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Watertown, SD

Full City Profile · South Dakota · Codington County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
22,859 Population 1,240/sq mi density
$62,721 Median Income $37,225 per capita
$212,300 Home Value $300,678 Zillow
$904 Median Rent 24.7% income on rent
43°F Avg Temperature 276 sunny days/yr
301 Violent Crime/100K 1,651 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.2 / 5.0
$62,721 median income, 1.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.8 / 5.0
$212,300 home value, $904/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
301 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.7 / 5.0
21.2% bachelor's degree or higher

Watertown, SD

At a Glance

Median Income
$62,721
17% below
$37,225 per capita
Home Value
$212,300
25% below
Zillow: $300,678
Median Rent
$904/mo
22% below
24.7% of income on rent
Violent Crime
301/100K
21% below
1,651/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
21.2%
37% below
91.4% high school+
Unemployment
1.3%
64% below
6.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
36.3%
13% above
17.1% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
43°F
276 sunny days/yr

How Watertown Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Watertown's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
83%
Home Value
75%
Rent
78%
Poverty
52%
Bachelor's
63%
Unemployment
36%
Crime
79%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Watertown a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Watertown residents earn a median household income of $62,721 , which is 17% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $37,225. The unemployment rate stands at 1.3% (64% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 6.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,431 business establishments, including 92 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Watertown is $212,300 , 25% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $300,678. Median rent is $904/month, with 24.7% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 88.6 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1982.

Safety & Crime

Watertown reports 301 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 21% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,651/100K. The murder rate is 4.5/100K.

Education

21.2% of adults in Watertown hold a bachelor's degree or higher (37% below the national average). 91.4% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Watertown has an average annual temperature of 43°F (6°C). Winters average 12°F in January while summers reach 71°F in July. The area gets 276 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 22.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 35.

Data Overview

People

Population22,859
Median Age39.4 yrs
Density1,240/mi²
Male / Female51% / 49%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.2%

Economy

A
Median Income$62,721
Per Capita$37,225
Unemployment1.3%
Poverty6.5%
County GDP$2,111M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,003

Housing

A+
Home Value$212,300
Rent$904
Ownership62.7%
Zillow$300,678
Housing Units10,836
Rent Burden24.7%

Crime

F
Violent301/100K
Property1,651/100K
Murder4.5/100K
Assault193/100K
Burglary261/100K

Health

Obesity36.3%
Diabetes10.1%
Smoking17.1%
Heart Disease5.8%
Premature Death6,602/100K

Climate

Avg Temp43°F
Sunny Days276/yr
Rain22.7 in/yr
AQI35 (Good)
Elevation1,751 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+21.2%
High School+91.4%
Graduate+6.5%
School Score6.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 69% / D 28%
Commute14 min
Broadband86.8%
Internet Speed122 Mbps
EV Stations5
Libraries3

Did You Know?

The median home in Watertown was built in 1982.
The nearest airport is Watertown Regional (0 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.434 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
11.8% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 122 Mbps.
The county recorded 3 fatal vehicle crashes.