Watertown, NY

Census place 3678608 · pop 24,375

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in NY
📍 New York ranks #48 of 50 states →
🏆 Disaster41/100 · top 7%
🚽 Own40.9% · bottom 5%
Taxes
1.71% property · US 0.99%8.54% sales · US 7.00%up to 10.90% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership40.9%5

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

40.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)-4.9%8

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-4.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$51,75315

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$51,753 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate20.1%18

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

20.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Property-tax burden1.71%18

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.71% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult obesity39.8%20

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

39.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking16.3%24

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access88.3%27

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

88.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poor mental health18.6%28

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Physical inactivity28.7%31

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

28.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Income inequality0.4631

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Bachelor's degree or higher26.6%41

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

26.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults7.8%68

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Rent$1,487/mo70

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,487/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$158,60083

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$158,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level32 AQI92

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

32 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time16 min92

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level41/10093

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

41/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Watertown: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Watertown, NY a good place to live?
By the numbers, Watertown scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is homeownership. New York overall ranks #48 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Watertown, NY expensive to live in?
Watertown has a median home value of $158,600 and typical rent around $1,487/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Watertown, NY?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (40.9%) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Watertown, NY best at?
Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (41/100) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.