Population 46 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Watkins
Household size in Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.95 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.97 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.91 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Watkins are large by national standards, averaging 2.91 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.1 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Watkins is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Tennessee overall, where the median age is 39.9. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.4, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Watkins: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Watkins
Renters in Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.8% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.1% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −27.6 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.5% of households in Watkins rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 26.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Watkins: 5.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1997 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Watkins is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1997, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $518 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $535 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $638 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $846 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$328 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Watkins pays $846 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 44.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Watkins
Bachelor's degrees in Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.7% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +27.4 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly a third of adults 25 and older in Watkins (31.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. That is in line with the rest of Tennessee.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.1% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 71.4% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.6% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.4% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +18.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Watkins never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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 Watkins
| Period | Watkins | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Watkins than nationally: unemployment was 7.2%, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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).
Watkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watkins | 2.91 | 41.5 | 4.3% | 16.5% | 5.6% | 1997 | $846 | 31.7% | 85.4% | 7.2% |
| Smithville | 2.55 | 39.3 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 10.9% | 1987 | $901 | 19.5% | 82.7% | 5.7% |
| Snows Hill | 2.17 | 48.0 | 10.9% | 28.7% | 12.9% | 1986 | $950 | 25.1% | 82.2% | 9.0% |
| Dowelltown | 2.26 | 42.4 | 12.9% | 38.3% | 6.4% | 1984 | $744 | 20.7% | 76.5% | 11.8% |
| Bethel | 2.67 | 36.8 | 13.8% | 15.4% | 10.6% | 1992 | $1,006 | 13.7% | 80.9% | 2.8% |
| Philippi | 2.06 | 55.6 | 6.2% | 16.9% | 23.8% | 1987 | $1,271 | 30.6% | 89.1% | 2.7% |
| Keltonburg | 2.26 | 49.6 | 7.0% | 11.8% | 14.5% | 1992 | $1,051 | 17.2% | 84.0% | 5.0% |
| Buckner | 1.98 | 60.8 | 5.6% | 12.5% | 26.8% | 1990 | $1,349 | 34.5% | 92.8% | 1.7% |
| Liberty | 2.71 | 45.1 | 9.5% | 23.3% | 6.5% | 1987 | $569 | 18.9% | 82.7% | 2.3% |
| Blue Hill | 2.99 | 37.7 | 9.7% | 16.0% | 12.1% | 1995 | $1,026 | 13.9% | 74.0% | 1.6% |
| Temperance Hall | 2.08 | 56.1 | 10.6% | 20.1% | 37.3% | 1997 | $671 | 40.5% | 92.2% | 0.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Laurel Ridge, LA · Kendall, WA · Kensing, TX · Kenton, OK · Kerrick, TX · Kerrmoor, PA · Keystone, WY · Kirklands Crossroads, AL · Kitchen, OH · Kleinfeltersville, PA
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 Watkins. 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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