Watauga County, North Carolina

7 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 54,607
Median household income: $51,367
Median home value: $321,500

Watauga County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 54,607. 7 cities and places have their primary county here. At $51,367, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

Between 2019 and 2023, Watauga County's population held roughly steady from 54,925 to 54,607, while its median household income rose 8.1% from $47,526 to $51,367.

74.7% of workers drive to work alone. 64.7% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 54,607
Median age: 32.2 yrs
Median household income: $51,367
Median home value: $321,500
Median gross rent: $1,066
Housing units: 33,028
Homeownership rate: 61.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 47.7%
Unemployment rate: 9.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

54,92554,607

Median household income

$47,526$51,367

Median home value

$238,000$321,500

Median gross rent

$870$1,066

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	54,925	$47,526	$238,000	$870
2020	55,669	$46,453	$246,000	$925
2021	54,077	$48,786	$249,500	$948
2022	54,540	$50,034	$283,000	$1,067
2023	54,607	$51,367	$321,500	$1,066

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.0%

5 to 179.4%

18 to 2430.5%

25 to 3410.2%

35 to 449.4%

45 to 549.6%

55 to 6411.2%

65 to 7410.2%

75 and over6.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,623	3.0%
5 to 17	5,146	9.4%
18 to 24	16,643	30.5%
25 to 34	5,568	10.2%
35 to 44	5,110	9.4%
45 to 54	5,253	9.6%
55 to 64	6,126	11.2%
65 to 74	5,573	10.2%
75 and over	3,565	6.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	48,547	88.9%
Black or African American	889	1.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	116	0.2%
Asian	643	1.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	37	0.1%
Two or more races	1,072	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,303	6.0%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.6%

High school graduate20.8%

Some college or associate's24.0%

Bachelor's degree25.8%

Graduate or professional degree21.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,357	7.6%
High school graduate	6,474	20.8%
Some college or associate's	7,495	24.0%
Bachelor's degree	8,049	25.8%
Graduate or professional degree	6,820	21.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 21 min

Drove alone74.7%

Carpooled9.9%

Public transit1.2%

Walked3.9%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home9.6%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	19,214	74.7%
Carpooled	2,536	9.9%
Public transit	300	1.2%
Walked	991	3.9%
Bicycle	16	0.1%
Worked from home	2,466	9.6%
Other means	195	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	8,911	38.3%
15 to 29 min	8,807	37.9%
30 to 44 min	3,710	16.0%
45 to 59 min	882	3.8%
60+ min	942	4.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.29
Poverty rate: 24.7% (12,005 of 48,636)

	Count	Share
Family households	10,745	50.7%
Nonfamily households	10,442	49.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1987

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	21,187	64.1%
Vacant	11,841	35.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	12,962	61.2%
Renter-occupied	8,225	38.8%

1-unit, detached64.7%

1-unit, attached1.5%

2 to 4 units8.0%

5 to 19 units12.1%

20 or more units5.7%

Mobile home & other8.0%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	21,379	64.7%
1-unit, attached	482	1.5%
2 to 4 units	2,626	8.0%
5 to 19 units	4,012	12.1%
20 or more units	1,884	5.7%
Mobile home & other	2,645	8.0%

Geography

County GEOID: 37189
State: North Carolina
Land area: 312 sq mi
Water area: 0.88 sq mi
Center point: 36.2354, -81.7099