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West Jefferson

Village · Madison County · 4,171 residents · 1% municipal income tax

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Madison County

Local events in West Jefferson

24 events in the next 90 days from 3 public calendars. All local events in West Jefferson

  1. Bulk Pick-up

    All day · From Village of West Jefferson

  2. First Day for Letters to Santa

    10 a.m. to 7 p.m. · From Hurt/Battelle Memorial Library

  3. Booklovers 11/3

    5 to 6 p.m. · From Hurt/Battelle Memorial Library

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

Lakes near West Jefferson

The history under the water: the valley before, the dam, the stories. All Ohio lakes

How West Jefferson began

West Jefferson grew out of an older village a mile to its south, New Hampton, platted in 1822 on the Old State Road between Franklinton (Columbus) and Springfield. When the National Road was built just to the north in the 1830s, New Hampton's residents and businesses moved to a new plat, first called Jefferson, that Rev. Isaac Jones surveyed in 1830-31; the village was formally established April 24, 1834, and took a post office in 1833. It sits on U.S. Route 40, the old National Road, in Jefferson Township, and the name became West Jefferson to distinguish it from other Ohio Jeffersons. It remains a small Route 40 village serving the surrounding farmland east of London.

Settled 1822 (as New Hampton, about a mile south of the present site), platted 1830-31 (as Jefferson), incorporated April 24, 1834, by Samuel Jones and Samuel Sexton founded New Hampton in 1822; Rev. Isaac Jones platted the successor town of Jefferson in 1830-31.

Where the name comes from

The village was platted as Jefferson, apparently for President Thomas Jefferson, in the township of the same name. It became West Jefferson to distinguish it from Ohio's other Jefferson place names once a post office and rail traffic made confusion a problem; the predecessor settlement a mile south was called New Hampton, likely for a New England home place of an early settler.

Before the town

No source found records a Native American village, camp, trail, or treaty line specifically at the New Hampton/West Jefferson site or in the immediate area. Ohio History Central and the 1883 county history both discuss Madison County broadly as hunting ground used by Native peoples before removal, with mounds and Indian camping places recorded elsewhere in the county, but neither source ties a specific site to this village's ground. Nothing here should be read as placing a specific village or mound within West Jefferson itself.

Timeline

  1. — Samuel Jones and Samuel Sexton plat New Hampton on the Old State Road about a mile south of present-day West Jefferson; the village grows to 93 lots on eight streets with a post office, a Baptist church, and several businesses.
  2. — Rev. Isaac Jones draws the first plat of the new town of Jefferson, just north of New Hampton, on September 13.
  3. — A post office opens at Jefferson.
  4. — The village of Jefferson (later West Jefferson) is formally established on April 24; New Hampton, bypassed by the National Road, empties out as residents and buildings move north.
  5. — New Hampton's Baptist congregation, the settlement's last active institution, reorganizes as a Baptist church in the town of Jefferson.
  6. — Citizens of Madison County raise $20,000 to help build the Columbus and Xenia Railroad through the area.
  7. — Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic church is built in West Jefferson.
  8. — West Jefferson records its first town seal, and West Street is paved with brick.

Stories

A town that moved itself

New Hampton was platted in 1822 on the Old State Road running from Franklinton to Springfield, with 93 lots, eight streets, a Baptist church, a post office, and several stores. It should have been the lasting town in this stretch of Jefferson Township. Instead, when the National Road was pushed through a short distance to the north in the early 1830s, travelers and trade followed the new highway, and New Hampton's own residents began to prefer it. In 1830 Rev. Isaac Jones platted a new town, Jefferson, directly on the National Road; over the next few years New Hampton was taken apart building by building and moved north to the new site, until only its cemetery and a stretch of what had been its Main Street were left behind. The village of West Jefferson is, in effect, New Hampton relocated to catch the road.

Photographs

West Jefferson United Methodist Church, a brick Gothic Revival church in the village
West Jefferson United Methodist Church, a brick Gothic Revival church in the village (2016)
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
West Jefferson village hall, 28 E. Main Street
West Jefferson village hall, 28 E. Main Street (2016)
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Buildings on the north side of the first block of W. Main Street (U.S. Route 40) in West Jefferson
Buildings on the north side of the first block of W. Main Street (U.S. Route 40) in West Jefferson (2016)
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · ohiohistorycentral.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Water

Groundwater wells (4 wells) The water here

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside West Jefferson's boundary: 1 nursing home, 1 fire or EMS station, 1 power plant, 3 public schools, 1 library, 1 police station, 1 public charging site, 4 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 5 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Nursing homes (1)

  1. Arbors West2 of 5 stars · West Jefferson
    Address
    375 West Main Street, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    Certified beds
    94
    Residents on an average day
    71
    Medicare overall rating
    2 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    2 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    3 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    For profit - Corporation
    Chain
    ARBORS AT OHIO
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (614) 879-7661
    Medicare ID
    365426

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS Care Compare nursing home provider and penalties files; Medicare star ratings run 1 to 5.

Fire and EMS stations (1)

  1. Jefferson Township Fire Department Station 251West Jefferson
    Address
    745 West Main Street, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    Coordinates
    39.94335, -83.28796

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures (most Ohio records last updated 2019 to 2022), checked against the Columbus and Cleveland station lists. The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction and mutual aid, not by distance.

Power plants (1)

  1. IGS CMH4, LLCSolar · 4 MW
    Capacity
    4 MW
    Main source
    Solar
    Technology
    Solar Photovoltaic
    Operator
    Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation
    Sector
    IPP Non-CHP
    Where
    Madison, Madison County
    Generating units
    1
    Built
    2023
    EIA plant code
    66010

    EIA plant page ↗ EIA-860 (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EIA-860 power plant inventory via HIFLD (February 2025), with plant codes, units and years from EIA-860 2025.

Public schools (3)

  1. Norwood Elementary School3.5 of 5 stars · West Jefferson
    Address
    899 Norwood Dr, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    School district
    Jefferson Local School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    429
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    28
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    81.2%
    Ohio building IRN
    017970
    NCES school ID
    390482503174

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. West Jefferson Middle School3 of 5 stars · West Jefferson
    Address
    2 Roughrider Drive, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    School district
    Jefferson Local School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    247
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    15
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    73.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    038729
    NCES school ID
    390482503173

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. West Jefferson High School3.5 of 5 stars · West Jefferson
    Address
    1 Roughrider Dr, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    School district
    Jefferson Local School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    274
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    21.5
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    73.9%
    Four-year graduation rate
    98.8%
    Ohio building IRN
    038737
    NCES school ID
    390482503176

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.

Public libraries (1)

  1. Hurt/Battelle Memorial LibraryCentral library · West Jefferson
    Address
    270 Lilly Chapel Rd., West Jefferson, OH 43162
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    Hurt/Battelle Memorial Library/West Jefferson
    Open
    2,444 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    11,936 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    18,668
    System's loans, FY2024
    55,622
    People the system serves
    7,105
    Phone
    (614) 879-8448

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: IMLS Public Libraries Survey FY2024 (outlets and their systems). Any Ohio resident can get a free card at any Ohio public library.

Police stations (1)

  1. West Jefferson Police DepartmentWest Jefferson
    Address
    28 East Main Street, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    Coordinates
    39.94526, -83.26822

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures, police stations, corrected and completed by hand (September 2026). The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction, not by distance.

Public EV charging (1)

  1. Subway1 Level 2 · West Jefferson
    Address
    97 E Main St, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    Ports
    1 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    Non-Networked
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Price
    Free
    Phone
    614-879-9993

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center station list (May 2026), public and open stations, the posts at one address counted as one site.

Facilities reporting toxic releases (4)

  1. Conduit Pipe Products CoToxics Release Inventory · West Jefferson
    Address
    1501 West Main Street, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43162CPTLM1501W
    EPA registry ID
    110000382201

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Fisher Cast Steel Products *Toxics Release Inventory · West Jefferson
    Address
    12 E. Town St., West Jefferson, OH 43162
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43162FSHRC12TOW
    EPA registry ID
    110000382210

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Jefferson Industries CorpToxics Release Inventory · West Jefferson
    Address
    6670 State Rt.29 N.E., West Jefferson, OH 43162
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    43162JFFRS6670S
    EPA registry ID
    110000382229

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. West Jefferson- MfiToxics Release Inventory · West Jefferson
    Address
    2 Walker Way, West Jefferson, OH 43162
    County
    Madison County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (***unchanged***)
    EPA program ID
    4316WWSTJF2WALK
    EPA registry ID
    110071948257

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Toxics Release Inventory reporters. Reporting a release is required of large users of listed chemicals; it is not by itself a violation.

Spills reported since 2021 (5)

  1. Material Blue2025-10-21 · Jefferson Twp
    Reported
    2025-10-21
    What spilled
    Material Blue
    Where
    Jefferson Twp, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2510EPA0001732

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Sheen Organic2022-08-28 · West Jefferson
    Reported
    2022-08-28
    What spilled
    Sheen Organic
    Where
    West Jefferson, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    CDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2208EPA0001322

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)2022-07-06 · West Jefferson
    Reported
    2022-07-06
    What spilled
    Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)
    Largest amount reported
    25 gallons
    Where
    West Jefferson, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    CDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2207EPA0001023

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2022-01-19 · West Jefferson
    Reported
    2022-01-19
    What spilled
    Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
    Where
    West Jefferson, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    CDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2201EPA0000057

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-05-04 · West Jefferson
    Reported
    2026-05-04
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    50 gallons
    Where
    West Jefferson, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2605EPA0000746

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.

Its ZIP codes

Each ZIP code that touches West Jefferson, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
43162 West Jefferson 60% Groundwater wells (4 wells) 7.7 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1967 Jefferson Local · 3.5 stars overall 1.1% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

Who holds office in West Jefferson, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2021-11-02 Issue: Village of West Jefferson Charter - 7A.01, 6.03, 7A.02 Development/Redevelopment, Public Service 468330Passed (58.65% for)
2021-11-02 Issue: Village of West Jefferson Charter - Hiring and Appointment Procedures 499291Passed (63.16% for)
2021-11-02 Issue: Village of West Jefferson Charter -Removals and Vacancies 524261Passed (66.75% for)
2021-11-02 Issue: Village of West Jefferson Charter - Remuneration and Regular Meetings 476307Passed (60.79% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 4 Howard S. Wade, Jr. 125, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 3 Jennifer Warner 141, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 2 Linda Hall 187, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 1 Samantha Cahill 149, 67.12%; Jim King 73, 32.88%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 2 Linda S. Hall 156, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council at Large Michael W. Conway 321, 25.95%; James D. Graham 224, 18.11%; Richard A. King 372, 30.07%; Jeffery B. Patterson 320, 25.87%
2019-11-05 Mayor Ray A. Martin 502, 100.0%

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.

Auditor of State record

The county

Madison County: 6 ZIP codes, 19 cities, villages and townships, 38,669 people.

Nearby places

Jefferson Township, Madison County Fairfield Township, Madison County Deercreek Township, Madison County

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on West Jefferson, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
0.97 in
2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
rain so far in 2026
44.2 in
9.6 in above normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
20.7 in
a normal year brings 15.8 in
a normal year
40.6 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 0.97 — 29
September 2026 6.39 — 30
August 2026 8.96 — 31
July 2026 3.68 — 31
June 2026 3.24 — 30
May 2026 7.39 — 31
April 2026 2.62 — 30
March 2026 6.71 2.3 31
February 2026 2.50 3.3 28
January 2026 1.78 15.0 31
December 2025 2.16 10.0 31
November 2025 2.62 1.9 30
On the record, 1893–2026
Wettest year2018 — 57.3 in
Driest year1930 — 24.8 in
Snowiest year1926 — 49.3 in
Wettest day on record14 September 1979 — 4.95 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day19 March 1906 — 12.01 in
Deepest snow on the ground12 January 1996 — 24.02 in

Mostly estimated. Only 1% of these days come from a gauge standing inside West Jefferson - the rest are worked out from the nearest gauges around it, so read them as close estimates rather than readings.

47,953 days of records, 1893-06-01 to 2026-10-29. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.

Environmental permits and filings

What Ohio EPA has on file for West Jefferson: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.

facilities and sites on file
84
those placed on the map inside West Jefferson

Data centers, power and big tech here. Ohio EPA files that name a data-center company, a power plant or substation, or a large technology firm:

  • AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC - CMH4 (hazardous waste, latest Dec 18, 2023)
  • NATIONAL MOD SUBSTATION TAP (wastewater and stormwater discharge, latest May 18, 2023)
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Wastewater and stormwater discharge43
Hazardous waste9
Sewer and water-line construction7
Wetland and stream fill7
Air pollution5
Public drinking water4
Contaminated-site cleanup3
Chemical accident plans1
Composting1
Federal Facilities1
Site assessment1
State sewer loans1
1 smaller programs
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
COLUMBUS LOGISTICS PARK WEST BUILDING II Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
MADISON COUNTY SEWER DISTRICT 1 Wastewater and stormwater discharge report
CVP US 40 PROJECT Wetland and stream fill permit
BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
JEFFERSON LODGE MOBILE HOME PWS Public drinking water notice of violation
CVP US 40 PROJECT Wetland and stream fill permit
CIRCLE K WEST JEFFERSON Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
AMAZONCOM SERVICES LLC - OOH9 Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
AMAZONCOM SERVICES LLC - OOH9 Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
WEST JEFFERSON COMPOSTING FACILITY Composting inspection
DARBY PLACE Wetland and stream fill permit
FISHER CAST STEEL PRODUCTS INC Air pollution report
JEFFERSON LODGE MOBILE HOME PWS Public drinking water report
LITTLE DARBY CREEK WETLAND Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
WEST JEFFERSON VILLAGE PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
WEST JEFFERSON VILLAGE PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
WEST JEFFERSON VILLAGE PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
DARBY PLACE Wetland and stream fill permit
WEST JEFFERSON VILLAGE PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
MADISON COUNTY SEWER DISTRICT 1 Wastewater and stormwater discharge report
BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
WEST JEFFERSON MEADOWS Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
WEST JEFFERSON VILLAGE PWS Public drinking water plan

Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.

Quick answers

What county is West Jefferson, Ohio in?

West Jefferson is a village in Madison County, Ohio, with 4,171 residents.

When was West Jefferson, Ohio founded?

West Jefferson was settled 1822 (as New Hampton, about a mile south of the present site); laid out 1830-31 (as Jefferson); incorporated April 24, 1834. Founders on record: Samuel Jones and Samuel Sexton founded New Hampton in 1822; Rev. Isaac Jones platted the successor town of Jefferson in 1830-31. Source

How did West Jefferson, Ohio get its name?

The village was platted as Jefferson, apparently for President Thomas Jefferson, in the township of the same name. Source

What ZIP code is West Jefferson, Ohio?

Most of West Jefferson is in ZIP code 43162.

Where does West Jefferson, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for West Jefferson (West Jefferson Village): Groundwater wells (4 wells).

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "West Jefferson, Madison County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/west-jefferson/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

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