City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Watauga, TX

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.

23,336
Residents
$91,669
Median income
$233,400
Median home
$1,723
Median rent (state)

Watauga - the verdict

Watauga ranks in the 72nd percentile for household income and the 65th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

72nd
percentile, household income
52nd
percentile, home value
69th
percentile, median rent
65th
percentile, safety
📝 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, TX

Watauga is a small city in Texas, home to 23,336 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Watauga brings in $91,669 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.5%. Typical homes in Watauga are valued around $233,400, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 25.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 75 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1775% from five years earlier. Watauga reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 968.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,723 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Texas run around $223, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 25.7 minutes, with 73.0% driving alone and 12.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

23,336 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$91,669 /yr

Poverty 8.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Watauga compare to other US cities?

Where Watauga sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 52% pricier than other cities
Median rent 69% pricier than other cities
Safety 65% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Texas, Watauga ranks #219 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

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 Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

72ndIncome percentile
65thSafety percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income · 65th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Watauga's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Watauga's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 59 Avg. percentile National median
Watauga's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Watauga's home value compares nationally

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

$233,400 48th percentile more affordable than 48% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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, TX Watauga, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Watauga, TX-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, TX median $91,669/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, TX'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, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

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

Population
23,336
Median Income
$91,669
Median Home Value
$233,400
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
8.5%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
968.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
114.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
854.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
22,800 residents23,000 residents23,200 residents23,400 residents23,600 residents23,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,591 residents 22,981 residents ▼ -2.6%
Watauga's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
75
housing units authorized
Single-Family
60
detached homes
Multifamily
15
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 1
2021 3
2022 28
2023 31
2024 75

Permit volume increased 1775% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.7 minutes
Drive Alone
73.0%
Carpool
13.0%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
12.0%
Other
0.8%

Based on 12,340 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas 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 Texas 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
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,723/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Horizon City
23,069 people
Marshall
23,646 people
Belton
23,769 people
Corinth
22,868 people
Katy
23,900 people
Fresno
24,087 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Watauga's 23,336 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Copiague, NY
23,332 people
Maple Heights, OH
23,350 people
Edgewater, FL
23,314 people
Fairhope, AL
23,360 people
Waverly, MI
23,301 people
Glassboro, NJ
23,375 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Watauga's $91,669 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

North High Shoals, GA
$91,667 median income
Huntley, MT
$91,667 median income
Trego, MT
$91,667 median income
Northeast Ithaca, NY
$91,667 median income
Milford Center, OH
$91,667 median income
Dalton, PA
$91,667 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Watauga, TX 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, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.9% 10.2% 6.2% 16.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 26.8% White 60.9% Black or African American 10.2% Asian 5.0% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 6.2% Two or more races 16.4% 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 Texas 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) 23,336 $91,669
Horizon City 23,069 $65,702
Marshall 23,646 $49,817
Belton 23,769 $63,544
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Watauga, TX?

What is the population of Watauga, TX? +

The population of Watauga, TX stands at 23,336 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Watauga households earn a median of $91,669 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 Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Watauga, TX safe? +

Watauga has a total crime rate of 968.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Homes in Watauga carry a median value of $233,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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.