Jackson County, the 22nd county of Georgia, was created in 1796 from part of Franklin County. It is named for Revolutionary War General, Congressman, and Senator James Jackson.

The county has nine municipalities. The county seat is Jefferson, named for President Thomas Jefferson. It was originally located on the site of an Indian village, Thomocoggan. Commerce, the most populous city in the county, has become a major outlet center. Much of the city of Braselton was purchased and sold by movie star Kim Basinger. The other municipalities are Arcade, Hoschton, Maysville, Nicholson, Pendergrass and Talmo.

The Jackson County Courthouse was constructed in 1879 and is a prime example of the neoclassical architecture of that time. A clock tower was added in 1906, and renovations were completed in 1978. The courthouse is one of the few examples of such architecture still in use in Georgia.

State high school track and field championships are held in Jefferson, which has one of the top track facilities in the state.

One notable person from Jackson County is Crawford W. Long, the doctor who discovered using ether as an anesthetic. He was studying in Jefferson when he made this revolutionary discovery.

Some of the festivals in Jackson County are the Spring Fling in April, Cold Sassy Days Fall Festival in August, and Crawford Long Days in November.

Jackson is also home to several racetracks that draw racing fans from across the country. These tracks include the Atlanta International Dragway in Commerce and Road Atlanta in Braselton.