United States › Watertown MICROPOLITAN AREA
Watertown Micro Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI · 1 counties · 86,505 residents (2025 est.) · 556 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 86,003 people. That puts it in the top 3% of US metro areas for household income. The foreign-born share is 4%. 73% of homes are owner-occupied. About 29% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $274,100, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 74,021 in 2000
86,505 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
155 / sq mi
+16%since 2000
from 133 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 36.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
66K 71K 77K 82K 88K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Watertown Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $83,750
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,901 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,236 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.388 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Education & health services 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$274,100
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $123,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,035
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $564 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.7% in 2000
26.9% rent
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.49 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 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 94.3%(69,765)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(3,031)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 87%(74,788)
Hispanic / Latino 8.5%(7,309)
from 19 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 23 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
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data from 17.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.7% 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 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.9%(12,577)
Women 15+
Never married 29.2%(10,644)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 79.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.1% 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) 22.9%(1,020)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.4%(861)
Share of the 4,449 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
In this metro
Largest cities WatertownCENTRAL 22,704 Fort AtkinsonCENTRAL 12,388 Jefferson 7,814 Lake Mills 6,655 Waterloo 3,600 Johnson Creek 3,435 Ixonia 2,684 Lake Ripley 1,932 Palmyra 1,720 Lake Koshkonong 1,010 Sullivan 663 Rome 620 Hebron 344 Lac La Belle 274 Helenville 96 What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Watertown Head to head
Compare Watertown side by side WATERTOWN VS
Columbus
Income $79,901 −5%
Home value $232,800 −15%
Population 85,729 −1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WATERTOWN VS
Keene
Income $83,329 −1%
Home value $280,100 +2%
Population 78,269 −10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WATERTOWN VS
Key West
Income $87,738 +5%
Home value $780,600 +185%
Population 80,406 −7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WATERTOWN VS
Fairbanks
Income $88,267 +5%
Home value $298,200 +9%
Population 93,972 +9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI? Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI has about 86,003 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI? The typical household in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI earns about $83,750 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI expensive? In Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI, the median home is worth about $274,100, and the typical rent is about $1,035 a month.
How educated are people in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI? About 28.5% of adults age 25 and over in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI? About 8.1% of people in Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI grown since 1990? Yes, Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI has grown since 1990. The population has added about 18,220 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 