United States › Watertown MICROPOLITAN AREA
Watertown Micro Watertown, SD · 1 counties · 29,562 residents (2025 est.) · 688 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Watertown is home to 28,767 people. That puts it in the top 7% of US metro areas for household income. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The foreign-born share is 1%. The average commute runs 14 minutes. There are 42 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 25,897 in 2000
29,562 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 38 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K 24K 26K 28K 29K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Watertown Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,727
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,257 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,761 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.450 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.7%
Public administration 3.7%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$237,700
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$938
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.2% in 2000
30.2% rent
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.3%(24,948)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(274)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.4%(25,997)
Hispanic / Latino 3.3%(946)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 20 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 Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.8%(4,285)
Women 15+
Never married 24.6%(2,827)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.9% 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) 23.1%(365)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.9%(426)
Share of the 1,581 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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In this metro
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1 component county Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Watertown, SD? Watertown, SD has about 28,767 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watertown, SD? The typical household in Watertown, SD earns about $72,727 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watertown, SD expensive? In Watertown, SD, the median home is worth about $237,700, and the typical rent is about $938 a month.
How educated are people in Watertown, SD? About 21.4% of adults age 25 and over in Watertown, SD hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watertown, SD? About 8.8% of people in Watertown, SD live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watertown, SD grown since 1990? Yes, Watertown, SD has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,069 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.
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