City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Watertown, WI

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

22,873
Residents
$68,333
Median income
$211,500
Median home
$1,156
Median rent (state)

Watertown - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Watertown places in the 47th percentile for household income and the 54th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
46th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
54th
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: Watertown, WI

Wisconsin's Watertown is a small city, with 22,873 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Watertown brings in $68,333 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Watertown's housing stock carries a median value of $211,500, and the median resident age is 40.4 years. Educational attainment runs 19.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 22 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 22% from five years earlier. Watertown reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1238.3 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).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,156 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Wisconsin, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Watertown workers runs 22.2 minutes, with 76.9% driving alone and 6.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 75.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

22,873 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$68,333 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Watertown compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 46% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 54% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Wisconsin alone, Watertown ranks #124 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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

47thIncome percentile
54thSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 54th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Watertown's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Watertown'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 54 Avg. percentile National median
Watertown'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 Watertown's home value compares nationally

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

$211,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 54% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Watertown $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 - Watertown, WI Watertown, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Watertown, WI-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 Watertown, WI median $68,333/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%
Watertown, WI'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 Watertown, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.7%

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

Population
22,873
Median Income
$68,333
Median Home Value
$211,500
Median Age
40.4
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
62.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1238.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
190.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1048.1
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
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
22,600 residents22,700 residents22,800 residents22,900 residents23,000 residents23,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 22,980 residents 22,704 residents ▼ -1.2%
Watertown's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
22
housing units authorized
Single-Family
20
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2022 18
2023 16
2024 22

Permit volume increased 22% from 2022 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.2 minutes
Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
6.1%
Other
2.5%

Based on 11,208 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Watertown sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,156/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
75.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Middleton
22,235 people
Pleasant Prairie
21,515 people
Germantown
20,940 people
Muskego
25,156 people
South Milwaukee
20,547 people
Mequon
25,259 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Watertown's 22,873 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Duncan, OK
22,872 people
Calabasas, CA
22,869 people
Corinth, TX
22,868 people
Garden City, NY
22,866 people
Winchester, MA
22,862 people
Watertown, SD
22,859 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Watertown's $68,333 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kongiganak, AK
$68,333 median income
Secretary, MD
$68,333 median income
Hanover, MI
$68,333 median income
Alma, NE
$68,333 median income
Davenport, NE
$68,333 median income
Chewey, OK
$68,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Watertown, WI 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 Watertown, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.6% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.5% White 89.6% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 8.8% 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 Watertown compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Watertown (this city) 22,873 $68,333
Middleton 22,235 $85,526
Pleasant Prairie 21,515 $103,903
Germantown 20,940 $104,337
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Watertown, WI?

What is the population of Watertown, WI? +

Watertown, WI counts 22,873 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Watertown, WI? +

Median annual household income in Watertown runs $68,333, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Watertown? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Watertown; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Watertown, WI safe? +

Watertown has a total crime rate of 1238.3 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 Watertown, WI? +

Homes in Watertown carry a median value of $211,500, 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.