City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Watauga, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Watauga - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

631
Residents
$56,912
Median income
$128,800
Median home
$1,044
Median rent (state)

Watauga - the verdict

Nationally, Watauga sits in the 30th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Watauga, TN

631 people live in Watauga, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Watauga brings in $56,912 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.3%. Watauga's housing stock carries a median value of $128,800, and the median resident age is 44.0 years. About 26.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 42.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Watauga (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,044 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $218 across Tennessee, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 17.9 minutes, with 92.6% driving alone and 5.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 71.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

631 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$56,912 /yr

Poverty 12.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Watauga compare to other US cities?

Watauga measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Watauga's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

30thIncome percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Watauga's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$128,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Watauga $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Watauga, TN Watauga, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Watauga, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Watauga, TN median $56,912/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Watauga, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Watauga, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
631
Median Income
$56,912
Median Home Value
$128,800
Median Age
44.0
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Labor force participation
42.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.7%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
350 residents355 residents360 residents365 residents370 residents 202020212022202320242025 352 residents 364 residents ▲ +3.4%
Watauga's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 1
2022 1
2023 2
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.9 minutes
Drive Alone
92.6%
Carpool
2.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
5.2%

Based on 229 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Watauga sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,044/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
71.5 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Clarkrange
636 people
Castalian Springs
648 people
Chesterfield
650 people
Darden
612 people
Gates
612 people
Beersheba Springs
610 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Watauga's 631 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dahlgren, IL
631 people
Upton, KY
631 people
Parkdale, MI
631 people
Evansville, MN
631 people
Carroll, OH
631 people
New Jerusalem, PA
631 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Watauga's $56,912 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cle Elum, WA
$56,912 median income
Seeley, CA
$56,917 median income
Wachapreague, VA
$56,917 median income
Madisonville, KY
$56,902 median income
Atwater, OH
$56,923 median income
The Hideout, PA
$56,901 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Watauga, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Watauga, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.8% 7.0% 7.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.2% White 84.8% Black or African American 7.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 7.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Watauga compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Watauga (this city) 631 $56,912
Clarkrange 636 $50,481
Castalian Springs 648 $86,071
Chesterfield 650 $58,929
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Watauga, TN?

What is the population of Watauga, TN? +

Watauga, TN counts 631 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Watauga, TN? +

Watauga households earn a median of $56,912 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Watauga? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Watauga; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Watauga, TN? +

A typical home in Watauga is worth $128,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.