Watauga County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Watauga County has a population of 55,123 residents and a median age of 31.4 years, making it the #945 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 25.5%. The median home value is $358,900, and the median household income is $51,693, which is 31% below the national median.
Demographics
Watauga County has a population of 55,123, making it the #945 most populous county in the US. The median age is 31.4 years, which is 19.3% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Watauga County is $51,693, ranking #2,679 out of 3,222 counties — 31.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 25.5% and unemployment stands at 7.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Watauga County is $358,900 (+27.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,127/mo and the homeownership rate is 62.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Watauga County, 48.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 42.7% above the national average, ranking #126 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Watauga County is 79.4 years. 16.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.3% of adults in Watauga County smoke , 33.7% are obese , and 21.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 21.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.3% of children in Watauga County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 2.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Watauga County is 68.1%. The mean commute time is 22.7 min, which is 17.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Watauga County voted Democratic with a margin of 6.0%. The vote was 52.3% Dem / 46.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Watauga County, North Carolina
Watauga County, North Carolina has a total population of 55,123, making it the 945th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Watauga County is 31.4 years, which is 19.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Watauga County is $51,693, which ranks #2,679 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 31.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 25.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.9%.
The median home value in Watauga County is $358,900, 27.3% above the national median. Renters in Watauga County pay a median gross rent of $1,127 per month. The homeownership rate is 62.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Watauga County, 48.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42.7% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.7 min.
Watauga County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 88.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.2%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
All data for Watauga County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.