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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Watauga County

North Carolina · 54,086 residents · 312 sq mi
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The short version

Watauga County is home to 54,086 people in North Carolina. This skews young, with a median age of 29.4. The poverty rate is 24.5%, above the 12.8% national rate. 73% were living in the same home a year earlier. About 43% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 4%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 29.4
US median: 38.8
More educated
43% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
54,086
+27%since 2000
from 42,695 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
29.4
−2%since 2000
from 29.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
312 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
35K41K46K51K57K19902000201020202024Watauga County
202455K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 53.6%(1,922)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.6%(1,956)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 144%(2,176)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 1911.6%(6,268)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2421.8%(11,789)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.6%(5,731)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 448.6%(4,666)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549%(4,863)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.6%(5,715)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410%(5,412)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.1%(2,743)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(845)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,453
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,611 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,962
+62%since 2000
from $17,258 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
31.9%
+10.9 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
24.5%
+6.5 ptssince 2000
from 17.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information14.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade4.6%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance2.5%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Construction1.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$246,000
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $128,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$925
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $548 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
56.5%
−6.4 ptssince 2000
from 62.9% in 2000
43.5% rent
Persons per household
2.32 people
+9%since 2009
from 2.13 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
5.3
−10%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.4%(40,744)
Black1.6%(673)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(622)
Asian0.6%(251)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic83.2%(44,986)
Black3.9%(2,101)
Hispanic / Latino6.5%(3,521)
Asian1.7%(938)
Other1.8%(975)
Segregation Score
21
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
Mexican2.3%(1,300)
Puerto Rican0.7%(382)
Cuban0.2%(91)
Colombian0.1%(75)
Spaniard0.1%(56)
Peruvian0.1%(30)
Honduran0%(20)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(255)
Korean0.2%(119)
Vietnamese0.2%(104)
Hmong0.1%(47)
Filipino0.1%(46)
Nepalese0%(20)
Japanese0%(14)
Thai0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American16.3%(9,082)
English14.9%(8,320)
German13.2%(7,358)
Irish11%(6,105)
Scotch-Irish5.1%(2,853)
Scottish4%(2,215)
Italian3.2%(1,754)
French2.6%(1,461)
Polish1.9%(1,064)
Swedish1.3%(698)
British1.2%(687)
Welsh1.2%(677)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1%(543)
Norwegian0.9%(519)
Russian0.8%(422)
Ukrainian0.4%(216)
Swiss0.3%(164)
West Indian0.3%(141)
Greek0.2%(138)
Danish0.2%(106)
Finnish0.2%(106)
Hungarian0.2%(90)
Canadian0.1%(82)
Austrian0.1%(81)
Lithuanian0.1%(77)
Jamaican0.1%(77)
Turkish0.1%(50)
Croatian0.1%(41)
Brazilian0.1%(32)
Slovak0.1%(31)
Portuguese0.1%(29)
Romanian0%(27)
Kenyan0%(26)
Czech0%(25)
Syrian0%(24)
Arab0%(20)
Slovene0%(20)
Latvian0%(18)
Belgian0%(10)
Serbian0%(10)
Haitian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
42.7%
+9.5 ptssince 2000
from 33.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
90.6%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 81.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
19.4%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.5 min
+53%since 2000
from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
74.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 74.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.7%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
59.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 62.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.0%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
38.4%
+7.2 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
50.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
3.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.1%
−3.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
91.2%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
73.5%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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

Uninsured
10.1%
−3.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
54.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
21.7%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
17.3%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
11.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
75.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
27.1%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.5%(399)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)13.7%(376)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era46.5%(1,275)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6.5%(179)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.2%(32)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,743 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Watauga County to nearby counties

WATAUGA COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+32%
Home value$265,800+8%
Population18,110−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WATAUGA COUNTY VS
Johnson County
Income$53,129+14%
Home value$178,600−27%
Population18,718−66%
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WATAUGA COUNTY VS
Ashe County
Income$56,866+22%
Home value$243,100−1%
Population27,514−50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WATAUGA COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income$56,425+21%
Home value$192,200−22%
Population81,105+48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Watauga County, North Carolina?

Watauga County, North Carolina has about 54,086 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Watauga County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Watauga County, North Carolina earns about $46,453 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 $246,000, and the typical rent is about $925 a month.

How educated are people in Watauga County, North Carolina?

About 42.7% 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 24.5% 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 17,134 residents, a change of about 46 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →