United States › South Dakota › Watertown CITY · 2010 ACS
Watertown South Dakota · 21,482 residents · 18.4 sq mi
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The short version
Watertown is a city of 21,482 people in South Dakota. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $127,800, having risen by half since 2000. Renters pay $558 a month at the median. Median household income is $39,970, under the $52,703 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.6
US median: 37.2
Average education
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 19K 20K 22K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Watertown Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $39,970
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,348 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $18,994 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 7.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.5%
Education & health services 1.4%
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$127,800
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,600 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$558
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $853
from 66.2% in 2000
36.5% rent
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.19 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 38.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 3.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.8%(19,384)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(259)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(20,206)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(345)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 20.1% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 84.9% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 5.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 9.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 37.9%(3,732)
Women 15+
Never married 25.9%(2,364)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 24.4%(322)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.8%(353)
Share of the 1,319 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Watertown Head to head
Compare Watertown to nearby cities WATERTOWN VS
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WATERTOWN VS
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WATERTOWN VS
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WATERTOWN VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Watertown, South Dakota? Watertown, South Dakota has about 21,482 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watertown, South Dakota? The typical household in Watertown, South Dakota earns about $39,970 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watertown, South Dakota expensive? In Watertown, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $127,800, and the typical rent is about $558 a month.
How educated are people in Watertown, South Dakota? About 23.8% of adults age 25 and over in Watertown, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watertown, South Dakota? About 14.1% of people in Watertown, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watertown, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Watertown, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,890 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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