That same year, the seat of Jackson County was transferred to Jefferson from Clarkesboro.

Interstate 85 runs through the northern end of Jefferson, 5 miles (8 km) northwest of the center of town, with access from Exits 137 and 140.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,233 people, 3,933 households, and 2,885 families residing in the city.

In a 2024 report, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Jefferson, GA was the fastest growing micropolitan statistical area in the country from 2020 to 2023.

[13] As of March 2024, the district had a total of 10,646 students, not including enrollees of EMPOWER College and Career Center.