Back مقاطعة جيفيرسون (تكساس) Arabic جفرزون بؤلگه‌سی، تکزاس AZB Jefferson County, Texas BAR Джэферсан (акруга, Тэхас) Byelorussian Джеферсън (окръг, Тексас) Bulgarian জেফারশন কাউন্টি, টেক্সাস BPY Jefferson Gông (Texas) CDO Jefferson County (kondado sa Tinipong Bansa, Texas) CEB Jefferson County (Texas) Czech Jefferson County, Texas Welsh

Jefferson County, Texas

Not to be confused with Jefferson, Texas.

Jefferson County
County
The Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont. The Art Deco-style building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1982. The top five floors once served as the County Jail.
The Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont. The Art Deco-style building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1982. The top five floors once served as the County Jail.
Official seal of Jefferson County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Jefferson County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°52′N 94°08′W / 29.86°N 94.14°W / 29.86; -94.14
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1837
Named forThomas Jefferson
SeatBeaumont
Largest cityBeaumont
Area
 • Total1,113 sq mi (2,880 km2)
 • Land876 sq mi (2,270 km2)
 • Water236 sq mi (610 km2)  21%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total256,526 Increase
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts14th, 36th
Websitewww.co.jefferson.tx.us

Jefferson County is a county in the Coastal Plain or Gulf Prairie region of Southeast Texas. The Neches River forms its northeastern boundary. As of the 2020 census, the population was 256,526.[1] The county seat is Beaumont.[2] Jefferson County has the highest percentage of African Americans in the state of Texas.[3]

The county was established in 1835 as a municipality of Mexico, which had gained independence from Spain. Because the area was lightly settled, the Mexican government allowed European Americans from the United States to settle here if they pledged loyalty to Mexico. This was organized as a county in 1837 after Texas achieved independence as a republic.[4][5] It was named by European-American settlers for U.S. president Thomas Jefferson.[5] Texas later became part of the US.

Jefferson County is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area and has the highest population of the four-county MSA. It has three state correctional facilities and a federal high-security prison in unincorporated areas of the county. Together they have a maximum capacity of nearly 9,000 prisoners.

  1. ^ "Jefferson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Texas Black Population Percentage by County". IndexMundi. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  4. ^ "Jefferson County". Texas Almanac. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Diana J. Kleiner (June 15, 2010). "Jefferson County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved June 20, 2015.

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