Watauga County, North Carolina
Among the top 1% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 25% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 100% of US counties
- top 4% for amenities nearby
- top 8% for property tax rate
- bottom 6% for unemployment
Watauga County is a county in North Carolina with about 55,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, property tax rate, and park & nature access. It rates lower on school quality and unemployment.
Official websitewataugacounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Wet · Snowy
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64%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.3 in4.1 in
muggy 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$50k21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 28% of US counties
Home Value$283k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 19% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 27% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.43%better than 92% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.25%better than 55% of US counties
Unemployment9.3%better than 6% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation57.6 in92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall27.8 inbetter than 31% of US counties
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 43% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days83 daysbetter than 60% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk71.9better than 27% of US counties
School Quality40.9better than 17% of US counties
Violent Crime510/100kbetter than 70% of US counties
Property Crime1043/100kbetter than 43% of US counties
Community
Population54,54071st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0046th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.1%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.7%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.0%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.9%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 80% of US counties
Walkability7.6/20better than 83% of US counties
Airport Distance83 mibetter than 59% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 84% of US counties
Amenities Nearby20.90better than 96% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 89% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Watauga County an affordable place to live?
- Watauga County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 28% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Watauga County?
- The median home value in Watauga County is $283k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Watauga County?
- Median household income in Watauga County is $50k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Watauga County?
- Median gross rent in Watauga County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Watauga County safe?
- Watauga County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 510/100k (better than 70%). Property crime is 1043/100k.
- What is the weather like in Watauga County?
- Watauga County averages 76°F in July and 38°F in January, with 57.6 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Watauga County?
- Public-school quality in Watauga County is below average, scoring better than 17% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Watauga County?
- The average one-way commute in Watauga County is 20 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)