Watauga County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 54,483 with a growth rate of -0.48% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Watauga County, North Carolina is the 50th largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 50,972 and has seen a growth of 6.89% since that time.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 53,158 | -265 | -0.5% |
| 2028 | 53,423 | -265 | -0.49% |
| 2027 | 53,688 | -265 | -0.49% |
| 2026 | 53,953 | -265 | -0.49% |
| 2025 | 54,218 | -265 | -0.49% |
| 2024 | 54,483 | -265 | -0.48% |
| 2023 | 54,748 | -265 | -0.48% |
| 2022 | 55,013 | 45 | 0.08% |
| 2021 | 54,968 | 846 | 1.56% |
| 2020 | 54,122 | -2,149 | -3.82% |
| 2019 | 56,271 | 66 | 0.12% |
| 2018 | 56,205 | 955 | 1.73% |
| 2017 | 55,250 | 1,074 | 1.98% |
| 2016 | 54,176 | 1,047 | 1.97% |
| 2015 | 53,129 | 708 | 1.35% |
| 2014 | 52,421 | 101 | 0.19% |
| 2013 | 52,320 | 241 | 0.46% |
| 2012 | 52,079 | 443 | 0.86% |
| 2011 | 51,636 | 664 | 1.3% |
| 2010 | 50,972 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990 | 36,952 | 5,286 | 16.69% |
| 1980 | 31,666 | 8,262 | 35.3% |
| 1970 | 23,404 | 5,875 | 33.52% |
| 1960 | 17,529 | -813 | -4.43% |
| 1950 | 18,342 | 228 | 1.26% |
| 1940 | 18,114 | 2,949 | 19.45% |
| 1930 | 15,165 | 1,688 | 12.53% |
| 1920 | 13,477 | -79 | -0.58% |
| 1910 | 13,556 | 139 | 1.04% |
| 1900 | 13,417 | 2,806 | 26.44% |
| 1890 | 10,611 | 2,451 | 30.04% |
| 1880 | 8,160 | 2,873 | 54.34% |
| 1870 | 5,287 | 330 | 6.66% |
| 1860 | 4,957 | 1,557 | 45.79% |
| 1850 | 3,400 | -49,758 | -93.6% |
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 50,349 | 92.32% |
| Two or more races | 1,737 | 3.18% |
| Black or African American | 981 | 1.8% |
| Asian | 767 | 1.41% |
| Other race | 348 | 0.64% |
| Native American | 339 | 0.62% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 19 | 0.03% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 21,194 | 2.3 | 61 | 39 |
| Non Family | 10,409 | 1.68 | 39.1 | 60.9 |
| Married | 9,016 | 2.86 | 85.5 | 14.5 |
| Female | 1,242 | 2.91 | 64.1 | 35.9 |
| Male | 527 | 3.55 | 64.7 | 35.3 |
2.82
Average Family Size
2.3
Average Household Size
61.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,451 | 4.65% |
| Associates Degree | 2,305 | 7.39% |
| Bachelors Degree | 7,527 | 24.13% |
| Graduate Degree | 6,362 | 20.39% |
| High School Graduate | 6,717 | 21.53% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 895 | 2.87% |
| Some College | 5,938 | 19.04% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 28,929 | 27,155 | 13,257 |
| Hispanic | 1,044 | 747 | 202 |
| 2+ Races | 605 | 485 | 124 |
| Black | 580 | 394 | 172 |
| Asian | 328 | 251 | 172 |
| Other Race | 261 | 145 | 39 |
| Native American | 199 | 132 | 25 |
| Islander | 19 | 19 | 19 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $42,015 | $52,111 | $37,884 |
| Graduate Degree | $65,032 | $82,250 | $49,920 |
| High School Graduate | $28,481 | $29,232 | $24,471 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,394 | $26,003 | $20,979 |
| Overall | $38,921 | $42,062 | $35,682 |
| Some College | $32,331 | $40,596 | $28,401 |
$38,921
Average Earnings
$42,062
Average Male
$35,682
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.87% of Watauga County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 5.13% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.87% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 44,900 | 11,033 | 24.57% |
| Multiple | 1,553 | 443 | 28.53% |
| Hispanic | 1,911 | 405 | 21.19% |
| Black | 663 | 280 | 42.23% |
| Asian | 601 | 180 | 29.95% |
| Other | 329 | 103 | 31.31% |
| Native | 321 | 7 | 2.18% |
24.92%
Overall Poverty Rate
25.72%
Male Poverty Rate
24.07%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Watauga County, North Carolina is Black, with 42.23% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Watauga County, North Carolina is Native, with 2.18% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.1%. Among those working part-time, it was 47.11%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.43%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 20.77% |
| Some College | 13.64% |
| High School | 13.13% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 7.29% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 79.18% |
| Female Unemployed | 55.71% |
| Female Employed | 20.53% |
| Male Employed | 18.64% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $85,689 | $107,151 |
| Households | $50,034 | $75,648 |
| Married Families | $93,654 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $30,166 | $41,870 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
38.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
40.6%
Male Marriage Rate
36.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,492
Number of Veterans
2,389
Male Veterans
103
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,175 |
| First Gulf War | 475 |
| Second Gulf War | 321 |
| Korea | 194 |
| World War II | 14 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 809 |
| 65 to 74 | 793 |
| 35 to 54 | 408 |
| 55 to 64 | 317 |
| 18 to 34 | 165 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,353 | 5.29% |
| 2+ Races | 76 | 6.03% |
| Hispanic | 68 | 4.13% |
| Black | 28 | 3.08% |
| Native American | 23 | 10.5% |
| Asian | 9 | 1.31% |
| Other Race | 3 | 0.99% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
4.82%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.87%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
59.8%
Labor Force Participation
54.1%
Employment Rate
9.3%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
61.68%
Born in Watauga County, North Carolina
96.83%
Native Born
3.17%
Foreign Born
1.88%
Non Citizen
1.28%
Naturalized
96.83% of Watauga County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 61.68% having been born in North Carolina. 1.88% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.