Jackson, the seat of Breathitt county, is on the North Fork of the Kentucky River. It was founded with the county in 1839 as Breathitt Town and renamed Jackson in 1845 to honor President Andrew Jackson, who died that year. The Breathitt Court House post office opened in 1839. The population in 1990 was 2,466.

Jackson is the home of the Lees College Campus of Hazard Community and Technical College.