Jackson. It's the one place in Naughty Dog’s brutal universe where you can actually breathe. Most of the world in The Last of Us is just concrete skeletons and spores, but Jackson City The Last of Us version is different. It’s a miracle. If you’ve played through the games or watched the HBO adaptation, you know that this settlement isn't just a backdrop for Joel and Ellie’s drama. It is a functioning, breathing society that defies the logic of the apocalypse.
Honestly, it’s easy to forget how rare a place like Jackson is. While the rest of the country is busy killing each other over tins of beans or worshiping forest demons, Jackson is out here having movie nights and steak dinners. It represents the "After" that everyone stopped hoping for. It’s the antithesis of the FEDRA quarantine zones and the chaotic war zones of Seattle. It’s home.
Life Inside the Walls: How Jackson City Actually Functions
Most people look at the town and think it’s just a cozy ranching community. It’s way more complex than that. Jackson didn't just happen by accident; it was a slow, grueling process of reclamation led by Maria and, eventually, Tommy Miller. They didn't just find a few houses and put up a fence. They built a literal power grid.
The town runs on the nearby hydroelectric dam. This is the heartbeat of Jackson City The Last of Us. Without that dam, there are no heated showers, no streetlights, and definitely no refrigerated food. It’s the reason why the town can support hundreds of residents while other groups are starving in the dirt.
You’ve got a hierarchy that isn't based on military rank but on contribution. Everyone works. There are patrols to clear out the "infected" and keep bandits away, sure, but there are also tailors, cooks, and teachers. They even have a school. Imagine being a kid born twenty years after the Cordyceps outbreak and actually learning how to read and write instead of just how to gut a Clicker. That’s the Jackson difference.
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The Evolution from Part I to Part II
In the first game, Jackson is almost a mythic destination. It’s the "somewhere else" Joel hopes to reach. When we finally get there, we only see the outskirts and the dam. It feels small. It feels fragile.
But by the time we hit The Last of Us Part II, the place has exploded. The town has expanded significantly. We see a bustling main street with a saloon (The Tipsy Bison), a blacksmith, and a library. The developers at Naughty Dog, including Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross, specifically wanted to show that humanity can do more than just survive—it can rebuild.
The tone shifts, too. In the first game, Jackson is a sanctuary. In the second, it’s a community with its own politics and social cliques. You see Ellie and Dina navigating the awkwardness of a post-dance hangover. You see Jesse managing patrol schedules like a stressed-out middle manager. It’s mundane. And in a world filled with Bloaters and Shamblers, mundane is the ultimate luxury.
Why Jackson Isn't a Paradise
It’s tempting to call it a utopia, but that’s not quite right. Jackson is under constant threat.
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The patrols aren't just for show. The "Logbook" entries you find as Ellie reveal the constant grind of clearing out "infected" from nearby stores and houses. People die out there. Often. The winter is brutal. If the dam fails or the crops freeze, the whole experiment collapses.
There is also the psychological weight. Living in Jackson means living with the memory of what was lost. For people like Tommy and Maria, Jackson is a desperate attempt to grab onto the pre-outbreak world. For the younger generation, it’s a golden cage. Ellie, in particular, feels the friction of being a "normal" teenager in a place where she knows the world is actually a nightmare.
The Real-World Inspiration: Jackson, Wyoming
Naughty Dog didn't just make this place up out of thin air. They based it heavily on the actual Jackson, Wyoming. If you visit the real town today, you'll see the same iconic elk antler arches in the town square that appear in the game.
The geography matters. The Teton Range provides a natural barrier that makes the town defensible. The high altitude and harsh winters are actually a defense mechanism; it’s harder for massive hordes of infected to migrate through deep snow and mountain passes. The game’s art team spent a massive amount of time scouting the area to ensure the lighting and the "feel" of the Rocky Mountains translated into the game engine.
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The Logistics of the Apocalypse: What People Get Wrong
A lot of fans ask how they have electricity and horses. It's not magic.
- Hydropower: The dam is the key. Unlike gasoline, which expires after a few years, moving water is a permanent energy source if you can maintain the turbines.
- Agriculture: They don't just scavenge. They have greenhouses and livestock. This is why you see sheep and cows roaming the outskirts.
- Trade: Jackson isn't totally isolated. They have a system of "trading posts" where they swap surplus supplies with other non-hostile groups, though these are few and far between.
The Significance of the "Prologue" and "Epilogue"
Jackson frames the entire narrative of the second game. The story starts in the warmth of the town and ends with a lonely walk away from it. When Ellie leaves her room to head to Seattle, she isn't just leaving a house; she's abandoning the only place in the world where she was actually safe.
The contrast between the soft, golden light of Jackson and the oppressive, grey rain of Seattle is intentional. It makes the player feel the loss of comfort. You find yourself wishing you could just go back to the snowball fight at the beginning of the game. That’s the power of the setting. It’s the one thing worth fighting for, even if the characters end up throwing it away for the sake of revenge.
Actionable Insights for Players and Lore Enthusiasts
If you're looking to truly experience everything Jackson City The Last of Us has to offer, pay attention to these specific details during your next playthrough or watch-through:
- Read the logs: In the patrol office at the start of Part II, there are documents detailing the names of the families living in town. It adds a layer of realism to the NPCs you see walking around.
- Check the architecture: Notice how the newer buildings are made of reclaimed wood versus the older brick buildings from the "old world." It shows the progression of the settlement's construction skills.
- Listen to the ambient dialogue: The conversations between citizens in the town square often reference the "Council." This confirms that Jackson is a democracy, or at least a representative community, rather than a dictatorship.
- Explore the outskirts: The "Big Horn" signs and the various trail markers are all based on real Wyoming landmarks.
Jackson is more than just a level. It’s a statement that humanity isn't just a virus. We’re builders. We’re neighbors. Even when the world ends, we’ll still find a way to decorate a Christmas tree and complain about the coffee. That’s why it sticks with us long after the credits roll.