WELCOME TO JACKSON CENTER
WELCOME TO JACKSON CENTER, 45334
The 50 Things You Should Know!
1. While the community is growing at a consistent growth rate, we are poised for expansion in residential growth with 3 areas for new development.
a. Hudson Lake Estates has continued expansion with its’ new Phase 3 available in 2026 with 24 large lots for upper level to mid-range homes. Phase 3 has 3 of the 24 lots sold with 1 home built and 1 under construction. Additional phases are in preliminary planning stages. This development has a HOA-owned commons area with a private, well-stocked lake and walking track and beach area. The subdivision is close to the local school grounds and nearby Wally Byam Memorial Park & the JC Municipal pool.
b. Eastwood Estates has potential development with 18 available lots for new homes. There is availability to develop an additional 40 more lots in this subdivision. This area is adjacent to the Wally Byam Memorial Park which includes a playground, 2- tee ball fields, and an updated municipal swimming pool with a splash pad.
c. Westwood Estates is the latest area for development with 15 extra-large lots. It is a prime residential area of the village and all lots have been sold by the developer with 10 new homes already completed. The remaining lots are privately owned but are possible home sites in the future. The subdivision is adjacent to the Touch of Country Estates area that is accessible from Back Forth Drive. The subdivision is also in proximity to our expanding Tiger Trail Park with a paved walking track, multiple soccer fields and youth baseball fields.
2. There have been 123* zoning permits issued for new homes’ construction (including duplexes) since 1/1/2000. 113 of these homes have been completed or are under construction. The other 10 were cancelled as plans for construction changed prior to starting the project. The 2020 Census numbers officially list a total of 656 housing units within the village with a 6% vacancy rate. 65.6% of those occupied were by the home owner. The remaining 34.4% were listed as renter occupied. The unoccupied units have dropped drastically since 2009. (*Through 7/31/2026)
3. The Sperling’s Best Places shows home appreciation from 2014-2024 to average 8.35% per year. Currently, the housing market remains strong due to high demand.
4. Jackson Center Local School District is small geographically but is in an area of highly competitive academic and athletic schools as part of the Shelby County League and often competes with teams from the nearby powerful Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) in a variety of sports. Jackson Center, as well as other Shelby County and area schools, can boast of routinely sending teams and individuals to district, regional, and state competitions. The cooperation and competition between area schools and communities, as well as our outstanding families and school staff, contribute to maximizing the Jackson Center students’ overall educational experience.
5. Jackson Center Schools have a proven record of continuing excellence as indicated by the Ohio School Report Card. After the 2021-2022 school year, the state report card transitioned to using STARS as an indicator of a school’s success. In the latest report card for 2025, Jackson Center Schools were rated as an overall “Five Star School District”, ranking 49th in the State of Ohio out of 607 schools. The Overall Achievement and the Performance (PI rating of 102.513) ratings continue to climb raising the ranking from 61st in 2024 to 49th in 2025. On the report card, Jackson Center received a total of 24 out of a possible 25 Stars. Only 12 schools in Ohio scored 25 STARS leaving Jackson Center tied for 13th place of the public schools. The categories include Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation, and Earl Literacy. In addition, our athletic teams consistently have students that excel in the classroom and are in the top schools in the state in regards to Team GPA. The 2022-2023 boys’ basketball team had the 3rd highest GPA of any size school in the state of Ohio, finishing just 0.002 points out of first place.
6. Jackson Center Schools’ buildings and grounds are all newly constructed or updated by the start of the 2017-2018 school year. The buildings have been featured in architectural magazines and are poised for growth into the future. The community’s support, as well as the local businesses and industries, of the project was tremendous and continues to go far beyond bricks and mortar. The updated athletic fields, the new all-weather track, and the newly constructed Tiger Athletic Center (the TAC) have been great assets in providing our students and their competition with great facilities to maximize their experiences.
7. Jackson Center Schools’ Programs are well attended and are coached/taught by well respected , high successful, and well-supported personnel. The sports programs have produced many elite athletic achievements, while the school’s music, drama, and arts programs are at the highest levels they have ever been. The dedicated educators working with these programs have our students performing at superior levels with each performance. This variety of opportunities present the students with many opportunities to learn other skills to be used outside the classroom. While the school has continually improved by state standards and has achieved some of the highest rankings in the State of Ohio for education, the students at Jackson Center are also expected to learn the value of service. Countless hours are put in each year by the students by serving veterans, grandparents, those less fortunate, and those that cannot help themselves. The staff and the students of the school district themselves are proud of who they have become and who they will be in the future.
8. Jackson Center High School offers students the opportunities for college credits for eligible students enrolled at nearby colleges. It is not unusual for a student to receive an Associate Degree from an institution at the same time as graduating from high school. Furthermore, there are several colleges and universities within easy driving distance where additional higher education is offered. Edison State College, Ohio State-Lima Branch, Northwestern University-Lima, Wright State-Lake Campus, Ohio Northern University, the University of Findlay, and Bluffton College are all within a 30–55 minute drive. There are many more opportunities for higher education possibilities when including Dayton, Columbus, or Cincinnati.
9. Jackson Center has an extraordinary industrial community with our village and the surrounding township. It is highly coveted by many other communities within the state. We currently have 2 of Shelby County’s top 4 employers with Airstream, Inc. and Plastipak Packaging. Both are also in the top 40 employers with the greater Dayton area.
10. Airstream Inc. completed a major expansion in 2019 with the addition of a new, 750,000 square foot “state of the art” manufacturing plant. The new plant houses production of their iconic, aluminum travel trailer allowing for the renovation of their existing manufacturing facilities for production of their popular B-Class motorhomes and the smaller Basecamp travel trailers. Their employment is approximately 1,100 with many fields of opportunity in engineering, customer support, and manufacturing. Their facilities also include a parts shipping building, parts manufacturing buildings, an employee fitness center, a 30-bay service center, and a 24-unit terraport for overnight guests.
11. In addition to the new manufacturing and office space, Airstream’s new facility includes their popular Airstream Heritage Center which opened in 2022. The center walks visitors through the storied history on the iconic travel trailer with displays and several offerings from their 95-year history. (1931-2026) Airstream products from the past, displays of their world-wide caravans, interactive exhibits, and the history of the unique trailer’s beginnings and manufacturing performance are on display including their relationship with NASA for early space and moon travel. Just outside the museum is a gift shop and a coffee café serving unique drinks and snacks. There is a small charge to visit the center with the proceeds going to the Airstream Foundation to support the employees’ charitable work in the area. Airstream also offers factory tours Monday through Thursday at 1:00 pm. The tour has been chosen as one of the best factory tours in America. There are also tours of the touring coach (B class motorhome) facility on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 am. The Basecamp trailer facility can be toured on Tuesdays at 11:00 am. Many tourists, students, recreational vehicle owners, and customers come to our village daily to visit the Airstream plants and take the informative tours. The unique construction and style of this American icon make the tour a “must-do” when visiting the area. (It is advisable to call ahead to reserve a spot on the free tours as they sometimes fill up fast.) Airstream is the premier manufacturer of towable travel trailers and Class B motor coaches in the RV market today. They continue to be the leader in RV luxury and innovation by constantly refining their offerings and providing many options to fit any lifestyle. Jackson Center is extremely proud of the fact that ALL Airstreams are manufactured right here in Jackson Center, OH, the only place in the world where they are manufactured.
12. Plastipak Manufacturing is located just outside of the village and is a 3-shift operation the employs another 700+ employees. As a worldwide company with several locations, they supply plastic bottles to nearby Pepsi and Proctor & Gamble plants, as well as other products to manufacturers. The company also produces Absopure Natural Spring Water in Plymouth, MI. The company traces its’ beginnings to their original plant in Jackson Center. Their Research and Development Department, that remains within the village, leads the way in plastic bottle technology.
13. Honda Manufacturing has several manufacturing plants within a short drive of the Village. The Anna Engine plant is approximately 12 miles to the west and the Russells’ Point Transmission Plant is approximately 10 miles to the east. In addition, there are automotive assembly plants in East Liberty, OH and Marysville, OH approximately 35 miles to the southeast. Honda also owns the Transportation Research Center (TRC) facility which provides independent research in the automotive industry. Thes plants and facilities offer several additional options for area employment.
14. Jackson Center has several other manufacturers and businesses within the village that are well established and have been successfully operating and employing workers for years. EMI Inc. is a worldwide supplier of conveyors and equipment for the plastic industry. Lacal Equipment is a national supplier of secondary replacement parts for industrial mowers, snow plows, street sweepers, and other equipment. Trucking Companies as Rising Sun Express, Whiteline Express Trucking, Shelby Transport, and Kibo Xpress provide several opportunities for CDL licensed drivers to have long-haul or short-haul careers. Precision Details machine shop, BRI (Battery Recycling Inc.), and Midwest Bag and Film provide other employment and opportunity to the village. The ingenuity, forward thinking, and overall master craftsmanship of these companies and their founders have made them very important contributors to our community. Countless ideas and patents, both past and present, have been generated within our village to lead the way in innovation and problem solving.
15. The total area employment within our village and township alone is currently over 2,500 jobs and continues to rise. A good deal of these workers come to our village every day from nearby communities, some driving 30 miles or more.
16. The unemployment rate for Jackson Center/Shelby County in June of 2026 was 3.1% (Ohio Dept. of Job & Family Services). The quality work ethic of the hard-working employees of the area has made this a prime area for business and industry to locate and thrive. While we are located in the northeast corner of Shelby County, we are but a few miles from neighboring Logan County (3.2% unemployment) and Auglaize (2.9% unemployment) which gives Jackson Center a very good area to draw quality employees. (For comparison, the Ohio unemployment rate for June 2026 was 3.7% and the U.S. national average for June was 4.4%.)
17. Access to the village is convenient and easy as we are just 7 miles east of I-75 and 11 miles west of US-33. These 2 major throughfares are connected through Jackson Center by SR 274 (Pike Street) which runs east and west directly through the Village. The information from the ODOT traffic study in June of 2019 shows a daily weekday average of 13,104 vehicles pass through each workday on West Pike Street (State Route 274). The weekend average from that study was 9,560 vehicles. SR 65 (Main Street) also provides good highway access to points north and south. The Dayton International Airport is 45 minutes to the south and John Glenn International Airport in Columbus is approximately 75 minutes to the east. There are also nearby regional airports in New Knoxville, Sidney, Bellefontaine, Marysville, and Lima. The I&O Railroad also passes through the village and provides rail access.
18. The population recorded in the 2020 US Census was 1,441. The 2025 Census estimates the current population at 1,446. The 1,441 in 2020 represented a 6.8% increase from 2000, Shelby County increased 3.2% during the same period. The median age is 34.3 years.
19. The 2024 American Census Bureau/World Population Review lists the median Household Income for the Village of Jackson Center at $64,900. The report also gives a median “Family” Household Income as $86,042 and the “Married Family” median Household Income as $111,87. The average income per capita is $55,313. The American Community Survey results from the US Census Bureau lists Jackson Center residents’ income with 19% of our population with an income of $50,000 or less, 61.2% with an income of $50,000 to $150,000, and 19.8% over $150,000.
20. Sperling’s Best Places rates the cost of living by location. The US average is 100 for comparison. Ohio’s average is 83.7. Jackson Center is listed at 78.1 with the biggest factor in the overall, lower cost of living is housing costs. Other factors used in determining the cost-of-living rating include food, healthcare, utilities, taxes, childcare, transportation, and miscellaneous.
21. Jackson Center has a Residential and Business Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) within our village limits since August 1996 that allows for real estate tax relief for homeowners and businesses. For Residential CRAs, new homes and major improvements to existing homes currently can receive 5 years of real estate tax abatement to encourage new home construction and remodeling. The homeowner can receive 100% abatement of the improvements if applied for within 6 months of the completion of their project. Remodeling of existing homes also qualifies for the CRA if improvements are over $8,000.00. For a Business CRAs, businesses and industries that create jobs, generate income tax receipts, and improve their facilities can receive up to 15 years of 100% abatement on any improvements and/or new construction, dependent upon employment numbers and payroll. The Village works with the local school boards to determine the business and industry abatements and the recipients are expected to participate with the local schools by donating back through a P.I.L.O.T. program (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes). This CRA tax abatement can be very attractive for new business and expansion for existing companies, as well as, construction of new homes.
22. The newest benefit to our area residents, is the opening of Roots Child Development Center on West Pike Street which opened on July 27, 2026. This project provides daycare for children from six weeks to twelve years. The building was purchased by the village and turned over to the Jackson Center Community Improvement Corporation (JC C.I.C.) for renovation and ownership. The facility is leased to the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA who operate the daycare facility. This huge undertaking was a joint effort by the Village of Jackson Center, the JC CIC, the YMCA, Shelby County, and business partners Airstream Inc. and Plastipak Packaging.
23. Jackson Center has a village owned municipal pool that has been in existence for over 50 years. The JC Municipal Pool at Wally Byam Park underwent a major renovation in 2019 and 2020 to be able to get many more years of service from this valuable asset to the community. The pool celebrated its’ 50th anniversary in 2019. The pool’s renovations include a zero-entry ramp for easy walk-in access, a stainless-steel liner, a water slide, and renovations to the pool house. There is also a splash pad area with several play features for the younger children to play and cool off on those hot summer days. It is also available for private pool parties on select evenings.
24. The park system has expanded to 4 locations within the village- Wally Byam Memorial Park (WBP), Ron Leininger Veterans Memorial Park (RLV), Tiger Trail Park (TTP), and our newest location – Carnival Square Park (CSP). The park system includes playground equipment (WBP), T-ball fields (WBP), youth baseball/softball fields (TTP), soccer fields (TTP), tennis courts (WBP), pickleball courts (WBP), basketball courts (WBP), shelter houses (WBP), picnic grills (WBP), walking tracks (WBP & TTP), wooded paths (WBP & TTP), relaxing benches (All), wooded nature areas (WBP & TTP), and a fishing pond (WBP). There is ample lighted parking with more improvements in the planning stages in the coming years. Future expansion projects under consideration at Tiger Trail Park include shelter houses, outfield fences, a concession/storage building, restrooms, an additional 2 baseball fields, expanded nature trail, a sand or paved volleyball court, and a disc-golf course. The Jackson Center Park & Pool committee and the Jackson Center Youth Sports Organization (JCYSO) work with the Village Council to prioritize and plan the community needs. Carnival Square is the newest location being added to our park system. In 2026, the abutting alley is being replaced with additional off-street parking. The west end is being reseeded with concrete walkways and a future gathering circle. The hope is to add an outdoor pavilion to the east end of the park in Phase 2 for use for concerts or other community events. Phase 1 is partially being funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
25. The American Legion Post #493 and the Family Life Center (FLC) offer central meeting places to the community for events. The American Legion is available for big events with a large kitchen area and a seating capacity of up to 150 (200 max). The FLC includes a meeting hall with a kitchen with seating up to 84. It can also include a small gym available for basketball and volleyball for an additional fee. Both have reasonable rental rates for individual and business events. A smaller, more intimate setting is available for meetings at the Sippin’ Station.
26. The Family Life Center also houses the community Fish Pond Food Pantry. This food pantry is run by a board of 9 area churches (Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic) and distribute food to needy families the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Residents from the Jackson Center, Botkins, or Maplewood communities are eligible to come and seek assistance with the proper documentation. In 2018, they distributed over $24,00 in wholesale food products, in addition to the hundreds of donated food items. The FLC also houses Lifewise religious education classes during the school year for grades 1st through 5th. The program is no-cost to the student’s family and is strictly voluntary for families wishing to have their children participate.
27. The community residents and area churches also support the community We Care Fund which assists residents or transients who may have fallen into a time of need. The fund assists in helping them through their struggles with financial aid for utilities, rent, and/or food. It is administered by a small board that reviews the need and the amount of assistance available on a case-by-case basis.
28. Jackson Center has several options for purchasing local needs including Allenbaugh Insurance which is a large, family-owned business with a friendly and professional staff to assist in providing affordable insurance needs. The village is also home to Curly’s Custom Meats, Speckman’s NAPA Auto Parts, the JC Hardware, and a large Family Dollar. Other popular businesses that provide services to the community include Jerry’s Auto Repair, Heads Up Beauty Salon, Noble’s Barber Shop, Village Prints, Jackson Pharmacy & Wellness Center, the Sparkly Chicken Scented Candles, and Jenny’s Designs Flowers and Gifts (just 6 miles out of town.) While our proximity to many shopping opportunities is an asset, we are constantly seeking and assisting entrepreneurs to invest locally for more retail businesses to locate within our community.
29. The Village is home to Farmers and Merchants State Bank (Formerly Peoples Federal Savings and Loan of Sidney, Ohio) and Peoples Savings and Loan of West Liberty. These two beautiful, banking facilities offer a wide variety of options for investing and borrowing with personal attention. US Bank has branches just a few miles away in Botkins and Sidney, Ohio. There are several other regional and national banking options within short distances in neighboring communities.
30. While local grocery shopping is limited, it continues to be a focus for the community moving forward. One business that has greatly assisted in filling this gap is Curly’s Custom Meats. This family-owned, award winning, meat-processing facility is rapidly becoming a “can’t-miss” stop in the village. The business has been in the community for over 50 years and they opened their new location at 620 West Pike Street in 2024 with a much larger store for retail sales. In addition to their wide variety of meat cuts and meat products, this beautiful facility handles a variety of quality items, including regional baked goods, beer & wine, candy, house-made sauces, and numerous other items. Their bratwurst line has 18 different flavors to satisfy anyone’s palette. They added a deli section in 2025 that, in addition to fresh meat cuts and cheeses, offers fresh-made subs at all times and a daily lunch special, M-F.
31. The Family Dollar offers many grocery items and variety items locally. In addition to Curly’s Custom Meats (above), there are nearby markets in nearby Anna (Anna Market), Indian Lake (Community Market), Huntsville (Hurly Family Farms) and Logansville (Mama T’s Meats & Sweets) for fresh vegetables, fruits, and additional deli needs. The Sippin’ Station has partnered with The Blessed Homemaker to provide a variety of clean, organic food and miscellaneous items for sale to provide for a healthy home environment. If you wish to drive slightly farther, Jackson Center is almost centrally located between Sidney (14.1 miles), Wapakoneta (16.9 miles), and Bellefontaine (18.7 miles). All of which are larger communities offering larger markets such as Walmart, Kroger, ALDI, Foodtown, Community Market and other shopping opportunities.
32. Dining in the village offers a variety for our residents and visitors. Mama J’s Pizza has a family atmosphere with pizza, subs, wings, pasta, and sandwich items available for pickup, delivery, or dine-in options. In 2024, Mama J’s expanded their hours and added a lunch buffet to assist the many workers in the community with getting a quick lunch. Courtside Tavern offers menu items including pizza, subs, pasta, burgers, and more in a relaxed, fun, sports bar atmosphere. Casey’s General Store is the 5th largest distributor of pizza in the U.S. JCG Mart offers Hunt Brothers’ pizza, Chester’s Chicken, or a quick snack. Both Casey’s and the JCG Mart offer fresh donuts daily. JC Subway is always a great meal option offering a nice selection of fresh-made deli sandwiches, soups, cookies, and sides. It is an extremely popular spot for local youth to stop after school for a bite before evening activities. B-Hive Ice Cream is a mobile, motorized cart that travels to various locations throughout the village during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Sip and Stream Coffee serves delicious, organic, local, and thoughtfully sources ingredients to offer a healthy line of coffee, lattes, or smoothies. They serve from a classic Airstream Trailer with drive-up or walk-up options with outside seating. Inside the adjacent Sippin Station, you can relax with your drink, pick up a healthy lunch option, and let you kids play in their wonderful kid’s corner playhouse. In 2026, Split Decision Kitchen is scheduled to open offering Grab-n-Go meals out of the Split Decision Catering’s commercial prep kitchen. Of course, a night out in any of the nearby areas (Sidney, Bellefontaine, Wapakoneta, and Indian Lake) offer many other dining options with craft beer bars, sports bars, fine dining, and family options available for your dining pleasure. For an even wider selection of options, Lima is within 30 minutes and we are only an hour ‘s drive to Columbus, Dayton, and Findlay markets.
33. Jackson Center is home to Shelby County’s only active movie theater. The Elder Theatre has been in operation in the village since the early 1940’s and shows first run, digital movies. All shows are currently $5.00 and they have some of the best popcorn that can be found anywhere in the area. In January of 2025, the theater transitioned from private ownership to become a community, non-profit theater operated by a board of directors with the formation of the Friends of the Elder Theatre. This non-profit raises funds through individual & corporate donations, as well as available grants. By partnering with area businesses, there are occasionally free movies and other events open to the public sponsored by those individual businesses.
34. Jackson Pharmacy and Wellness Center is a full-service, independent pharmacy located in our downtown area. The staff there is very accommodating to your needs and is helpful with any of your prescription needs. They work with many insurance programs and Medicare Part D to offer reasonable pricing to their customers with personal care. They offer free delivery to their Jackson Center customers. Located on the Pike Street portion of the pharmacy’s building is Village Prints, which is a great source for locally-printed, custom clothing, offering a large variety of in-stock, JC Tiger and Ohio State Sportswear.
35. Our village is blessed to be home to 2 very active medical practices associated with 2 area health systems. Mary Rutan Hospital, Jackson Center Family Care has two physicians and a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) that practice in their Jackson Center location and are part of the Mary Rutan Hospital System and Urgent Care, located in Bellefontaine, Ohio (18 miles). Wilson Health, Jackson Center Practice, has one physician and one CNP practicing within the village and is part of the area-wide Wilson Health and Urgent Care System based in Sidney, Ohio (15 miles). Lima, Ohio (21 miles) is home to the Lima Memorial Health System and Mercy Health- St, Rita’s Medical Center. Both have extensive resources and specialists. Troy, Ohio (29 miles) is home to the Upper Valley Medical Center (Premier Health) and Troy Hospital, Kettering Health Network. All are conveniently located and within reasonable driving distances from Jackson Center. If needed, there are several additional hospital systems located in Dayton, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio which are just over an hour away.
36. In addition to hospital affiliated medical practices, the village is home to one of the region’s longest operating chiropractic care offices, Huffer Chiropractic and Wellness Center, which has 4 full-time chiropractors and a nutritionist on staff offering full services in chiropractic health care, education, and nutrition. They have other locations staffed by additional DCs in Dublin, Ohio, Marysville Ohio, and Osgood, Ohio. This well-known and highly respected office is on the leading edge of new technology and trends in chiropractic health care.
37. Botkins Family Dental Care is the closest dentist office to our community. They are associated with Northwest Dental Center in Elida and Shawnee Family Dental in Shawnee Township (Lima). They offer a wide array of services, treatments, and procedures for any dental needs. There are several other are dentist options in Sidney, Wapakoneta, and Bellefontaine. Primary Eye Care Associates in Sidney, as well as other area optometrists, serve the community with the ability to get eye exams, eyewear, and contacts. Valley Eye Institute and Ohio Vision, both in Sidney, lead the way in cataract and Lasik eye surgeries.
38. Jackson Center is a “Public Power” community with our own municipal-owned electric system which includes a 9-acre solar field with 6,894 solar panels generating 2.34 megawatts of electricity. This joint project with AMP-O (American Municipal Power- Ohio) allows the village to retain 20% of this generated power with the other 80% “put into the grid” to share with other municipal-owned systems. While all of the generated electricity actually remains within the community for use, it is power that doesn’t need to be purchased and brought into the village from other renewable sources. The system also includes a back-up generator that can provide minimum residential power to the community in emergency situations. In addition, Jackson Center placed a new electric sub-station on line in 2019 to provide better service to our residents and businesses with better distribution of power within our grid and provide more reliable equipment. Ownership of the electric system allows JC to provide free street lighting throughout the Village with no additional charge to homeowners. The personnel in our electric system are highly trained and work with other municipal power systems as needed to ensure quality service year after year. Our electric department’s reliability rating is constantly around 99.997%.
39. JC’s municipal electric system allows us to have reasonable utility rates for water and sewer customers by proving those needed systems with inexpensive power. This helps us to better control the pumping costs associated with water and sewer rates. This allows us to keep our water and sewer rates in the lower half of all municipal rates in Ohio.
40. In 2026, the Village completed construction of a new state of the art water treatment plant. In addition to treating any contaminants to the water supply, this facility has above ground water storage to complement the Village’s water tower. It has the capacity for community growth and increased water usage by our residents and businesses. This facility also softens the water going into the distribution system to reduce the hardness of the area ground water that is produced by our well field. Depending on the softness of the water desired in the home, many homes are no longer in need of a water softener.
41. Jackson Center’s tap fees for those constructing new homes or facilities, remain some of the lowest in the state which also helps new home builders keep additional costs down with those lower tap fees which are traditionally passed along to the home owner. Our tap fees for water and sewer for a typical single-family residence are $800. ($500 for a standard ¾” service line for water and $300 for a sanitary sewer tap.) There is an additional $300 for a storm water tap. Many municipalities are $100’s or even $1,000’s higher.)
42. Our municipal employees have a great combination of experience, knowledge, and youth to provide great service for years to come. Many of our employees are cross-trained in other departments to allow smooth flow of our operations. We also work with many area villages with mutual aid to allow services to continue when adversity arises. We are blessed with employees that are part of our community. The Village manages to have any needed equipment for almost any emergency that arises by proper maintenance and a replacement schedule that allows our equipment to be in good shape to maintain a high level of service. Our streets are very well-maintained and we are constantly improving our water, wastewater, and electric facilities. The village also continues to improve storm water runoff retention to minimize flooding from heavy rains. Our storm water system currently can hold back over 30,000,000 (thirty million) gallons of storm water in several detention areas before it is gradually released into outlets from the village.
43. Gas aggregation, through AMP, (American Municipal Power) allows all residents and businesses to combine with other municipalities to have greater bargaining power for the purchase of natural gas. The aggregation secures a fixed rate for natural gas cost for periods of 1 to 2 years to get a cost effective and stable gas price. While the program includes all homes, individuals may “opt out” of the aggregation to obtain their own gas price on the open market.
44. The Village has a mass notification system that will notify residents, or anyone who signs up for the service, of any information pertaining to emergencies or issues that arise due to power outages, water issues, weather related issues, police matters, or street closures. It can be used for all types of urgent information and can be village-wide or specific to and area of the village. The messages can go via email, land line, cell phone, text, or all of these options that the resident chooses. Shelby County has a similar notification system for emergencies.
45. Jackson Center’s insurance fire rating is currently an ISO rating of 4. This means that although our JC Fire Department is 100% volunteer, their continuous training, updated equipment, and village water supply assists in keeping our insurance rates lower for home owners. The fire department maintains their equipment to get the maximum life from it while still keeping up to date on having equipment that serves our community best. Besides pumpers, the department includes a ladder truck/pumper, a water tanker, and equipment vehicle to respond to special needs. They also work with other area fire departments on “mutual aid” which allows additional service to the village and the neighboring districts in the event of a catastrophic fire.
46. Our JC Police Department has availability of 3 full-time police officers, including the Chief. In addition to the dedicated full-time officers, we have auxiliary police officers that assist with patrols during weekends, sporting and school events, community festivals and as needed.
47. The Village offers many services to residents not easily found in other communities to enhance your experience of living in Jackson Center. Dump truck rental (in lieu of renting a dumpster for special clean-up operations), leaf pickup, limb pickup, Christmas tree pickup, a designated recycling area, and a grass clipping dump station are just some of the services provided.
48. Our area churches are strong supporters of the area residents, our schools, and the community. You will find welcoming atmospheres and a faith home at Grace Lutheran Church and Jackson Center Methodist Church. Both are within the village limits while Christ the King Church, Emmanuel Lutheran, St. Jacob’s Luteran Church, St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Munchinippi Community Church, and Maplewood Methodist Church are all within a few miles of the village. Many of our residents belong to, or attend, these area churches.
49. The American Club is a women’s club that has been in JC for over 100 years. As one of their projects over the years, they have raised funds to build and maintain the local library as a branch of the Amos Memorial Library. No other regional branch was funded or maintained in this way. In addition to the American Club there are several other organizations that support our community, school, students, and athletes. These clubs help to minimize the costs to parents and taxpayers, and in general, make our community a much better place to live. A few of these clubs and organizations include Tiger Notes & Strokes (supporting the JC School’s Fine Arts), JC Athletic Boosters, Jackson Center PTA, JC Youth Sports Organization (JCYSO), Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs, and others.
50. The Greater Jackson Center Growth Association is our local organization of businesses, industries, government officials, and individuals that work for the betterment of Jackson Center and the individual businesses. As one of their main functions, the GJCAGA sponsors our annual Community Days Festival which is typically held the weekend following Memorial Day. The festival includes entertainment, rides, food, competitions, a large prize raffle, parade, fireworks (added May 2026),and many other activities. From the GJCAGA membership, they also provide 3 of the 5 trustees for the JC Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) which works with the Village government to maintain, attract, and enhance business and industry in Jackson Center. The CIC has been very instrumental in many of the projects that have helped with the revitalization and improvements of our community. They were very instrumental in the establishing and providing a location for daycare within the village.
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!! Jackson Center is a great small town to be a part of and we encourage you to do just that. There are organizations, churches, businesses, school groups, and employers that need you! We encourage you to be a part of something great. Each contributing person makes us better friends, neighbors, employees, and family.
Participate. Be positive. Ask questions. Get involved. Make Jackson Center your home!!
(Scan the QR code below for a map of the village and a locator for our businesses.)
