Population 761 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Watson
Household size in Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Watson run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. Household size has climbed from 2.44 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.1 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.3 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Watson are younger than 39.3 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1.
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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Watson (9.2%), below the national share of 11.6%. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same.
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 Watson
Renters in Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.8% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Watson is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 53.8% have no mortgage at all, well above 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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Watson: 12.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Watson is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1949, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $455 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $692 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $523 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $795 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$341 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Watson pays $795 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 27.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Watson
Bachelor's degrees in Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.0% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Watson: 21.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Watson never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% 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 Watson
| Period | Watson | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Watson runs well above the national rate: 7.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, 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).
Watson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watson | 2.54 | 39.3 | 9.2% | 19.0% | 12.5% | 1949 | $795 | 21.0% | 87.7% | 7.5% |
| Montevideo | 2.31 | 40.2 | 12.6% | 30.4% | 12.5% | 1957 | $812 | 20.8% | 91.9% | 2.4% |
| Wegdahl | 2.21 | 48.7 | 4.9% | 20.5% | 4.6% | 1962 | $818 | 21.6% | 96.4% | 1.4% |
| Milan | 2.61 | 38.9 | 10.5% | 16.6% | 11.7% | 1943 | $929 | 17.5% | 83.8% | 10.8% |
| Boyd | 2.49 | 42.4 | 6.7% | 10.5% | 15.6% | 1950 | $547 | 29.4% | 94.9% | 3.0% |
| Hagan | 2.42 | 42.8 | 7.5% | 10.5% | 14.7% | 1954 | $1,096 | 18.6% | 92.9% | 7.0% |
| Clarkfield | 2.37 | 37.4 | 18.3% | 18.0% | 9.6% | 1955 | $843 | 16.5% | 94.0% | 3.2% |
| Dawson | 2.26 | 45.0 | 5.4% | 18.2% | 11.2% | 1950 | $632 | 22.9% | 93.6% | 2.3% |
| Gluek | 2.52 | 41.7 | 2.7% | 15.2% | 8.1% | 1959 | $874 | 21.7% | 94.5% | 2.8% |
| Maynard | 2.24 | 51.3 | 4.7% | 20.9% | 5.6% | 1966 | $903 | 19.0% | 95.6% | 8.9% |
| Granite Falls | 2.21 | 43.5 | 7.5% | 19.5% | 4.6% | 1964 | $952 | 21.7% | 90.2% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mount Cory, OH · Klemme, IA · Kolola Springs, MS · Koshkonong, WI · Lake Angelus, MI · Leeper, PA · Alakanuk, AK · Leonardsburg, OH · Little York, IL · Loa, UT
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 Watson. 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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