City · New York
Watertown, New York
Watertown, city, in Jefferson County, New York. Watertown had 23,517 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 24,685 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 24,375 (±33). GEOID 3678608.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
23,517
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 24,685 · ACS 2020-2024: 24,375 ±33
Median household income
$51,753
±$4,571 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$158,600
±$10,748 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$967
±$57 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Watertown and what county is it in?
Watertown is a city in Jefferson County, New York. It covers 9.0 square miles of land, 2,733 residents per square mile in 2020.
Watertown is in the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Watertown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 23,517 people lived in Watertown on July 1, 2025, down 4.7% since 2020, a steeper fall than New York's (−1.0%). The 2020 Census counted 24,685 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 24,375 (±33).
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 24,375 ±33 | 115,040 | −1,247 |
| Households | 11,867 ±388 | 47,606 | +1,000 |
| Average household size | 1.98 ±0.06 | 2.32 | −0.31 |
| Housing units | 13,426 ±412 | 61,862 | no clear change |
Watertown's population since 2000
From 26,705 in 2000 to 23,517 in 2025: down 11.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Watertown 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 Watertown?
The median resident of Watertown is 35.7 years old; 21.5% are under 18 and 16.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.8%. 4.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 ±1.8 | 33.7 | +3.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.5% ±1.8 pts | 24.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.0% ±1.4 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Male | 49.3% ±1.7 pts | 52.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.1% ±1.5 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.3% ±2.7 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±1.8 pts | 4.3% | −3.4 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±0.9 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.8% ±2.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.9% ±1.4 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.8% ±1.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.6% ±2.0 pts | 12.7% | – |
| With a disability | 19.4% ±2.7 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±1.4 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.3% ±2.2 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.6% ±2.8 pts | 26.5% | +5.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.2% ±2.1 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.3% ±3.9 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.6% ±1.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 Watertown earn?
Half of Watertown's 11,867 households earn less than $51,753 a year (±$4,571), against $66,301 in Jefferson County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $49,539 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,753 ±$4,571 | $66,301 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,891 ±$5,630 | $86,210 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,731 ±$2,874 | $36,025 | +$5,244 |
| People below the poverty line | 20.1% ±3.6 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.6% ±7.8 pts | 18.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.7% ±4.2 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.7% ±2.3 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.3% ±2.7 pts | 90.8% | – |
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 Watertown?
Owners occupy 40.9% of Watertown's occupied homes and renters 59.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,600 by its owner (±$10,748). The median renter pays $967 a month including utilities, and 35.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,600 ±$10,748 | $188,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $967 ±$57 | $1,213 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.2% ±6.6 pts | 38.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,352 ±$56 | $1,555 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 40.9% ±3.7 pts | 54.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 59.1% ±3.7 pts | 45.3% | – |
| Housing units | 13,426 ±412 | 61,862 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.6% ±1.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 43.5% ±3.4 pts | 57.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±0.5 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±1.5 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 44.0% ±3.3 pts | 30.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 19.8% ±3.9 pts | 9.7% | – |
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 Watertown building?
Builders took permits for 66 new housing units in Watertown in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.9 across New York.
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 Watertown work and get to work?
79.2% of Watertown's workers drive alone and 4.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.3%.
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.2% ±2.7 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% ±2.0 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 79.2% ±3.7 pts | 77.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.3% ±2.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 5.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.5% ±1.5 pts | 7.7% | +2.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.3 min ±1.6 | 19.5 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 Watertown?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Watertown (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $46,354 (Tract 612) to $80,000 (Tract 619).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 622Jefferson County | 4,097 | $71,174 |
| Tract 621Jefferson County | 3,611 | $48,954 |
| Tract 619Jefferson County | 3,573 | $80,000 |
| Tract 615Jefferson County | 3,449 | $49,974 |
| Tract 612Jefferson County | 3,262 | $46,354 |
| Tract 614Jefferson County | 3,251 | $48,290 |
| Tract 613Jefferson County | 3,132 | $47,844 |
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 Watertown) · Census block assignment files
How does Watertown compare with other places in New York?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Watertown is the 1,691st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 39th-most populous of 594 in New York.
Watertown ranks 1,529th of 1,623 places in New York with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 39th | 594 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,179th | 1,225 |
| Residents per square mile | 317th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 1,529th | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 1,293rd | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 1,239th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 965th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 156th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,041st | 1,640 |
| Median age | 1,479th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,599th | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 1,313th | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 1,579th | 1,652 |
Watertown's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Watertown 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 Watertown?
7 of the 57 figures for Watertown 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 Watertown 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 Watertown.