Live Federal Data

Watauga County, North Carolina

FIPS 37189 · Boone, NC · Pop. 55,123
7 Sources Mar 15, 2026
$51,693
Median Income
7.9%
Unemployment
29,087
Labor Force
48.1%
Bachelor's+
Data / United States / North Carolina / Watauga County
Demographics Economy Industry Concentration Housing Workforce AI Insights

Demographics & Population

Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 · 5-Year Estimates

Household Income

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$51,693
Per Capita
$34,167
Mean Household
$83,665
Poverty Rate
25.5%
Median Income Comparison
Watauga County$51,693
North Carolina Average$72,388
National$80,734

Age Distribution

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Table B01001 · Median Age: 31
31 Median Age
Under 18 18-34 35-54 55-64 65+

Educational Attainment

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
93 PERCENT
High School+
Natl: 89.6%
48 PERCENT
Bachelor's+
Natl: 35.7%
22 PERCENT
Graduate+
Natl: 13.3%

Population Overview

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates
55,123
Population
29,087
Labor Force
Employed
26,768
Unemployment Rate
7.9%
Mean Commute
21.2 min
Work From Home
10.4%
Watauga County is home to 55,123 residents with a median household income of $51,693, below both state and national medians. The workforce of 29,087 shows 48.1% with a bachelor's degree or higher - exceeding the national average of 35.7%.
All figures from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release - older news reports may cite prior vintages.

Economy & Industry

Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW

Top Industries by Employment

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics · Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages 2024 Annual
IndustryEmploymentAvg Wage
1Accommodation & Food Services		 4,300 $22,204
2Health Care & Social Assistance		 3,864 $65,945
3Retail Trade		 3,504 $30,974
4Construction		 1,082 $52,752
5Arts, Entertainment & Recreation		 922 $28,408
6Administrative & Support & Waste Management		 911 $42,360
7Professional, Scientific & Technical Services		 908 $83,111
8Real Estate & Rental/Leasing		 764 $46,492
9Other Services (except Public Admin)		 675 $37,712
10Wholesale Trade		 517 $62,298
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Industry Concentration

Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.

Concentrated Industries
Source: Census Bureau County Business Patterns · Location Quotient vs. national employment share
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
2.78x
736
Accommodation and food services
2.66x
4,182
Real estate and rental and leasing
2.44x
650
Health care and social assistance
2.08x
5,032

Attraction Opportunities - Below Average Industries

LQ < 0.5 - below-average employment, potential attraction targets. Source: Census Bureau County Business Patterns
0.22x
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
337 employed
0.43x
Finance and insurance
337 employed
0.48x
Educational services
207 employed
0.49x
Wholesale trade
344 employed
Industry Ecosystem
Watauga County's Economic Network
Top industries by employment - node size reflects workforce share
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2024 Annual · Private sector, NAICS supersectors

Housing & Affordability

Census ACS

Housing Overview

Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$358,900
Median Home Value
$1,127
Rent/Mo
62.1%
Owner-Occ
36.4%
Vacancy
6.9x
Home Value to Income Ratio - Stretched

Workforce Pipeline

Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition

Source: Census ACS 2024 · Tables B01001, B23025
39,012
Working Age (18-64)
75% Participation

Commute & Flexibility

Source: Census ACS 2024 · Tables B08303, B08301, B15003
Mean Commute
21.2 min
Work From Home
10.4%
Bachelor's+
48.1%
HS Diploma+
92.6%

Aging Workforce

Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
15.5%

AI-Powered Insights

Machine learning analysis across 20+ federal data sources

Industry Shift Analysis

Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100

Prospect Match Scores

Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100

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Economic
Demographic
Housing
Workforce
Median Income
$51,693
vs $75K national
Population
55,123
Unemployment
7.9%
vs 3.9% national
Top Employers
Accommodation & Food Services
4,300
Health Care & Social Assistance
3,864
Retail Trade
3,504
Construction
1,082
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
922
Housing
$358,900
Home Value
$1,127
Rent
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Data Sources

All data from official federal APIs. Auto-refreshed on publication schedules.

Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
FCC Broadband Map2025
USAspending.govFY2026