Jefferson County, New York
41 ZIP codes · Avg score 65/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
The systems supplying Jefferson County's 41 ZIP codes vary in performance — most meet minimum standards, but violations in select areas are on record.
How Jefferson County Compares
How Jefferson County Compares
Jefferson County scores 4 points above the New York state average (61/100) and 3 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Jefferson County, New York
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12.6 (asthma 11.2%, diabetes 10.1%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,024, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.453% avg pipe failure probability, 69% of ZIPs at high risk
64.6% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
↓ Improving trendEPA violation counts by year across Jefferson County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2022 with 31 violations. Past 5 years: 85 total (84 health-based). Health-based violations are declining versus the prior 2-year window.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,024
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
61,589 housing units in Jefferson County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Jefferson County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Jefferson County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Jefferson County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Jefferson County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sackets Harbor Village | 2,200 | 29 |
| 2 | Brownville Village | 1,200 | 27 |
| 3 | Leray Town Water District 1, 2, 4 | 7,140 | 22 |
| 4 | Dexter Village | 1,100 | 21 |
| 5 | Watertown City | 27,861 | 20 |
45 total water systems serve Jefferson County.
All ZIP Codes in Jefferson County
41 ZIP codes tracked in Jefferson County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13602 | Fort Drum | 83 | B | 0 | — |
| 2 | 13636 | Ellisburg | 83 | B | 0 | $175K |
| 3 | 13673 | Philadelphia | 83 | B | 0 | $171K |
| 4 | 13682 | Rodman | 83 | B | 0 | $216K |
| 5 | 13685 | Sackets Harbor | 83 | B | 0 | $286K |
| 6 | 13691 | Theresa | 83 | B | 0 | $159K |
| 7 | 13605 | Adams | 81 | B | 1 | $188K |
| 8 | 13608 | Antwerp | 81 | B | 1 | $121K |
| 9 | 13628 | Deferiet | 81 | B | 0 | $117K |
| 10 | 13612 | Black River | 79 | B | 0 | $195K |
| 11 | 13637 | Evans Mills | 78 | B | 2 (1 health) | $190K |
| 12 | 13606 | Adams Center | 75 | B | 0 | $185K |
| 13 | 13650 | Henderson | 75 | B | 7 (3 health) | $207K |
| 14 | 13624 | Clayton | 74 | B | 1 (1 health) | $224K |
| 15 | 13607 | Alexandria Bay | 73 | B | 2 (2 health) | $168K |
| 16 | 13622 | Chaumont | 66 | C | 2 | $226K |
| 17 | 13618 | Cape Vincent | 64 | C | 0 | $197K |
| 18 | 13611 | Belleville | 63 | C | 0 | $197K |
| 19 | 13640 | Wellesley Island | 63 | C | 0 | $331K |
| 20 | 13641 | Fishers Landing | 63 | C | 0 | $327K |
| 21 | 13643 | Great Bend | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 22 | 13651 | Henderson Harbor | 63 | C | 0 | $339K |
| 23 | 13674 | Pierrepont Manor | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 24 | 13679 | Redwood | 63 | C | 0 | $201K |
| 25 | 13693 | Three Mile Bay | 63 | C | 0 | $213K |
| 26 | 13616 | Calcium | 53 | D | 0 | $148K |
| 27 | 13623 | Chippewa Bay | 53 | D | 0 | $115K |
| 28 | 13632 | Depauville | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 29 | 13634 | Dexter | 53 | D | 9 (9 health) | $215K |
| 30 | 13638 | Felts Mills | 53 | D | 0 | $166K |
| 31 | 13656 | La Fargeville | 53 | D | 0 | $146K |
| 32 | 13657 | Limerick | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 33 | 13659 | Lorraine | 53 | D | 0 | $151K |
| 34 | 13665 | Natural Bridge | 53 | D | 0 | $143K |
| 35 | 13671 | Oxbow | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 36 | 13675 | Plessis | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 37 | 13692 | Thousand Island Park | 53 | D | 0 | $291K |
| 38 | 13615 | Brownville | 52 | D | 8 (8 health) | $182K |
| 39 | 13601 | Watertown | 50 | D | 10 (7 health) | $170K |
| 40 | 13619 | Carthage | 48 | D | 12 (12 health) | $172K |
| 41 | 13603 | Watertown | 46 | D | 10 (7 health) | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Jefferson County
Eight risk categories drive the selection — PFAS exceedance, lead above EPA action level, pre-1978 housing share, EPA Radon Zone 1, flood-top-risk, wildfire-top-risk, multi-contaminant load, and a baseline fallback — and each category maps to a specific buyer-guide track that surfaces when the county data hits its threshold for that hazard signal.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 64.6% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Jefferson County, New York
Overview
Jefferson County in New York covers 41 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (65/100).
12 of 41 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 50 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to New York water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.