How is Watauga run?
Watauga’s city government spent $261,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $700 per resident.
What stands out about how Watauga is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Watauga.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Tennessee HouseWatauga is split between 2 districts
- 3Tennessee SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Tennessee
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
About $700 per resident a year, or $1.92 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 38%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$700 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities
Watauga’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($700 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 113 Tennessee cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $574, and the middle half spent $297–$828. Watauga spent more than 62% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($23,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Tennessee cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Watauga itself left out).
No trend yet
Watauga reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $855 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.54% of the home’s value, vs 0.50% across Tennessee.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Watauga’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Watauga’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Watauga →
Who’s in charge in Watauga
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Carter County School District
Watauga’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $11,729 per pupil, $7,074 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Tennessee districts overall: 40% local, 44% state, 16% federal.
Washington County School District · $12,551 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Watauga’s votes are counted by county
Tennessee reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Watauga alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Carter County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican81.1%20,167 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat17.9%4,454 votesOthers: 0.9% (231 votes).
Most votes in Carter County: Donald J Trump
Tennessee: Trump 64.2%, Harris 34.5%
100% of Watauga lies in Carter County; the rest in Washington County. Every 2024 race in Carter County is on the county’s page.
Carter County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
How Watauga compares with the towns next door
Watauga spent $700 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $2,867. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson City | $2,867 runs schools | $1,748 |
| Watauga | $700 | $855 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Watauga’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Watauga’s government
How much does Watauga spend per resident?
About $700 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $700 was more than 62% of 113 Tennessee cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Watauga?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $855 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.54% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.50% across Tennessee. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.
Who runs Watauga’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Watauga yet.
How did Watauga vote in 2024?
Tennessee counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Watauga alone. Carter County, where 100% of Watauga lies, voted Trump 81.1%, Harris 17.9% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Watauga?
0 full-time and 9 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $4,920 (about $59,040 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Watauga in the state legislature?
Watauga is split among 2 State House districts, so your address decides. The Tennessee Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District 3 (Rusty Crowe). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Watauga’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →