Population 1,486 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Watson
Household size in Watson
| Period | Watson | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.80 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.71 people per household, Watson sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in Texas as a whole, where it has 2.83 people.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.4 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.0 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.0, Watson is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 45.1, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.6% of households in Watson, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.9% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −9.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Watson is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (43.2%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Watson: 14.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +8 | +6 |
Watson has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across Texas.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $856 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $851 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $909 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $967 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$111 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Watson costs $967 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 17.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.1% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Watson: 23.1% 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over nine in ten adults in Watson have finished high school (92.8%), above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Watson has been strong: just 0.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.71 | 47.0 | 7.6% | 13.5% | 14.8% | 1990 | $967 | 23.1% | 92.8% | 0.6% |
| Lampasas | 2.65 | 41.4 | 9.4% | 29.3% | 13.9% | 1976 | $1,064 | 22.5% | 90.8% | 2.4% |
| Naruna | 2.46 | 50.7 | 9.6% | 15.1% | 18.9% | 1996 | $1,182 | 31.5% | 95.3% | 4.9% |
| Rumley | 2.66 | 50.3 | 6.8% | 8.0% | 22.3% | 1996 | $912 | 28.9% | 92.3% | 0.8% |
| Kempner | 2.72 | 44.2 | 8.9% | 10.9% | 8.9% | 1999 | $1,557 | 25.0% | 93.1% | 6.1% |
| Copperas Cove | 2.47 | 36.0 | 12.1% | 37.7% | 6.4% | 1989 | $1,186 | 21.4% | 94.5% | 7.8% |
| Briggs | 3.06 | 49.5 | 5.6% | 3.1% | 24.1% | 2000 | $1,183 | 35.3% | 97.5% | 0.0% |
| Chappel | 2.31 | 47.3 | 3.3% | 26.4% | 36.8% | 1985 | $999 | 18.9% | 84.3% | 8.9% |
| Kay Bee Heights | 2.86 | 22.8 | 14.5% | 64.9% | 10.1% | 2003 | $1,501 | 38.9% | 97.0% | 4.4% |
| Fort Hood | 3.33 | 22.0 | 11.9% | 99.8% | 20.1% | 1983 | $1,409 | 25.9% | 97.2% | 19.3% |
| Killeen | 2.81 | 31.9 | 17.5% | 50.0% | 8.4% | 1997 | $1,453 | 22.6% | 92.2% | 9.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Paducah, TX · Maddens, SC · Manila, WV · Mantua, UT · Maple Hill, KS · Mapleville, RI · Mill Creek, IN · Millbourne, PA · Millsboro, OH · Morrisville, MO
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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