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Watauga
North Carolina

55K

Population

$50K

Median Income

$514K

Median Home

D+8

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$50K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate21.0%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.2%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$55,935

Federal Spending per Capita$393

Median Individual Earnings$28K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers39.4%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$82K

Avg Credit Score702

Work From Home %8.9%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1812.1%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households30.3%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms24

Income (20th Percentile)$18K

Income (80th Percentile)$112K

Income (95th Percentile)$212K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher28.4%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School7.5%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %11.4%

Dependency Ratio0.69

Medicare Spending / Person$2,755

SS Benefits / Person$3,550

Education Wage Premium2.28x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$42K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$65K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$28K

Public Assistance Recipients1.1%

Average Annual Wage$48K

Professional Services Concentration0.58x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$507K

This county

$335K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$528K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1791/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.43%

This county

0.70% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $1,220

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,177/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+3.0%

Home Value to Income Ratio3.3x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households19.7%

Homeownership Rate61.0%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

95.1%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

13.8%

Sold Above List Price

9.1%

Median Days to Close

38 days

Active Listings

404

New Listings / Month

107

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

62 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— High inventory — buyers market

7.8 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

5.9%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 95.1% · Redfin 96.3%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy79.7 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating3.0 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity12.6%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index7.9 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score18

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score20

Dental Care Shortage Score23

Healthcare Shortage Score20.3

Healthcare Offices117

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)37.0%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)15.1%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)18.6%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)23.0%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)33.8%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians157

Nursing Home Rating1.5 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients535 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$10,469

Uninsured (under 65)10.8%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression28.1%

Education

Math Test Scores3.31 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.46 grade level

HS Diploma Holders5,670

Bachelor's Degree Holders2,305

HS Completion Rate92.5%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools25

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.4 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate10.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Drug Overdose Rate16.2 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities5

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)42th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)17.6 / 100K

Suicide Rate17.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale1.8

January Sunshine0.68

January Temperature0.07

Average Temp52°F

Avg High Temp62°F

Avg Low Temp42°F

Annual Precipitation46.8 in/yr

Avg Storm Events14.8 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$211K

Drought Index (2022)0.11

Heating Degree Days5,272 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days397 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)5,730 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)283 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.2

Avg Flood Events / Year5.8

Avg Hail Events / Year0.6

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.2

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)58 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)58 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations24 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)6.0 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)23 properties

FAA-Registered Airports3 total

Airports (excl. heliports)1 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries3 breweries

Microbreweries2 microbreweries

Brewpubs1 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed215 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed64 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)314 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)245 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)33 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)54 ms

Households with 100Mbps+96.4%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet8.6%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)91 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations26 stations

DC Fast Chargers27 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers44

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers2,255 workers

Public Transit Commuters408 workers

Walk to Work1,179 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)422 workers

Avg Commute Time18.3 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Bike Commuters0.3%

Walk to Work4.7%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden33.6%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers14.2 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities6

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout68.1%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)6.042

Nonprofit Organizations276

Veterans Share5.2%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults39.7%

Never-Married Adults47.4%

Divorced Adults8.7%

Religious Organizations58

Asian Population1.4%

Native American Population0.6%

Membership Associations13.3 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants1.49 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities1

Nursing & Care Facilities18

Grocery Stores19

Arts & Entertainment Venues4

Hotels & Lodging38

Recreation Businesses38

Professional Services Firms176

Veterinary Practices14

Real Estate Firms145

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$85K

Avg Student Loan Balance$8K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate33.8%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.09%

Politics

D+8

2024 Presidential · North Carolina was R+3 statewide

vs North Carolina State

Income tax

4.5%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.43%0.7% state avg

Politics

D+8R+3

COL Index

County data94 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -161

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.11x avg income)

Economic Mobility

41%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Watauga County

Median home value: $514K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Watauga

MaxPreps · 3 days ago

Watauga High School (Boone, NC) Football

Game Results ... On Friday, Aug 21, 2026, the Watauga Varsity Boys Football team won their game agai…

Watauga Democrat · 12 hours ago

Watauga senior earns Helene recovery scholarship to pursue theater education

WATAUGA — The North Carolina Community Foundation has awarded Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholar…

WataugaOnline.com · 1 week ago

Watauga County Among Recipients in $69 Million Western NC Affordable Housing Announcement

Last Updated on August 27, 2026 6:07 am. Watauga County is among 10 western North Carolina counties …

USAFacts · Apr 6, 2026

How many people live in Watauga County, NC?

How many people live in Watauga County, NC ? · What are Watauga County, NC's age demographics? · Abo…

Watauga Democrat · 1 day ago

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WATAUGA NOTICE TO CREDITORS 25E120 Having qualified as Executor of…

WATE 6 On Your Side · May 9, 2026

Body of missing Watauga Lake boater found, identified as North Carolina man

Body of missing Watauga Lake boater found, identified as North Carolina man ... HAMPTON, Tenn. (WJHL…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

WataugaNorth Carolina

Watauga
North Carolina