COUNTY
Watauga County
North Carolina · 54,786 residents (2025 est.) · 312 sq mi
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Part of the Boone micropolitan area
The short version
With 55,123 people, Watauga County is a county in North Carolina. This skews young, with a median age of 31.4. The poverty rate is 25.5%, above the 12.5% national rate. This is an unusually credentialed place: 48% of adults have a four-year degree. People stay put here: 75% were in the same home a year ago. The population is up 29% since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
48% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
55,123
+29%since 2000
from 42,695 in 2000
54,786 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
312 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202455K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.9%(1,587)
5 to 93.7%(2,065)
10 to 143.2%(1,760)
15 to 1914.4%(7,922)
20 to 2419.4%(10,680)
25 to 349.6%(5,305)
35 to 449.4%(5,176)
45 to 549.3%(5,148)
55 to 6411%(6,045)
65 to 7410.4%(5,739)
75 to 845.3%(2,929)
85 and over1.4%(767)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$51,693
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,611 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
36.6%
+15.7 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information15.7%
Wholesale trade7.4%
Other services5.6%
Retail trade4.5%
Finance & insurance2.5%
Public administration2.3%
Professional, scientific, technical2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
Construction0.4%
Education & health services0.2%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$358,900
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $128,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
6.9
+18%since 2009
from 5.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
70
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic95.4%(40,744)
Black1.6%(673)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(622)
Asian0.6%(251)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic88.5%(48,766)
Black1.6%(873)
Hispanic / Latino6.2%(3,410)
Asian0.9%(487)
Other2.9%(1,587)
27
+90%since 2009
from 14 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
17
−19%since 2020
from 21 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican3.2%(1,775)
South American1%(574)
Puerto Rican0.6%(342)
Central American0.5%(255)
Cuban0.4%(239)
Venezuelan0.4%(193)
Colombian0.3%(170)
Chilean0.3%(160)
Honduran0.2%(137)
Spaniard0.1%(56)
Bolivian0.1%(42)
Salvadoran0.1%(40)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(32)
Nicaraguan0%(27)
Dominican0%(17)
Guatemalan0%(10)
Costa Rican0%(9)
Ecuadorian0%(5)
Argentine0%(4)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(172)
Korean0.2%(106)
Vietnamese0.1%(78)
Japanese0.1%(33)
Sri Lankan0%(22)
Burmese0%(16)
Thai0%(16)
Filipino0%(15)
Asian Indian0%(9)
Hmong0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0%(6)
Ancestry
English20.2%(11,154)
German15%(8,289)
Irish13.9%(7,642)
American10.1%(5,574)
Scottish4.7%(2,600)
Italian4.4%(2,435)
Scotch-Irish4%(2,183)
Polish2%(1,117)
French2%(1,103)
Swedish1.2%(688)
Ukrainian0.8%(430)
Russian0.8%(427)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.7%(402)
Dutch0.6%(350)
British0.6%(331)
Welsh0.6%(322)
Subsaharan African0.6%(312)
Hungarian0.5%(264)
Canadian0.4%(239)
French Canadian0.3%(189)
Czech0.3%(176)
Arab0.3%(170)
Austrian0.3%(151)
Lithuanian0.2%(125)
Swiss0.2%(125)
Greek0.2%(93)
Egyptian0.1%(74)
West Indian0.1%(67)
Brazilian0.1%(62)
Danish0.1%(58)
Croatian0.1%(55)
Bulgarian0.1%(48)
Romanian0.1%(47)
Lebanese0.1%(46)
Macedonian0.1%(46)
Finnish0.1%(42)
Belgian0.1%(40)
Portuguese0.1%(34)
Slovene0.1%(30)
Jamaican0%(18)
Slovak0%(16)
Ethiopian0%(13)
Latvian0%(11)
Turkish0%(10)
Nigerian0%(6)
Syrian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
92.6%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 81.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 71.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
95.2%
+4.0 ptssince 2020
from 91.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married48.8%(12,063)
Married41.4%(10,240)
Widowed1.2%(307)
Divorced8.6%(2,125)
Women 15+
Never married47.5%(11,858)
Married36.9%(9,205)
Widowed6.6%(1,638)
Divorced9.1%(2,275)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
25.7%
+4.0 ptssince 2020
from 21.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 75.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
29.0%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 27.1% 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)13.8%(296)
Gulf War (1990s)17.6%(378)
Vietnam era49.3%(1,061)
Korean War5.3%(114)
World War II0%(0)
Share of the 2,150 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
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Compare Watauga County to nearby counties
WATAUGA COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+19%
Home value$265,800−26%
Population18,110−67%
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WATAUGA COUNTY VS
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Home value$178,600−50%
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WATAUGA COUNTY VS
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Home value$243,100−32%
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WATAUGA COUNTY VS
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Income$56,425+9%
Home value$192,200−46%
Population81,105+48%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Watauga County, North Carolina?
Watauga County, North Carolina has about 55,123 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The typical household in Watauga County, North Carolina earns about $51,693 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watauga County, North Carolina expensive?
In Watauga County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $358,900, and the typical rent is about $1,127 a month.
How educated are people in Watauga County, North Carolina?
About 48.1% of adults age 25 and over in Watauga County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watauga County, North Carolina?
About 25.5% of people in Watauga County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watauga County, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Watauga County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 18,171 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024