Pros and Cons Living in Jefferson, GA

If you have watched my videos before, you have heard me talk about towns like Gainesville, Buford, and Flowery Branch many times in the past. Today we are going to discuss the pros and cons of a town we haven’t talked about much before, and that is Jefferson, Georgia. Jefferson is a small town located in Jackson County, which is the county that sits on the southeast side of Hall County- it’s about 20 miles southeast of Gainesville. The town has a population of about 12,000 people and takes up about 22 square miles, so it’s a pretty small town population wise. 

Jefferson has an adorable little downtown, where you can find some cool small businesses and restaurants, and appreciate its small town charm. So, what are the pros and cons about this small town?

Let’s start with the pros. For starters, there are really great schools in Jefferson. There are two different county high schools in the area, East Jackson Comprehensive High School and Jackson County Comprehensive High School. East Jackson has an incredible graduation rate of 97% and Jackson County has a graduation rate of 95% percent, both of which are much higher than the state average of 82%. There is also Jefferson High school, which is a city school that also has an awesome graduation rate as well. These are some really great numbers and I am confident that your child would have the opportunity to receive a great education. 

Another great thing about Jefferson is that there is very little traffic. Because the town has a small population but is pretty well spread apart, there is really not a lot of traffic. If you live somewhere like Flowery Branch where there is never ending road work and traffic, Jefferson is a breath of fresh air. State Route 129 runs right through town which definitely keeps things moving. This isn’t a “one stoplight” kind of small town, even though it has a smaller population. There are several bigger industrial companies and manufacturing facilities in Jefferson, so having 129 run right down the center of town is very convenient, and you also have easy access to 985 from Jefferson as well.

I know I have mentioned this in plenty of my other pros and cons videos, but living in any metro-Atlanta suburban town is fantastic because you are far enough away to not be affected by the traffic, higher cost of living, et cetera, while still living close enough to enjoy all of the big city perks. Jefferson is a bit farther out from Atlanta, it’s approximately 60 miles north depending on what part of town you are trying to get to, so commute time is around an hour and a half. Again, this depends on what part of Jefferson you’re in and what part of Atlanta you’re trying to get to, but it is a little farther out than say Buford or Flowery Branch. Jefferson is however only 20 miles away from Athens, GA, which is the home of the Georgia Bulldogs, the University of Georgia.

Jefferson would be a great spot to live if you had high school kids who were getting ready to graduate and were planning on attending UGA. They could live at home and easily commute in, or live on campus and not have too far to drive when their laundry basket is overflowing and they need you to wash their clothes. Another perk of being close to Athens is the fact that they have the greatest grocery store of all time, Trader Joes. We don’t have a Trader Joe’s anywhere near Gainesville, Flowery Branch, or Buford, so being able to drive 20 minutes from Jefferson to get to one is pretty fantastic. 

One of the main reasons many of my clients like to look for homes in Jefferson is definitely the affordable homes. Since Jefferson sits off to the east of Atlanta and is not directly north of it, like Buford, Flowery Branch, and Gainesville, it tends have have much more affordable homes since it is not necessarily classified as a commuter town, even though you definitely could commute to the city from there, and plenty of people do. You’ll find that homes are on bigger lots in Jefferson, houses don’t sit right on top of one another in neighborhoods out there, and there are a lot more properties that aren’t in a neighborhood and just sit on their own parcel of land. At the time of filming this video, there are 30 homes for sale in Jefferson.

The majority of them are listed in the 2 and 3 hundreds, which is awesome. Many of the homes that are in a higher price point around 5 and 6 hundred thousand dollars are huge homes that are located in Traditions of Braselton (which is actually in Jefferson.. Confusing, I know) which is a beautiful golf course community that I’ve talked about several times before here on my channel. There are also several new construction homes in that lower price point, which lately has become pretty much unheard of.

Ok, so what are the cons to living in Jefferson? Well, like any smaller town, there is definitely a shortage of shopping and restaurants. As far as grocery shopping goes, you have one Kroger, one Publix, and one Aldi. Which, when you think about it, should cover most of your bases. There is no Walmart or Target specifically in Jefferson, so you are going to have to go to a different town to access those, but depending on where you live in the town, it might be a lot quicker to just go into another town for your shopping than heading to one of the few stores that are in Jefferson. There’s obviously not a mall or anything like that, but again, you are close to Athens which has some really great shopping. You’re also really close to Commerce, which has a Tanger Outlets, so you have access to a ton of stores that a lot of the bigger towns around here don’t even have.

You’re also going to have to head into Commerce, Braselton, Hoschton, or somewhere else for more restaurant options, there is definitely not a lot to choose from in Jefferson. Jefferson spreads pretty far out distance wise, so you are close to a ton of other small towns, and bigger towns, that give you a lot more options for food, for shopping, for activities, everything. Another thing that I would consider a pro about Jefferson is that the majority of the restaurants there are small businesses, locally owned spots that have really awesome food, and provide a lot more diversity than your standard Chili’s or Applebees. 

Another con to Jefferson is that there is not a hospital in the town. You are going to have to travel to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Braselton, or down to Athens Regional hospital. If you are medically fragile or would prefer to be close to a hospital just in case, this might be something you will want to keep in mind. So, what do you think? Would no traffic, great schools, and low housing prices beat out this lack of a hospital and shopping options? Think wisely!

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