County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Watauga County
- What is the median household income in Watauga County?
- The median household income in Watauga County is $93,577 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Watauga County?
- The poverty rate in Watauga County is 5.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Watauga County?
- $357,700 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Watauga County?
- The median gross rent in Watauga County is $1,082 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Watauga County residents have a college degree?
- 43.9% of adults in Watauga County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
3,591
Median Income
$93,577
Median Home Value
$357,700
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
4.0%
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$17,887 (+23.6%)
Home Value:
+$143,400 (+66.9%)
Poverty Rate:
-0.1 pp (-1.7%)
Bachelor's+:
+5.7 pp (+14.9%)
Unemployment:
+0.6 pp (+17.6%)
Demographics
Total Population
3,591
Median Age
43.0
Female
49.8%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
White (non-Hisp.) 50.5%
Black 44.9%
Asian 0.3%
Two or More 3.9%
Other 0.3%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
1.7%
Puerto Rican
0.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$93,577
±$21,465
+$23,673 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$114,447
Median Family Income
$121,875
Poverty Rate
5.9%
-3.5 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
13.6%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
4.7%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
28.1%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
7.5%
$10–15k
1.1%
$25–35k
3.5%
$35–50k
9.3%
$50–75k
13.4%
$75–100k
18.8%
$100–150k
16.5%
$150–200k
19.5%
$200k+
10.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
1,571
Owner-Occupied
85.1%
Renter-Occupied
14.9%
Vacancy Rate
7.1%
Median Home Value
$357,700
+$98,300 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,082
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
19.6%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
34.0%
Home Value Distribution
$50–100k
0.8%
$100–200k
2.6%
$200–300k
30.9%
$300–500k
30.5%
$500k–$1M
29.4%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
39.3%
$500–1k
4.7%
$1–1.5k
30.9%
$1.5–2k
25.1%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
4.5%
1 vehicle
21.2%
2 vehicles
26.5%
3+
47.8%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
91.3%
Single-fam. att.
2.6%
2–4 units
2.0%
Mobile home
2.0%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
4.0%
1940–1969
10.7%
1970–1999
11.5%
2000–2009
23.8%
2010+
13.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
96.6%
Bachelor's or Higher
43.9%
+9.2 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
21.3%
Some College / Associate
19.9%
Less Than High School
1.4%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
72.4%
Unemployment Rate
4.0%
-0.8 pp vs. state
Work from Home
23.2%
Self-Employed
6.3%
Government Workers
27.4%
Private For-Profit
66.3%
Industry
Edu/Health
38.7%
Manufacturing
10.1%
Public Admin
8.5%
Prof. Services
6.8%
Construction
6.2%
Transportation
5.9%
Information
5.0%
Retail
4.4%
Arts/Entmt.
2.4%
Finance
1.4%
Wholesale
0.8%
Occupation
Management
58.6%
Production
15.5%
Food Prep
10.3%
Sales
9.9%
Construction
5.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
29.2 min
Drove Alone
70.4%
Carpool
6.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Work from Home
23.2%
Walked
0.0%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
1,459
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
55.9%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
24.5%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
3.4%
5–9
5.0%
10–14
5.5%
15–19
6.7%
20–24
4.3%
25–34
9.3%
35–44
16.9%
45–54
17.4%
55–64
6.8%
65–74
6.2%
75–84
12.9%
85+
4.7%
Under 18: 17.9%
Working age (18–64): 82.1%
65 and over: 18.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.7%
Naturalized Citizen
33.3%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.5%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
41.7%
Europe
26.7%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
10.0%
With a Disability
17.7%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.4%
Uninsured
4.6%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
92.6%
Has a Computer
94.9%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.4%
Moved from Abroad
0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Watauga County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Watauga County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 478 | 761 |
| Wake County | 109 | 151 |
| Mecklenburg County | 97 | 154 |
| Other flows - West | 91 | 132 |
| Ashe County | 77 | 146 |
| Other flows - Northeast | 74 | 126 |
| Avery County | 69 | 114 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 66 | 95 |
| Forsyth County | 41 | 51 |
| Buncombe County | 40 | 49 |