Watertown, NY

Census Place

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2024 Population

24,375

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

35.7

0.281% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

20.1%

3.49% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$51,753

4.15% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$158,600

5.87% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

11,155

4.94% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Watertown, NY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.8% of the residents in Watertown, NY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Watertown, NY are Jefferson Community College (349 degrees awarded in 2024).

In 2024, the median property value in Watertown, NY was $158,600, and the homeownership rate was 40.9%.

Most people in Watertown, NY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Watertown, NY was 1 car per household.

United States New York Jefferson County, NY Watertown-Fort Drum, NY Jefferson & Lewis Counties PUMA, NY

Population & Diversity

Watertown, NY is home to a population of 24.4k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.91% of Watertown, NY residents were born outside of the country (1.2k people).

In 2024, there were 11 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (19.1k people) in Watertown, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.73k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.11k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2024 Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.8% of Watertown, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Watertown, NY was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Watertown, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Watertown, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
19.1k ± 662
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
1.73k ± 518
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.11k ± 431

7.07%

Hispanic Population

1.72k people

7.07% of the people in Watertown, NY are hispanic (1.72k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Watertown, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
492,198 ± 17,010 people
China
414,597 ± 15,642 people
Jamaica
229,554 ± 11,695 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 492,198 New York residents, followed by China with 414,597 and Jamaica with 229,554.

Foreign-Born Population

4.91%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.2k people

4.33%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.06k people

As of 2024, 4.91% of Watertown, NY residents (1.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Watertown, NY was 4.33%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Watertown, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,036 ± 297
Vietnam
352 ± 100
Gulf War (1990s)
341 ± 120

Watertown, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 2.94 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Watertown, NY.

Health

93.4% of the population of Watertown, NY has health coverage, with 30.6% on employee plans, 31.5% on Medicaid, 9.16% on Medicare, 17.2% on non-group plans, and 4.97% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in New York see 1,245 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,245 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1205 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 265 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.9% under 18 years, 24.7% between 18 and 34 years, 35.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.57%

Uninsured

30.6%

Employer Coverage

31.5%

Medicaid

9.16%

Medicare

17.2%

Non-Group

4.97%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Watertown, NY declined by 2.17% from 6.72% to 6.57%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Watertown, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Watertown, NY employs 11.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Watertown, NY were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,179 people), Retail Trade (1,569 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (1,190 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($132,692), Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,333), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($56,892).

Employment

Occupations

11.2k

2024 Value

± 925

4.94%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Watertown, NY grew at a rate of 4.94%, from 10.6k employees to 11.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Watertown, NY, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,459 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,423 people), and Healthcare Support Occupations (1,045 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Watertown, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

11.2k

2024 Value

± 925

4.94%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Watertown, NY grew at a rate of 4.94%, from 10.6k employees to 11.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Watertown, NY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,179 people), Retail Trade (1,569 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (1,190 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Watertown, NY, though some of these residents may live in Watertown, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,995

Median earning men ± $4,451

$35,516

Median earning women ± $3,566

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($74,271), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($61,389), and Public Administration ($50,795).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,417), Public Administration ($57,813), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,025).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Y-Axis

2.74%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 9.56M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.74% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 19.7%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in New York went to Kamala Harris with 55.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.565%).

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing the state of New York. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Watertown, NY. Showing the available data for New York.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (55.9%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (43.3%)
Republican Party
Jill Stein (0.565%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in New York went to Kamala Harris with 55.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.565%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in New York for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New York

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Chuck Schumer

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 3, 1999

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 26, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Hillary Clinton, who had become Secretary of State.

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing New York.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New York over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Watertown, NY awarded 349 degrees. The student population of Watertown, NY in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 922 male students and 1,397 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Watertown, NY are White (270 and 78.9%), Hispanic or Latino (28 and 8.19%), Black or African American (14 and 4.09%), and Two or More Races (10 and 2.92%).

The largest universities in Watertown, NY by number of degrees awarded are Jefferson Community College (349 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Watertown, NY are Humanistic Studies (69 and 19.8%), Registered Nursing (66 and 18.9%), and General Business Administration & Management (41 and 11.7%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 2,319 students enrolled in Watertown, NY, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,620 records, of which 63.1% were women and 36.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Humanistic Studies
69 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
66 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
41 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Watertown, NY was Humanistic Studies with 69 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Watertown, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Jefferson Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

349 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Jefferson Community College with 349 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 112 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Watertown, NY, which is 0.473 times less than the 237 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 270 degrees mean that there were 9.64 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 28 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($5,448) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($816) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Watertown, NY was $158,600 in 2024, which is 0.477 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $149,800 to $158,600, a 5.87% increase. The homeownership rate in Watertown, NY is 40.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Watertown, NY have an average commute time of 16.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Watertown, NY is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Housing

Property

$158,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$10,748

$4,850

Median Property Taxes

±$509

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Watertown, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Watertown, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

40.9%

Homeownership

2024

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 40.9% of the housing units in Watertown, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 41.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Watertown, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$51,753

Median Household Income

± $4,571

11.9k

Number of Households

± 903

In 2024, the median household income of the 11.9k households in Watertown, NY grew to $51,753 from the previous year's value of $49,692.

The following chart displays the households in Watertown, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Watertown, NY is from New York.

0.492

2024 Wage GINI in New York

0.493

2023 Wage GINI in New York

In 2024, the income inequality in New York was 0.492 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.301% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (79.2%)
Carpooled (7.33%)
Walked (5.69%)

In 2024, 79.2% of workers in Watertown, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.33%) and those who walked to work (5.69%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

16.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Watertown, NY have a shorter commute time (16.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.22% of the workforce in Watertown, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Watertown, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Watertown, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Watertown, NY have 1 car.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Watertown, NY (4.75k out of 23.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Watertown, NY is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.