Town file
Jefferson, Wisconsin
Jefferson, Wisconsin (Jefferson County, Wisconsin) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 157, "Every Step You Take..." (6 February 2020). Jefferson is a small city of 7,975 people in Jefferson County, south-eastern Wisconsin, sitting roughly fifty minutes from both Milwaukee and Madison.
- Town
- Jefferson
- County
- Jefferson County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 157
- Approximate location
- 43.004, -88.808
Episode 157 / 6 February 2020 / 156 min / full
Every Step You Take...
"Jefferson, Wisconsin is where we're going specifically. It is in southeastern Wisconsin... Jefferson County, by the way, it's in Jefferson County." about 0:04:56
The case: Murder of Ruben Borchardt (April 3, 1994, Easter Sunday). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2020
- Population
- 7,975
- Median age
- around 40
- Median household income
- $51,071
- Median home value
- $176,700
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $847
- Cost of living
- 86
- Religious
- 64%
- Property crime
- ▲ 10 to 15 percent high
- Violent crime
- ▼ about half
- Bail set for
- $150,000
- Money offered
- $20,000
- Down payment gave
- $600
History, in brief
- Jefferson grew because of water: the Rock River runs nearby and in 1839 this was the furthest point a steamboat could navigate up it. about 0:08:30
- The first recorded town meeting was in April 1845, when the population was 75. about 0:08:52
- The 1845 meeting wanted to raise funds to build a school. about 0:08:59
- The same meeting needed to raise $100 to build bridges across the Rock and Crawfish Rivers. about 0:08:59
- It also set aside a $50 allotment for a ferry at the fork of the Rock River. about 0:09:27
- The settlers were mainly from New England, especially Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, with a few from upstate New York. about 0:10:04
- They were farmers, known as ees, who came west after the American Revolution for more available land. about 0:10:20
- The New Englanders brought an emphasis on education and established many schools. about 0:11:20
- The area was a strong supporter of the abolition of slavery. about 0:11:33
- Many of the settlers converted to Methodism, some were Baptists, and they had apparently been Episcopalians at first. about 0:11:44
- During the Second World War, Camp Jefferson was a prison camp for German prisoners of war, erected at the county fairgrounds. about 0:11:52
- The Jefferson County Fairgrounds hosted a horse and buggy race before it was renovated. about 0:12:34
The reviews read out
3 stars
"Extremely small town, not much to do besides the annual county fair and the seasonal ice cream shop; very quiet and suburban."about 0:14:10
3 stars
"It isn't the best, but it isn't the worst; could be better, but the trails and hiking are good and the area could become a hub for biking, cross-country skiing and running."about 0:16:27
3 stars
"Very temperate where we are."about 0:16:48
3 stars
"Average employment; the jobs available aren't the best, but at least they're something."about 0:16:59
3 stars
"The businesses are generally good, but some customer service isn't on par."about 0:17:11
2 stars
"There is little to no options for most people."about 0:17:33
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Oconomowoc, Wisconsin17 miles
- Columbus, Wisconsin26 miles
- Pewaukee, Wisconsin29 miles
- Windsor, Wisconsin29 miles
- Raymond, Wisconsin43 miles
- Mount Horeb, Wisconsin47 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.