Watauga County, North Carolina Population 2022
Watauga County, North Carolina's estimated population is 56,606 with a growth rate of 0.25% 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 11.05% since this time.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3,400 | 0.00% | |
| 1860 | 4,957 | 1,557 | 45.79% |
| 1870 | 5,287 | 330 | 6.66% |
| 1880 | 8,160 | 2,873 | 54.34% |
| 1890 | 10,611 | 2,451 | 30.04% |
| 1900 | 13,417 | 2,806 | 26.44% |
| 1910 | 13,556 | 139 | 1.04% |
| 1920 | 13,477 | -79 | -0.58% |
| 1930 | 15,165 | 1,688 | 12.53% |
| 1940 | 18,114 | 2,949 | 19.45% |
| 1950 | 18,342 | 228 | 1.26% |
| 1960 | 17,529 | -813 | -4.43% |
| 1970 | 23,404 | 5,875 | 33.52% |
| 1980 | 31,666 | 8,262 | 35.30% |
| 1990 | 36,952 | 5,286 | 16.69% |
| 2010 | 50,972 | 14,020 | 37.94% |
| 2011 | 51,626 | 654 | 1.28% |
| 2012 | 52,062 | 436 | 0.84% |
| 2013 | 52,295 | 233 | 0.45% |
| 2014 | 52,395 | 100 | 0.19% |
| 2015 | 53,093 | 698 | 1.33% |
| 2016 | 54,140 | 1,047 | 1.97% |
| 2017 | 55,181 | 1,041 | 1.92% |
| 2018 | 56,034 | 853 | 1.55% |
| 2019 | 56,177 | 143 | 0.26% |
| 2020 | 56,320 | 143 | 0.25% |
| 2021 | 56,463 | 143 | 0.25% |
| 2022 | 56,606 | 143 | 0.25% |
Population by Race
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 52,021 | 93.45% |
| Black or African American | 958 | 1.72% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 278 | 0.50% |
| Asian | 649 | 1.17% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 52 | 0.09% |
| Some Other Race | 705 | 1.27% |
| Two or More Races | 1,006 | 1.81% |
Watauga County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2022
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 21,453 | 2.32 | 60.9 |
| Married | 9,416 | 2.89 | 86 |
| Male | 531 | 3.44 | 62.5 |
| Female | 1,178 | 3.11 | 49.5 |
| Non Family | 10,328 | 1.64 | 39.2 |
2.86
Average Family Size
2.32
Average Household Size
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,193 | 3.65% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,871 | 5.73% |
| High School Graduate | 6,857 | 20.98% |
| Some College | 5,999 | 18.36% |
| Associates Degree | 2,796 | 8.56% |
| Bachelors Degree | 7,628 | 23.34% |
| Graduate Degree | 6,337 | 19.39% |
Watauga County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race
| Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islander | 52 | 31 | 31 |
| White | 30,624 | 28,206 | 13,470 |
| Black | 501 | 402 | 196 |
| Asian | 229 | 172 | 76 |
| 2+ Races | 345 | 262 | 86 |
| Hispanic | 956 | 545 | 152 |
| Other Race | 374 | 152 | 10 |
| Native American | 201 | 147 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 92.10%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 59.62%.
$33,054
Average Earnings
$34,835
Average Male
$30,639
Average Female
Watauga County, North Carolina Language by Age
Watauga County, North Carolina Language
94.25% of Watauga County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 5.75% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.10% of the population.
Watauga County, North Carolina Poverty by Race
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 549 | 256 | 46.63% |
| Black | 609 | 280 | 45.98% |
| Hispanic | 1,719 | 722 | 42.00% |
| Islander | 52 | 21 | 40.38% |
| Multiple | 833 | 316 | 37.94% |
| White | 46,025 | 10,665 | 23.17% |
| Native | 271 | 18 | 6.64% |
| Other | 342 | NaN% |
24.46%
Overall Poverty Rate
24.46%
Male Poverty Rate
24.47%
Female Poverty Rate
Poverty in Watauga County, North Carolina
The race most likely to be in poverty in Watauga County, North Carolina is Asian, with 46.63% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Watauga County, North Carolina is Other, with NaN% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.55%. Among those working part-time, it was 42.35%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.14%.
Watauga County, North Carolina Marital Status
Marriage Rates
39.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
39.7%
Male Marriage Rate
39.4%
Female Marriage Rate
Watauga County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex
Watauga County, North Carolina Marriage
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Watauga County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,618 | 5.75% |
| Black | 51 | 6.20% |
| Native American | 39 | 18.75% |
| Asian | 8 | 1.38% |
| 2+ Races | 27 | 3.65% |
| Hispanic | 45 | 2.90% |
Watauga County, North Carolina Veterans by Education
6.78%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.39%
Veteran Disability Rate
59.7%
Labor Force Participation
54.4%
Employment Rate
8.7%
Unemployment Rate
Origin of Non-Citizens
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Origin of Naturalized Citizens
59.12%
Born in Watauga County, North Carolina
96.47%
Native Born
3.53%
Foreign Born
2.19%
Non Citizen
1.34%
Naturalized
Place of Birth
96.47% of Watauga County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 59.12% having been born in North Carolina. 2.19% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Europe.
- US Census City/Town Population estimates - Most recent state estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
- Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790 - 1990