Jefferson County

County Business Patterns, 20234th largest of 4 counties in the Tallahassee, FL metro areaPopulation 15,547

Jefferson County had 1,979 private jobs, the 8th-fewest of any county, in 289 establishments in March 2023, paying $42,582 on average, 29% below the Florida figure. Jobs grew 27.0% between March 2019 and March 2023, the 4th-fastest growth of any county. Businesses here are small: 6.8 employees per establishment, the 2nd-lowest average in Florida.

With 1,979 jobs, a few employers can move these averages a lot.

Compare Jefferson side by side with Washington or another county.

The largest industry, retail trade, has 19% of Jefferson County's jobs. Among its larger industries, pay runs from $19,124 a year in hotels and restaurants to $60,689 in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Pays above the county averagePays below itNot shown by industryCounty averageFlorida average

What stands out in Jefferson County

Jobs in construction make up 16.3% of all local jobs, the highest share of the 63 counties with at least 100 such jobs and 2.4 times the 67-county share.
Total payroll rose 69.7% from 2019 in current dollars, the 3rd-fastest increase in the state.
Jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing make up 5.4% of all local jobs, the 2nd-highest share of the 21 counties with at least 100 such jobs and 56.1 times the 67-county share.
Average pay rose 33.6% since 2019 in current dollars, the 5th-largest increase in Florida.
92.0% of its establishments have fewer than 20 employees, the 4th-highest share among the 67 counties where size classes are published.
In the latest year alone, March 2022 to March 2023, jobs rose 0.5%, the 8th-slowest in Florida.

Where Jefferson County ranks

The four measures on which Jefferson County sits furthest from the middle county. It is furthest out on job growth since 2019, where it ranks 4th of 67.

Jobs1,979

60thof 67

Business establishments289

60thof 67

Jobs per 1,000 residents127

59thof 67

Job growth since 2019+27.0%

4thof 67

JeffersonOther countiesMiddle county

Every industry, line by line

15 industries published; construction added the most jobs since 2019 (167), finance and insurance lost the most (75).

Industry	Jobs	Avg pay	Pay vs same industry statewide	Jobs since 2019
Retail trade	371	$29,534	0.78×	+20.9%
Construction	323	$57,536	0.90×	+107.0%
Hotels & restaurants	210	$19,124	0.67×	+46.9%
Health care & social assistance	201	$33,000	0.51×	+12.9%
Professional & technical services	132	$55,462	0.62×	+100.0%
Agriculture, forestry & fishing	106	$60,689	1.36×	+65.6%
Transportation & warehousing	98	$79,378	1.31×	−10.1%
Manufacturing	90	$36,667	0.54×	+66.7%
Other services	80	$23,250	0.59×	−15.8%
Administrative & support services	64	$28,594	0.49×	+20.8%
Finance & insurance	62	$50,177	0.47×	−54.7%
Utilities	42	$113,881	0.92×	−6.7%
Arts & recreation	36	$26,333	0.61×	+63.6%
Real estate & rental	32	$24,906	0.41×	+18.5%
Wholesale trade	27	$66,593	0.84×	−30.8%
All industries	1,979	$42,582	0.71×	+27.0%

Withheld by the Census Bureau: Mining & quarrying, Information, Management of companies, Educational services.

What sets Jefferson County apart

Three industries are at least 1.25 times as common here as across the 67 counties; administrative and support services is the most under-represented, at 0.46×.

Business sizes

92.0% have fewer than 20 employees; 0 have 100 or more.

EmployeesEstablishments

1–4183

5–950

10–1933

20–4917

50–996

100–249withheld

250–499withheld

500–999withheld

1,000+withheld

Since 2019

Jobs +27.0%, residents +9.1% since March 2019.

Jobs1,9792019: 1,558+27.0%

Business establishments2892019: 252+14.7%

Average pay (nominal)$42,5822019: $31,870+33.6%

Residents15,5472019: 14,246+9.1%

Share of Florida

Fewer of Florida's jobs (0.03%) than of its residents (0.07%).

Residents0.07%

Businesses0.04%

Jobs0.03%

Payroll0.02%

Source: Census CBP 2023, 2022, 2019; Population Estimates. FIPS 12065. How to read County Business Patterns figures.