part of the county’s southern edge.

McDuffie County lies to the north, Richmond County to the northeast, Burke County to the east,
Emanuel County to the south, Johnson County to the southwest, Washington County to the west, and
Glascock and Warren counties to the northwest. McDuffie County, Richmond County, Burke County, Emanuel County, Glascock County and Washington County all have
their own pages on this site; Johnson and Warren counties border Jefferson directly but their
Georgia pages are not yet live here.

Demographics

Jefferson County had a population of 15,709 at the 2020 census, and the latest estimate puts
the county near 15,011 residents, a decline from the 2020 count. Louisville and Wrens are by far
the two largest communities, together holding almost a third of the county’s population.
Median household income runs $53,014, well below Georgia’s statewide figure of $74,632
(2023 ACS). The county’s poverty rate stands near 16.9 percent, above both the state and
national averages. Population density works out to roughly 30 people per square mile of land,
low even for rural middle Georgia.

Economy & Local Life

Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 1,064 people, followed by
transportation and warehousing at 945 and health care and social assistance at 759. The county
remains largely agricultural outside its small industrial base, with row crops, timber and
poultry houses dominating the land beyond its towns. Louisville’s downtown centers on the
Jefferson County courthouse, built in 1904 on the site of Georgia’s first permanent state
capitol building, and the Old Market, an open-sided market house that still stands nearby.

History

The Georgia General Assembly created Jefferson County on 20 February 1796, naming it for
Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and later the third
president of the United States. Louisville was already Georgia’s state capital
when the county formed — it had served in that role since 1796 and continued until the
capital moved to Milledgeville in 1806. Louisville itself was incorporated on 26 January 1786 and
named for King Louis XVI of France, in recognition of French support during the American
Revolution.

The Old Market in downtown Louisville, still standing today, historically included sections
used for the sale of enslaved people during the antebellum period, a documented and
uncomfortable part of the town’s history as Georgia’s early capital.

Getting There

No interstate highway crosses Jefferson County. US 1, US 221 and US 319 run through the
county, along with Georgia routes 4, 17, 24, 47, 78, 80, 88, 102, 171, 242, 296 and 540.

• Augusta — about 40 miles northeast
• Sandersville — about 24 miles west
• Waynesboro — about 23 miles east
• Swainsboro — about 29 miles southeast

Augusta Regional Airport, roughly 40 miles northeast of Louisville, is the nearest major
commercial airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Jefferson County located?
It sits in Georgia’s upper coastal plain, about 40 miles northeast of Augusta, bordered by
McDuffie, Richmond, Burke, Emanuel, Johnson, Washington, Glascock and Warren counties.

What is the population of Jefferson County?
15,709 at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 15,011.

How big is Jefferson County?
530 square miles (1,400 km2), of which 526 square miles are land.

What is the county seat of Jefferson County?
Louisville, Georgia’s state capital from 1796 to 1806, is the county seat and largest
city.

How many towns and cities are in Jefferson County?
Six cities — Louisville, Wrens, Wadley, Keysville (partly), Stapleton and Avera — one
town, Bartow, and one census-designated place, Matthews, plus 16 unincorporated
communities.

What ZIP codes does Jefferson County use?
30434 for Louisville, 30833 for Wrens, 30477 for Wadley, 30823 for Stapleton, 30803 for Avera,
30413 for Bartow, and 30816 and 30818 shared with neighboring counties for Keysville and
Matthews.

What is Jefferson County known for?
Louisville’s role as Georgia’s first state capital, and the 1904 courthouse built on
the site of the state’s original capitol building.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.