Watauga County, NC

County in North Carolina, South · ranked on 42 metrics

Rank among US counties

Watauga County, NC is a county in North Carolina with a population of 54,651 (952nd of 3,094). It ranks best for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (% of Adults 25+) (125th of 3,094), Homes with Broadband Internet (%) (678th of 3,094), Average Commute (Minutes) (886th of 3,094). It ranks lowest for Poverty Rate (%) (2,956th of 3,094), Median Home Value ($2,000,001 Means $2M or More) (tied 2,703rd of 3,092), Median Household Income (2,632nd of 3,093).

Population
54,651
952nd highest of 3,094
Density
175.2
616th highest of 3,094
Growth since 2020
0.34%
1,774th highest of 3,094
Area
312
2,739th highest of 3,094
Region
South
North Carolina

Strengths and weak spotsPercentileWhere a place sits among all places, from 0 to 100. 100 is the best, 50 is the middle, 0 is the worst.More in the glossary →

Percentile on 21 metrics that rank at least half of all US counties, given whether higher or lower is better.

Totals that track populationCounts like “number of burglaries” that mostly reflect how many people live somewhere, so big places rank high or low regardless.More in the glossary →

Best at

Highest percentiles, given whether higher or lower is better

  1. Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (% of Adults 25+)48.1%
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    125th of 3,094
  2. Cooling Degree Days per Year341
    Climate by County (1991–2020 Averages)
    321st of 3,050
  3. Adults Sleeping Under 7 Hours (%)32.1%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2022
    tied 355th of 3,094
  4. Adults with a Yearly Checkup (%)77.9%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 542nd of 2,916
  5. Homes with Broadband Internet (%)90.7%
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    678th of 3,094
  6. Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise (%)23.0%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 648th of 2,916
  7. Average Commute (Minutes)21.2
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    886th of 3,094
  8. Adults Who Smoke (%)15.1%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,066th of 2,916
  9. Adults in Fair or Poor Health (%)18.6%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,092nd of 2,916
  10. Adults 18–64 Without Health Insurance (%)9.5%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,102nd of 2,916

Worst at

Lowest percentiles, given whether higher or lower is better

  1. Poverty Rate (%)25.5%
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    2,956th of 3,094
  2. Adults with Depression (%)28.1%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 2,569th of 2,916
  3. Median Home Value ($2,000,001 Means $2M or More)$358,900
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    tied 2,703rd of 3,092
  4. Median Household Income$51,693
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    2,632nd of 3,093
  5. Median Rent (Monthly; $3,501 Means $3,500 or More)$1,127
    Housing, Income and Commutes by County (Census) · 2024
    tied 2,431st of 3,090
  6. Median Income$51,693
    Poorest Counties
    1,539th of 2,000
  7. Heating Degree Days per Year5,428
    Climate by County (1991–2020 Averages)
    tied 1,818th of 3,050
  8. Adults Who Binge Drink (%)17.6%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,431st of 2,916
  9. Adults with Diabetes (%)10.5%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,319th of 2,916
  10. Adults with Frequent Mental Distress (%)18.3%
    Health of Adults by County (CDC PLACES) · 2023
    tied 1,258th of 2,916

Profile by category

Average percentile per category, from the median line. Select a category to list its metrics.

Strongest category Health (60), weakest Economics (40). Select a category to list its metrics.

Notable facts

Where it ranks first or last among US counties

Never first or last on a widely ranked metric.

Where it is

Shaded by population; select a place to open it

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Similar places

Closest percentiles on 15 widely reported measures from 7 categories, leaving out size and totals

  1. Ingham County, MI87% similar
    Compared on 12 of 15
  2. Montgomery County, VA86% similar
    Compared on 13 of 15
  3. Jackson County, NC84% similar
    Compared on 11 of 15
  4. Isabella County, MI82% similar
    Compared on 13 of 15
  5. Champaign County, IL81% similar
    Compared on 13 of 15

Quick answers

What is the population of Watauga County, NC?
Watauga County, NC has a population of 54,651, 952nd among 3,094 US counties.
What does Watauga County, NC rank best at?
Among US counties, Watauga County, NC ranks best for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (% of Adults 25+) (125th of 3,094); Homes with Broadband Internet (%) (678th of 3,094); Average Commute (Minutes) (886th of 3,094).
Where does Watauga County, NC rank worst?
Watauga County, NC ranks lowest for Poverty Rate (%) (2,956th of 3,094); Median Home Value ($2,000,001 Means $2M or More) (tied 2,703rd of 3,092); Median Household Income (2,632nd of 3,093).
How many statistics does Rankodex have for Watauga County, NC?
Rankodex ranks Watauga County, NC on 42 statistics compared with other US counties, compiled from World Population Review and the sources it cites.

Every metric

42 metrics with a value for this place, in 13 topics