The County became largely self-sufficient due in large part to its geographic isolation from the population centers of the Mohawk Valley and downstate. Those markets were some 2-3 days distant and therefore inaccessible. In fact, Canadian markets were the principal source of cash for early capitalists. This locally based, isolated economy, typical of many rural economies of the time, thrived in Jefferson County throughout the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Today, though the advent of modern transportation and communication technologies have broadened and diversified Jefferson County's economic base, the County's economy remains strongly linked to the geography and resources of the region.
Agriculture remains a top economic sector.
The success of agriculture is largely based upon the quality and productivity of the land and soil resources in the County. Paper production is the County's largest manufacturing sector. The proximity of the County to Canada remains a strong economic asset both in terms of industrial investment and commercial trade. With the growth in available leisure time over the past several decades, tourism remains a very important contributor. This sector, based largely upon the water resources, natural beauty, and open space of the area, is continually growing through public and private investment.