Watertown, New York Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Watertown, NY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,372 | 19,748,855 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2596.2 | 362.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.29% | 0.05% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.4 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,866 | 7,694,043 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Watertown declined by 11.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,372 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Watertown is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 24.6% of residents. That is 4.1 points above New York as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,005 24.6% +4.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,519 22.6% +0.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,312 17.7% -3.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,263 13.4% -4.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New York, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.5% of the people living in Watertown and men 50.5%.
- Women 49.5% New York 51.3%
- Men 50.5% New York 48.7%
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Economy
Watertown has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,981 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.18% | 4.51% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Watertown is about 40% lower than in New York.
Housing
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $170,209 | $471,885 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $966 | $1,621 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 40.9% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Watertown is about 14.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $966 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Watertown spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 107 hours, about 4.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.8 | 28.7 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.6 | 57.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 107 | 239 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,312 | $7,414 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,916 | 9,257 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,850 | 1,586 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Watertown is 13 minutes, shorter than the 29 minutes in New York.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Watertown has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 36.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.98 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
Watertown has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Watertown | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.1 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.6% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.1% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Watertown, New York.
What is the population of Watertown, New York?
About 24,372 people live in Watertown, New York, in 11,866 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 36.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Watertown, New York urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Watertown, New York has 2,596 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 30 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Watertown, New York?
The median home costs 3.3 times the median household income ($170,209 against $51,981), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $966 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Watertown, New York have a college degree?
23.1% of adults in Watertown, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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