Watertown, Massachusetts Income Statistics
Watertown Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
A+
Watertown Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $126,987 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $93,911 | $80,230 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 30.7% | 20.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 27.6% | 22.3% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Watertown is about 22% higher than in Massachusetts. Income has been growing slower in Watertown (4.3%/yr) than in Massachusetts (4.9%/yr).
About 31% of adults in Watertown earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Massachusetts average of 21%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Watertown, Massachusetts grew by 76.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $126,987 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Watertown
| Metric | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.466 | 0.531 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $103,198 | $90,842 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $96,545 | $75,629 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 6.4% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Watertown, it is 0.466, lower than Massachusetts's 0.531, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 7% more than women's income in Watertown, Massachusetts. Over a 35-year career, a 7% wage gap accumulates to roughly $232,855 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watertown, Massachusetts has widened from about 3% to 6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2017, and was narrowest at 0% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,015 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Watertown widened by 3.6 points while Massachusetts's narrowed by 5.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 29.1% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 25 | 22 |
Approximately 1,197 people are unemployed in Watertown, Massachusetts.
The average commute time in Watertown is 26 minutes, longer than the 25 minutes in Massachusetts.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Watertown, Massachusetts has fallen from 6.8% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.7% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2019.
Watertown, MA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Watertown, MA is the 5th largest of the 6 cities compared here, 35,594 residents against a local median of 63,198. Where Watertown, MA breaks from the cities next to it is unemployment, sitting 46% above the local median of 3.6% at 5.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.3%/yr against a local median of 5.5%/yr, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Watertown, MA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves spread 1.4% on unemployment, so Watertown, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Watertown, MA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown, MA | 35,594 | $126,987 #6/6 | 4.3%/yr #6/6 | 5.3% #6/6 | 0.466 #2/6 |
| Belmont, MA | 27,165 | $187,422 | 6.6%/yr | 4.3% | 0.485 |
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | $190,683 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.523 |
| Arlington, MA | 46,270 | $151,416 | 5.5%/yr | 2.9% | 0.450 |
| Brookline, MA | 63,198 | $143,651 | 4.3%/yr | 3.6% | 0.474 |
| Cambridge, MA | 117,266 | $131,513 | 5.8%/yr | 3.4% | 0.521 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Watertown, Massachusetts has an overall wealth index grade of A+, making it somewhat better than Massachusetts, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Watertown, Massachusetts.
How Rich Is Watertown, Massachusetts?
Watertown has a wealth index grade of A+. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A+ grade means it is one of the most prosperous areas in the country. The median household income is $126,987, about 22% higher than the Massachusetts average of $104,336.
Are incomes growing in Watertown, Massachusetts?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Watertown, Massachusetts rose 77%, from $71,928 to $126,987. Over the same years, income here outpaced Massachusetts as a whole: +77% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Watertown in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Watertown, Massachusetts was $122,208, up 4% from $116,947 in 2022. The Massachusetts median that year was $101,513.
What was the median household income in Watertown in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Watertown, Massachusetts was $100,306. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $126,987.
Do many residents of Watertown, Massachusetts earn over $100,000?
Yes. 31% of adults in Watertown, Massachusetts earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 21% (about 1 in 5) in Massachusetts. 28% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 22% in Massachusetts.
What is the Gini coefficient in Watertown, Massachusetts?
The Gini coefficient in Watertown is 0.466. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Watertown, Massachusetts?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watertown, Massachusetts has widened from about 3% to 6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2017, and was narrowest at 0% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,015 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →