The truncated “Jeff” is a popular nickname for Jefferson City. The midwestern state of Missouri has several monikers including the “Show Me State”, “Cave State” and “Mother of the West”.
Mapping innovator Rand McNally once recognized Jefferson City as the most beautiful small town in America.
The biggest employers in Jefferson City include the State of Missouri, Capital Region Medical Center, multinational media company Scholastic Corporation, Jefferson City Public Schools and not-for-profit Catholic health care system provider SSM Health).
Jefferson City is the site for the Missouri State Prison, opened in 1836. Today, the state prison is one of the capital’s most popular tourist draws notorious for confining gunman James Earl Ray, bank heister Pretty Boy Floyd and boxing slugger Sonny Liston.
From an international trade perspective, Missouri exported U$13.4 billion worth of goods around the globe during 2019. Its most valuable exports include trucks (13.7% of Missouri’s global total), civilian aircraft including engines and other parts (2.7%), soya bans (1.8%), drugs and medicines (1.4%), lead ores and concentrates (also 1.4%), heterocyclic compounds (also 1.4%), refined copper (1.2%), miscellaneous food preparations (also 1.2%), chemical products (1.1%) and frozen port (also 1.1%) according to United States Census Bureau data.
Jefferson City’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.4% at June 2020 compared to 2.6% one year earlier.
Capital Facts for Jefferson City, United States: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Governor’s Mansion, Lewis and Clark Monument Trailhead Plaza, Missouri State Capitol, Missouri State Penitentiary and the Missouri Supreme Court Building
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Jefferson City, United States.
- Maya Moore, Olympic basketball gold medalist (born Jun. 11, 1989)
- Christian Cantwell, Olympic shot put silver medalist (born Sep. 30, 1980)
- Charlie Weber, actor (born Sep. 20, 1978)
- Joe Crede, MLB baseball championship third baseman (born Apr. 26, 1978)
- Cedric the Entertainer, comedian (born Apr. 24, 1964)
- Justin Smith, NFL football defensive end (born Sep. 30, 1979)
- Sam LeCure, MLB baseball relief pitcher (born May 4, 1984)
- Paul C. Wilson, Supreme Court of Missouri judge (born May 23, 1961)
- Steve Rogers, MLB baseball starting pitcher (born Oct. 26, 1949)
- Charlie Brown, NFL football running back (born Oct. 16, 1945)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches of published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a Jefferson City resident: Jefferson Citian
Population: 42,588 (Jefferson City) at August 9, 2020
Density: 1,181 people per square mile (446 per square kilometer)
Population: 6,169,270 (Missouri) at August 9, 2020
Density: 89.6 people per square mile (34.5 per square kilometer)
Financial
GDP: US$6.682 billion for 2018 (Jefferson City)
GDP per person: $41,982 in 2017
Note: The above GDP metrics are on a current basis and are in U.S. dollars.
Official currency used in Jefferson City: U.S. dollars
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data).
Dilemma X, U.S. Census Bureau metropolitan population estimates July 1, 2016.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Total Real Gross Domestic Product for Jefferson City, MO (MSA).
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Unemployment Rate in Jefferson City, MO (MSA).
Forbes Global 2000, The World’s Biggest Public Companies.
Nations Online, Capital Cities of the USA.
Numbeo, Quality of Life Index by City.
Official Government Website, City of Jefferson City official website.
Statistical Atlas, Population of the Jefferson City Area, Missouri (Metro Area).
United States Census Bureau, Foreign Trade: State by 6-Digit HS Code and Top Countries.
United States Census Bureau, State Population Totals Tables: 2010-2016.
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: Seasonally Adjusted Metropolitan Area Estimates.
United States Census Bureau, Cole County, Missouri.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross Domestic Product by Metropolitan Area, 2015 (Tables Only).
WalletHub, 2017’s Best & Worst Small Cities to Start a Business.
Wikimedia Commons, Jefferson City city flag.
Wikipedia, Jefferson City, Missouri.
Wikipedia, Cole County, Missouri.
Wikipedia, Jefferson City, Missouri metropolitan area.
Wikipedia, List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Wikipedia, Missouri.
World Population Review, Jefferson City, Missouri Population 2020.
Jefferson Citians celebrate Independence Day as a national holiday each July 4.
Jefferson City’s land area occupies 36.05 square miles (93.88 square kilometers). The state capital’s population was 42,588 Jefferson Citians at August 9, 2020.
At the state level, Missouri extends over 68.886 square miles (179.015 square kilometers) in which 6.2 million people live.
Jefferson City’s population density is more concentrated, averaging 1,181 residents per square mile (446 per square kilometer).
Zooming out to state land boundaries, Missouri’s population density dilutes to an average 89.6 inhabitants per square mile (34.5 per square kilometer).
