Population 26,386 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Watertown
Household size in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Watertown run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Wisconsin overall, where it has 2.40 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.61, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.0 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Watertown skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 37.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Watertown (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Wisconsin as a whole (9.8%). The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Watertown
Renters in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Watertown rent their homes (34.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 33.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Watertown: just 5.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.7 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Watertown is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center. Watertown has older homes than the great majority of Wisconsin cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $734 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $776 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $832 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,047 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$313 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Watertown runs $1,047 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $313 a month since 2006–10, up 43%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Watertown
Bachelor's degrees in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.2% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Watertown: 20.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the south. Only 19 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Watertown is a bit above the national rate: 91.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Wisconsin as a whole (93.3%). The share with a diploma is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Watertown
| Period | Watertown | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Watertown is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. The rate is higher than in Wisconsin as a whole (3.3%). Unemployment is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Watertown compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | 2.51 | 43.1 | 11.5% | 34.1% | 5.2% | 1968 | $1,047 | 20.2% | 91.3% | 5.4% |
| Old Lebanon | 2.58 | 43.7 | 7.1% | 24.7% | 6.2% | 1980 | $1,079 | 19.3% | 95.3% | 1.8% |
| Pipersville | 2.57 | 47.4 | 5.7% | 12.3% | 1.3% | 1986 | $1,172 | 34.1% | 96.9% | 1.6% |
| Lebanon | 2.29 | 50.2 | 4.8% | 20.6% | 2.7% | 1981 | $1,076 | 22.5% | 94.4% | 5.9% |
| Grellton | 2.48 | 44.5 | 5.2% | 19.2% | 7.0% | 1974 | $999 | 25.1% | 94.6% | 3.1% |
| Ixonia | 2.66 | 43.8 | 7.7% | 16.0% | 1.5% | 1982 | $1,050 | 34.1% | 99.1% | 2.2% |
| Johnson Creek | 2.68 | 37.8 | 6.6% | 19.4% | 1.4% | 1992 | $1,208 | 30.1% | 94.5% | 0.8% |
| Clyman | 2.12 | 42.1 | 5.9% | 19.7% | 9.4% | 1957 | $896 | 17.4% | 89.3% | 3.1% |
| Reeseville | 2.57 | 41.0 | 8.0% | 20.8% | 7.0% | 1960 | $1,016 | 17.4% | 90.1% | 6.8% |
| Ashippun | 2.68 | 44.2 | 4.0% | 16.0% | 4.0% | 1985 | $1,258 | 26.6% | 94.8% | 3.1% |
| Lac La Belle | 2.38 | 49.9 | 2.7% | 17.5% | 10.0% | 1977 | $1,513 | 48.1% | 97.5% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fort Dodge, IA · Springfield, PA · Shirley, NY · Seal Beach, CA · Grayson, GA · Grandview, MO · Golden Gate, FL · Glasgow, KY · Gibsonia, PA · Fresno, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Watertown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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