Jefferson County, Texas
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. The county seat is Beaumont. Jefferson County has the highest percentage of African Americans in the state of Texas.
Jefferson 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. | |
|
Seal | |
Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
Texas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 29°52′N 94°08′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Named for | Thomas Jefferson |
| Seat | Beaumont |
| Largest city | Beaumont |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,113 sq mi (2,880 km2) |
| • Land | 876 sq mi (2,270 km2) |
| • Water | 236 sq mi (610 km2) 21% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2020) | 256,526 |
| • Density | 292.8/sq mi (113.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 14th, 36th |
| Website | www |
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. It was named by European-American settlers for U.S. president Thomas Jefferson. 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.