About one quarter of the total county population lives in the combined Jönköping-Huskvarna urban area around the southern point of Lake Vättern.

The main aim of the County Administrative Board is to fulfill the goals set in national politics by the Riksdag and the Government, to coordinate the interests and promote the development of the county, to establish regional goals and safeguard the due process of law in the handling of each case.

The county's best-known parliamentary representative was the late Olof Palme, leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 to 1986, and twice Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and from 1982 to 1986.

The Social Democrats have historically been strong in mill towns and industrial districts of Jönköping County.

The ten most populous localities of Jönköping County in 2020:[21] SCB have collected statistics on backgrounds of residents since 2002.

Blazon for the town of Jönköping: "Gules, a Castle with three towers Argent massoned windowed and gated Sable issuant from a Base wavy Azure".