Watertown, SD

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

34,416

0.523% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Thune

Republican Party

US Senator

Mike Rounds

Republican Party

US Representative

Dusty Johnson

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

38.5

0.773% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

11%

10.2% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$63,268

5.71% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$179,400

0.73% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

18,325

0.97% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Watertown, SD had a population of 34.4k people with a median age of 38.5 and a median household income of $63,268. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Watertown, SD grew from 34,237 to 34,416, a 0.523% increase and its median household income grew from $59,849 to $63,268, a 5.71% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Watertown, SD are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.2%), White (Hispanic) (2.29%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.76%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.75%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.997%).

None of the households in Watertown, SD 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.

98.2% of the residents in Watertown, SD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Watertown, SD are Lake Area Technical College (864 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in Watertown, SD was $179,400, and the homeownership rate was 68.9%.

Most people in Watertown, SD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 15.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Watertown, SD was 2 cars per household.

Watertown, SD borders .

United States South Dakota

Population & Diversity

Watertown, SD is home to a population of 34.4k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2021, 2.39% of Watertown, SD residents were born outside of the country (824 people).

In 2021, there were 39.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (31.4k people) in Watertown, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 789 White (Hispanic) and 606 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2021 Citizenship

98.1%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.2% of Watertown, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Watertown, SD was 98.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Watertown, SD

White (Non-Hispanic)
31.4k ± 168
White (Hispanic)
789 ± 237
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
606 ± 172

3.57%

Hispanic Population

1.23k people

3.57% of the people in Watertown, SD are hispanic (1.23k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Watertown, SD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for South Dakota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,140 ± 1,373 people
Ethiopia
2,462 ± 1,216 people
Guatemala
2,377 ± 1,195 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,140 South Dakota residents, followed by Ethiopia with 2,462 and Guatemala with 2,377.

Foreign-Born Population

2.39%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

824 people

2.44%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

837 people

As of 2021, 2.39% of Watertown, SD residents (824 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Watertown, SD was 2.44%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
647 ± 151
Gulf War (2001-)
417 ± 126
Gulf War (1990s)
320 ± 145

Watertown, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.55 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Watertown, SD employs 18.3k people. The largest industries in Watertown, SD are Manufacturing (2,968 people), Retail Trade (2,666 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,076 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($56,875), Utilities ($56,750), and Public Administration ($51,652).

Males in South Dakota have an average income that is 1.29 times higher than the average income of females, which is $48,431. The income inequality in South Dakota (measured using the Gini index) is 0.439, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

18.3k

2021 Value

± 901

0.97%

1 Year growth

± 6.91%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Watertown, SD grew at a rate of 0.97%, from 18.1k employees to 18.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Watertown, SD, are Management Occupations (2,393 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,047 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,992 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Watertown, SD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Dakota (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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

18.3k

2021 Value

± 901

0.97%

1 Year growth

± 6.91%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Watertown, SD grew at a rate of 0.97%, from 18.1k employees to 18.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Watertown, SD, are Manufacturing (2,968 people), Retail Trade (2,666 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,076 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Watertown, SD, though some of these residents may live in Watertown, SD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,929

Median earning men ± $1,424

$29,373

Median earning women ± $2,060

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($71,042), Information ($62,750), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,652).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($40,074), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($38,750), and Manufacturing ($36,429).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in South Dakota. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Dakota.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

344
Manufacturing
300
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
295
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$644k
Manufacturing
$147k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$126k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Dakota to other states, or from other states to South Dakota.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound South Dakota product (by dollars) was Cereal grains with $6.49B, followed by Other ag prods. ($5.75B) and Live animals/fish ($4.59B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Dakota products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Dakota.

$51.6B

2020 Value in South Dakota

$98.1B

Projected 2050 Value in South Dakota

90.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound South Dakota trade was $51.6B. This is expected to increase 90.3% to $98.1B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Dakota trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Dakota to other states, or from other states to South Dakota.

Most Common Trade Partners

Minnesota
$6.09B
Iowa
$3.04B
North Dakota
$2.14B

In 2020, the top outbound South Dakota domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Minnesota with $6.09B, followed by Iowa with $3.04B and North Dakota and $2.14B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Dakota shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 61.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.63%).

John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing the state of South Dakota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Watertown, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson 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, SD. Showing the available data for South Dakota.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (61.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (35.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.63%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 61.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.63%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in South Dakota for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Dakota

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

John Thune

Senator from South Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2005

Mike Rounds

Senator from South Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing South Dakota.

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 South Dakota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Watertown, SD

Dusty Johnson

South Dakota at-large Representative

Republican Party

Watertown, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Watertown, SD have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Watertown, SD awarded 864 degrees. The student population of Watertown, SD in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 1,128 male students and 1,062 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Watertown, SD are White (788 and 91.4%), followed by Unknown (34 and 3.94%), American Indian or Alaska Native (18 and 2.09%), and Hispanic or Latino (12 and 1.39%).

The largest universities in Watertown, SD by number of degrees awarded are Lake Area Technical College (864 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Watertown, SD are General Agriculture Management (114 and 13.2%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (70 and 8.1%), and General Marketing & Marketing Management (59 and 6.83%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 2,190 students enrolled in Watertown, SD, 51.5% men and 48.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,959 records, of which 48.3% were women and 51.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Marketing & Marketing Management
49 degree-majors awarded
General Agriculture Management
112 degree-majors awarded
Diesel Mechanics Technology
54 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Watertown, SD was General Marketing & Marketing Management with 49 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Lake Area Technical College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

864 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lake Area Technical College with 864 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 456 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Watertown, SD, which is 1.12 times more than the 408 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 788 degrees mean that there were 23.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 34 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 ($3,720) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($2,998) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,460) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Measure

In 2021, 0.528% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.395% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (202k), Some college (152k), and Bachelors Degree (127k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Watertown, SD was $179,400 in 2021, which is 0.733 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $178,100 to $179,400, a 0.73% increase. The homeownership rate in Watertown, SD is 68.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Watertown, SD have an average commute time of 15.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Watertown, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Watertown, SD is $63,268. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Watertown, SD was Lincoln County, SD with a value of $87,560, followed by Union County, SD and Hughes County, SD, with respective values of $80,238 and $77,725.

Housing

Property

$179,400

Median Property Value 2021

±$9,821

$9,682

Median Property Taxes

±$604

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, SD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

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

Rent vs Own

68.9%

Homeownership

2021

66.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.9% of the housing units in Watertown, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Watertown, SD was Lincoln County, SD with a value of $87,560, followed by Union County, SD and Hughes County, SD, with respective values of $80,238 and $77,725.

The following map shows all of the counties in Watertown, SD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$63,268

Median Household Income

± $2,424

14k

Number of Households

± 765

In 2021, the median household income of the 14k households in Watertown, SD grew to $63,268 from the previous year's value of $59,849.

The following chart displays the households in Watertown, SD 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, SD is from South Dakota.

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in South Dakota

0.43

2020 Wage GINI in South Dakota

In 2021, the income inequality in South Dakota was 0.439 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.94% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Dakota in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (83.4%)
Carpooled (7.38%)
Worked At Home (6.33%)

In 2021, 83.4% of workers in Watertown, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.38%) and those who worked at home (6.33%).

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

15.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Watertown, SD have a shorter commute time (15.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.05% of the workforce in Watertown, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Watertown, SD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Watertown, SD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Watertown, SD (3.74k out of 33.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Watertown, SD is White, followed by Hispanic and Native American.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.7% of the population of Watertown, SD has health coverage, with 52.8% on employee plans, 8.86% on Medicaid, 12.7% on Medicare, 16.1% on non-group plans, and 2.23% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Dakota see 1257 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.53% decrease from the previous year (1303 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1608 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 497 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

1,257 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in South Dakota

Primary care physicians in South Dakota see an average of 1,257 patients per year. This represents a 3.53% decrease from the previous year (1,303 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in South Dakota in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.1% under 18 years, 19.2% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.2% were men and 48.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.34%

Uninsured

52.8%

Employer Coverage

8.86%

Medicaid

12.7%

Medicare

16.1%

Non-Group

2.23%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Watertown, SD declined by 0.752% from 7.4% to 7.34%.

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