Jefferson Township's housing reflects its dual geography. Along Lake Hopatcong, homes include older lakefront properties, modest seasonal cottages, and renovated year-round residences, many with docks and direct water access. The Milton and Oak Ridge section offers conventional single-family subdivisions, split-levels, and colonials on wooded lots, along with townhome and condominium communities. Because the township developed in two separated pockets rather than around a single downtown, housing stock is spread across distinct lake and upland neighborhoods rather than concentrated in a core. Hilly, rocky, and heavily wooded terrain shapes lot sizes and layouts, giving many neighborhoods a rustic, established feel within a Morris County setting.

Jefferson Township's two main sections—Milton/Oak Ridge and Lake Hopatcong—contain a patchwork of smaller communities. Lake Shawnee, just east of Lake Hopatcong and reached via Route 15, is one of the township's established lake neighborhoods, with homes carrying a Wharton mailing address. Cozy Lake and White Rock are among the other named lake communities in the Milton and Oak Ridge area. Around Lake Hopatcong itself, shoreline neighborhoods blend year-round residences with seasonal lake houses. Oak Ridge, with its concentration of shops, schools, and municipal services, functions as the township's day-to-day center and the setting for many of its civic amenities.

Life in Jefferson Township revolves around the outdoors and the lake. During the warm months, Lake Hopatcong draws boaters, anglers, and swimmers, and the township's public lake access points and recreation programs keep the waterfront active. The Mahlon Dickerson Reservation provides miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails, while the Berkshire Valley Golf Course offers public play. The township runs a recreation department with camps, sports, and senior programming, and Camp Jefferson serves as a community hub. With its lake culture, wooded parks, and family-oriented recreation programming, Jefferson Township offers a quieter, outdoors-focused version of suburban Morris County living.

Public education in Jefferson Township is provided by the Jefferson Township Public School District, a single K–12 system serving the entire township. Jefferson Township High School, located on Weldon Road, is the district's only high school, offering Advanced Placement courses and a gifted-and-talented program. Elementary and middle grades are distributed among several schools across the township's two main sections. The district's one-high-school structure makes the high school a central gathering point for the community, and its athletic and academic programs draw families from across the township. Families also have access to private and parochial options in neighboring Morris County towns.

Jefferson Township sits at the junction of several regional routes. Route 15 runs north–south through the township, connecting the Milton/Oak Ridge and Lake Hopatcong areas to Interstate 80, whose Exit 34 provides the main link toward Dover, Morristown, and the wider metro area. Route 23, reached via Oak Ridge Road, offers an alternate corridor to the east. Because the township is spread out across two developed sections, most residents rely on these highways for commuting and errands, making road access the primary means of travel in and out of the community.

Outdoor recreation defines Jefferson Township. Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey's largest freshwater lake, is the centerpiece, supporting boating, fishing, and lakeside recreation, with township-managed access points and a recreation department that organizes seasonal programs. The Morris County Mahlon Dickerson Reservation preserves thousands of acres of forest, wetlands, and trails, including the Headley Overlook with its sweeping views. The Pine Swamp trail reaches Morris County's highest point at 1,395 feet. Berkshire Valley Golf Course, a county-owned layout, sits within the township. Together, these assets make Jefferson Township a year-round base for hiking, golf, and lake-based leisure.