The Jackson County Ohio Map is easiest to orient around Jackson and U.S. 35. Wellston lies to the northeast, Coalton to the north, and Oak Hill to the south, so those three directions quickly establish the county’s main settlement pattern. Short ridges and creek valleys make actual road travel less direct than a straight line on the page.
The original maps are available as high-resolution JPG files in a ZIP download. The web views are useful for comparing roads, communities, waterways, and relief, while the JPG versions are better suited to printing, presentations, and close inspection.
Table of Contents
U.S. 35 and Jackson give the clearest first read of the county
The city of Jackson sits close to the county’s center and anchors the main road pattern. U.S. 35 crosses the Jackson area and provides the strongest regional route on the map. Ohio 93 runs north toward the Wellston area and south toward Oak Hill, while Ohio 327 leaves the central area toward the southeast. Ohio 124 and 776 serve the western side, and Ohio 139, 140, 233, and 279 help organize travel across the southern half.
Wellston is another important road reference because Ohio 32 passes across the northern part of the county nearby. Coalton lies between Jackson and the northern communities, while Oak Hill anchors the southern portion. Ohio 788 appears north of Jackson and helps locate smaller central destinations. Medical-facility symbols around Jackson and Wellston also make those two communities stand out as service centers.
The county borders Vinton County to the north, Lawrence County to the east, Gallia County to the south, and Pike and Scioto counties along the west. The western and northern boundaries step inward and outward in several places rather than forming a simple rectangle. Destinations near an edge can therefore be easier to reach through a neighboring county route than by traveling through the county center.
| County | Jackson County, Ohio |
|---|---|
| County seat | Jackson |
| FIPS code | 39079 |
| 2025 estimated population | 32,817 |
| 2020 Census population | 32,653 |
| 2020 land area | 420.31 square miles |
| 2020 population density | 77.7 people per square mile |
| Useful map reference places | Jackson, Wellston, Oak Hill, Coalton |
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts lists a July 1, 2025 population estimate of 32,817 for Jackson County, compared with 32,653 residents counted in the 2020 Census. The county has 420.31 square miles of land and a 2020 population density of 77.7 people per square mile. The 2020–2024 mean travel time to work was 29.4 minutes. Those figures match the broad map pattern of a rural Appalachian county with several small population centers separated by hilly terrain.
Three directions from Jackson: Wellston, Oak Hill, and Coalton
The city connection map centers on Jackson and highlights three other communities. It prints comparative values of Jackson 6,231, Wellston 5,452, Oak Hill 1,545, and Coalton 588. These numbers are best treated as the values supplied with the map rather than assumed to be the newest official population estimates for each place. They make the relative size of the highlighted settlements easy to compare.
The map labels Wellston as 10 miles from Jackson, Oak Hill as 12 miles away, and Coalton as 7 miles away. Those mileage labels are straight-line distances, not driving distances. Actual road mileage can be longer because routes bend through ridges, stream valleys, and local road junctions.
Wellston lies northeast of Jackson, Coalton is north of the hub, and Oak Hill is to the south. The three directions explain why Jackson works well as a central reference. Wellston is close to the Ohio 32 corridor, Oak Hill is tied to Ohio 93 and southern routes, and Coalton helps orient the northern rural area between Jackson and Wellston.
Jackson County’s official government site identifies Jackson and Wellston as the county’s cities and Coalton and Oak Hill among its villages. The connection map is still a location reference rather than a municipal-boundary product. Legal jurisdiction, school-district, mailing-address, and parcel questions should be checked with current official boundary data.
Hammertown Lake and creek valleys between the ridges
Little Scioto River is the clearest western water reference, running close to the county boundary through a long low corridor. Pigeon Creek occupies the north-central area, while Little Salt Creek crosses the central portion of the county and is joined by several smaller streams. Buckeye Creek is labeled nearby, and Hammertown Lake sits northwest of Jackson with Jisco Lake farther south.
The eastern side contains a separate set of winding valleys. Little Raccoon Creek curves through the northeast and east, while Dickason Run and Sugar Run descend through smaller tributary corridors. Symmes Creek becomes the strongest southeastern channel, and Black Fork and Holland Fork appear near the southern boundary. Bucklick Creek is labeled in the southwest.
Local tourism information identifies Hammertown Lake, also known as Jackson City Reservoir, as a paddling and fishing destination. It also highlights Jackson Lake State Park and Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve among the county’s outdoor attractions. The water map does not show every park boundary, but it makes the county’s close relationship between lakes, streams, narrow valleys, and surrounding hills easy to see.
This is a county-scale water-reference map, not a flood map, navigation chart, bathymetric map, parcel map, or legal description of water boundaries. Current stream stage, flood conditions, boating rules, and other time-sensitive information should be checked through USGS and the appropriate local or state agencies.
Short Appalachian ridges across a 180–313 meter elevation range
The elevation map lists an actual range of about 180 to 313 meters and a mean near 237 meters. Green follows many of the lower stream corridors, while yellow and brown mark higher ridges. The western and northwestern parts show especially dense ridge patterns, but similar relief appears across the east and south as tributaries cut into the uplands.
Jackson occupies a relatively low central corridor compared with the ridges surrounding it. Farther east, Little Raccoon Creek and Symmes Creek create additional green valleys, and the southwest also contains lower drainage lines between higher ground. The shaded relief helps explain why roads often curve around hills or follow valleys rather than forming a regular grid.
Jackson County’s official government site describes the county as being in southeastern Ohio’s Appalachian foothills, which fits the short ridges and closely spaced valleys visible on the map. The colors are scaled for comparison within Jackson County and are not survey-grade measurements. Exact elevations for property, road engineering, drainage design, or construction should come from USGS 3DEP source data or a professional survey.
Jackson and Wellston as the county’s two strongest service centers
The Jackson County government portal describes the county as part of southeastern Ohio’s Appalachian foothills and identifies Jackson as the county seat. It also notes a 2020 population of 32,653 and lists Jackson and Wellston as cities, with Coalton and Oak Hill among the county’s villages. The county seat and city name are associated with Andrew Jackson.
The modern map reflects that hierarchy. Jackson combines the strongest road connections with government and medical services, while Wellston provides a second major center near the northern corridor. Oak Hill and Coalton are smaller, yet they remain useful reference points for the southern and northern rural portions of the county.
Outdoor recreation also forms a visible part of the county’s identity. Local visitor information highlights Hammertown Lake, Jackson Lake State Park, Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve, wildlife areas, trails, and water activities. The county maps provide broad orientation for those places, while visitors should switch to current park and trail maps for detailed entrances, parking, closures, and activity rules.
Narrowing a location from Jackson into the surrounding hills
Start with Jackson and U.S. 35, then decide whether the destination lies toward Wellston, Oak Hill, or Coalton. That immediately puts the trip on the correct side of the county before smaller state and local roads are considered. The city-connection mileage labels are useful for comparison, but they represent straight-line distance rather than a driving route.
For places near water, compare the road position with Little Scioto River, Little Salt Creek, Symmes Creek, or Hammertown Lake. For hill-country travel, the elevation view adds context that a road map cannot show: lower green corridors often follow streams, while higher ridges explain bends and indirect approaches.
If the map is going into a printed handout, presentation, or large document, the original JPG files in the ZIP are the better choice. Their labels and linework remain easier to read after enlargement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the county seat of Jackson County, Ohio?
Jackson is the county seat. It sits near the center of the county and close to U.S. 35 and several Ohio routes, making it the most useful reference point for locating Wellston, Coalton, and Oak Hill. Check the current address and office hours of a specific agency before an in-person government visit.
What do the 10-mile, 12-mile, and 7-mile city labels mean?
No. The city connection map uses straight-line distances from Jackson: 10 miles to Wellston, 12 miles to Oak Hill, and 7 miles to Coalton. Actual driving distance can be longer because roads curve through the county’s hills and stream valleys.
What does the elevation map show about Jackson County’s hills?
The supplied elevation surface spans roughly 180 to 313 meters, with a mean near 237 meters. Lower stream valleys and higher ridges repeat across the county. The map is designed for county-scale terrain comparison and is not a substitute for survey-grade elevation measurements.
Map File Information
This ZIP contains the original high-resolution JPG versions of the Jackson County boundary, city-connection, water, and elevation maps shown on this page.
- Included Files: county map, city connection map, water map, elevation map
Related Maps
Sources and References
Population, land area, density, and commuting figures were checked against U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. County-seat and local-government context comes from the official Jackson County portal. Outdoor and lake references were compared with the local visitor bureau, while water and elevation descriptions also use the supplied map package and USGS source programs.
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Jackson County, Ohio
- Jackson County Ohio official government portal
- Discover Jackson County Ohio nature guide
- USGS National Hydrography
- USGS 3D Elevation Program
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
