City · Minnesota
Watkins, Minnesota
Watkins, city, in Meeker County, Minnesota. Watkins had 1,018 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 991 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 765 (±131). GEOID 2768620.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,018
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 991 · ACS 2020-2024: 765 ±131
Median household income
$64,896
±$22,145 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$149,100
±$20,152 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$808
±$469 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Watkins and what county is it in?
Watkins is a city in Meeker County, Minnesota. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 1,440 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Watkins, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,018 people lived in Watkins on July 1, 2025, up 2.5% since 2020, in line with Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 991 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 765 (±131).
| Measure | Watkins | Meeker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 765 ±131 | 23,468 | −179 |
| Households | 319 ±52 | 9,347 | −99 |
| Average household size | 2.24 ±0.23 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 389 ±65 | 10,735 | no clear change |
Watkins's population since 2000
From 880 in 2000 to 1,018 in 2025: up 15.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Watkins as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Watkins?
The median resident of Watkins is 42.8 years old; 18.3% are under 18 and 16.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.0%.
| Measure | Watkins | Meeker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 ±5.0 | 42.2 | +10.0 |
| Under 18 years | 18.3% ±3.9 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.3% ±5.1 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 52.5% ±5.7 pts | 51.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.1% ±3.5 pts | 92.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±3.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±1.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.8% ±3.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 16.3% ±5.4 pts | 13.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.7% ±3.3 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.5% ±3.6 pts | 19.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.0% ±1.9 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.8% ±2.8 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Watkins earn?
Half of Watkins's 319 households earn less than $64,896 a year (±$22,145), against $75,446 in Meeker County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $50,868 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Watkins | Meeker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,896 ±$22,145 | $75,446 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $91,845 ±$18,301 | $92,684 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,148 ±$6,345 | $37,905 | +$7,551 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.4% ±5.1 pts | 9.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.3% ±5.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.6% ±8.3 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.7% ±3.9 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.0% ±4.3 pts | 88.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Watkins?
Owners occupy 67.4% of Watkins's occupied homes and renters 32.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $149,100 by its owner (±$20,152). The median renter pays $808 a month including utilities, and 22.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Watkins | Meeker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $149,100 ±$20,152 | $249,000 | +$26,400 |
| Median gross rent | $808 ±$469 | $904 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.8% ±11.7 pts | 38.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,407 ±$181 | $1,614 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.4% ±9.4 pts | 79.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.6% ±9.4 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Housing units | 389 ±65 | 10,735 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 8.9% ±9.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.0% ±12.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.6% ±9.9 pts | 80.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.4% ±5.0 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.8% ±5.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.1% ±5.9 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.5% ±4.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Watkins building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Watkins in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 2.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Watkins work and get to work?
80.1% of Watkins's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.0 minutes.
| Measure | Watkins | Meeker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.4% ±6.9 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.1% ±8.0 pts | 81.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.6% ±7.9 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 4.2% ±4.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.1% ±3.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.0 min ±3.7 | 25.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Watkins?
No census tract lies mostly in Watkins; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5602Meeker County | 5,053 | $86,650 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Watkins) · Census block assignment files
How does Watkins compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Watkins is the 10,183rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 356th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Watkins is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 356th | 855 |
Watkins's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Watkins with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Watkins?
21 of the 57 figures for Watkins on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Watkins are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Watkins.