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
median household income $51,693, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Watauga County
What changed most since 1990
White share96.6% → 88.5%(−8.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$173,285 → $358,900(+107%)US over the same years: +67%
Adults with a bachelor's degree27.4% → 48.1%(+20.7 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.6%(378)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era49.3%(1,061)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.3%(114)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Watauga County, decade by decade
Watauga County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
36,952
$48,606
$173,285
27.4%
8.4
2000
42,695
$59,406
$233,536
33.2%
11.1
2010
51,079
$45,987
$310,444
37.1%
17.7
2020
54,086
$56,303
$298,162
42.7%
37.7
2024
55,123
$51,693
$358,900
48.1%
26.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
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.
