Watertown, SD

Census place 4669300 · pop 23,044

C64/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in SD
📍 South Dakota ranks #3 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.0% · top 1%
🚽 Broadband87.3% · bottom 21%
Taxes
1.00% property · US 0.99%6.11% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Broadband access87.3%21

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

87.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult smoking16.1%25

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

16.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher21.6%27

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

21.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity26.3%43

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

26.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Median household income$69,60043

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

$69,600 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity35.4%47

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

35.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Property-tax burden1.00%49

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

1.00% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Homeownership65.3%54

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

65.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults8.9%57

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

8.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Income inequality0.4357

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Population growth (5yr)+4.0%57

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

+4.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

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

1 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.

Poverty rate9.0%63

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

9.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Housing cost$229,40063

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

$229,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Poor mental health15.7%70

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

15.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level72/10074

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

72/100 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.

Air quality (AQI)County-level37 AQI81

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

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

Rent$1,291/mo83

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

$1,291/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time13 min99

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

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

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.0%100

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

2.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. 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, SD a good place to live?
By the numbers, Watertown scores 64/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is broadband access. South Dakota overall ranks #3 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Watertown, SD expensive to live in?
Watertown has a median home value of $229,400 and typical rent around $1,291/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Watertown, SD?
Its weakest measured area is broadband access (87.3%) — 21/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Watertown, SD best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.0%) — 100/100, 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.