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Watertown, WI

Photo: Wikipedia

Watertown, WI

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 26
Population22,873
Foreign Born1.5%
Population Density1,875people per mi²
Median Age40.4 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

85/100

15% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Watertown, Wisconsin

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $17k$32k
Comfortable $41k$60k
Luxury $89k+$138k+
Elite (Top 5%) $104k+$162k+
Affordability Ratio

113%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean89%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
29
Positive
13
Poor
3
Negative
1

Groceries

4 within 10 miles

0.2mi

Gas

15 within 10 miles

0.1mi

Hospital

8 within 20 miles

1.8mi

Airport

ORD — O'Hare International

93.6mi

Post Office

USPS — Watertown, WI

0.4mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

Nearest private club or country club.

Golf0Nearest 12.2 mi
Camping5Nearest 10.9 mi
Marina0 
Winery0Nearest 13.4 mi
Ice Rink0Nearest 20 mi
Gun Range1Nearest 5.4 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
D+
Soft

A below-average socioeconomic profile. Incomes, home values, and educational attainment trail the U.S., with higher poverty and unemployment.

Median HHI
$68k+1.7%
9% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$614k
6% below US avg
College Educated
19.0%
46% below US avg
WFH
6.1%
57% below US avg
Homeownership
59.8%
9% below US avg
Median Home
$212k
25% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A+
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 90% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
7.2
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−19.5%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−4.1%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
1.29 / 1k Residents22% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr−34.9%
Burglary
0.31 / 1k Residents64% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
4.97 / 1k Residents30% below state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.13 / 1k Residents89% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+11Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Watertown, Wisconsin
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C+
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.9% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (15% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
D+
RestrictedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
F
ProhibitedIllegal

Homesteading

Growing Season170 days217 frost-free
Annual Rainfall37.4"
Elevation823 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
D
Poor107 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak1,875/sq mi
Fallout Danger
A-
Good6 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
D-
PoorInland Flooding, Tornado, Cold Wave, Hail, Heat Wave
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 289 mi · coast 751 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$41.8M/yrfor the county

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:39:42.000Z

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