Watertown Historic Square, 2005
Watertown’s story
181 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1845Watertown is settled
WatertownTN
Public schools that outperform most of Tennessee.
Photo: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,691
2025 Census estimate · +9% since 2020
Typical home
$414K
+2.7% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
45.1
years
Jobs based here
335
A commuter town
Is Watertown a good place to live?
Watertown’s best subject grades are an A for schools, cost of living, and history; its weakest is a C− for hazard risk. Only 29 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score lower on hazard risk. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 79% of U.S. towns. On history, just 11 of Tennessee’s 292 towns do better. Watertown has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Watertown stand out
Where Watertown beats most towns.
Wilson County schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Watertown Elementary | PK–8 | 602 |
| Watertown Middle School | 6–8 | 324 |
| Watertown High School | 9–12 | 641 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Typical home value
Watertown$414K
Tennessee$331K
Cost of livingA
4.8 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 91% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
1historic places
HistoryA
Settled in 1845
1 place on the National Register
A history going back 181 years.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Watertown for work
Where Watertown’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
335jobs based in Watertown
2%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Watertown grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Watertown is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.3 of 20; 1.3% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SafetyBOpen →Jobs & income$68K median household incomeBOpen →HealthVanderbilt Wilson County Hospital 13.3 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC−Open →History1 place on the National Register; 4 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.1; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Watertown: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Watertown, and how to reach them.
PowerMiddle Tennessee E M C12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWatertown Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWatertown Convenience Center, 0 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWilson County Election CommissionWilson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3718437184 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Watertown.
SchoolsA
Watertown’s public schools outperform 91% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the Wilson County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Watertown High School, with 641 students.
91%of TN districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 602 | A |
| Watertown High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 641 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Watertown has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Watertown for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, Watertown has added 102 jobs, to 335 in 2023. At 28 minutes, Watertown’s average trip to work is above both the Tennessee town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes).
2%work in town
| Watertown | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2% | 12% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Watertown2%
Nashville27%
Lebanon23%
Murfreesboro8%
Mount Juliet4%
26 mi
median commute distance
335
jobs based in Watertown
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 21% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Watertown
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities. Since 2010, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Watertown.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
6
paid flood claims since 2010
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
Watertown’s typical home value is about $414K
The typical Watertown home is worth about $414,000, up 2.7% in a year, 25% above the Tennessee typical home.
$414KZillow home value
| Watertown | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 74% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,036 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Watertown$414K
Tennessee$331K
+2.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Watertown
Watertown has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 89°F, Watertown’s July high is against 89°F in Tennessee’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–50°
Spring46–70°
Summer65–88°
Fall47–72°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Watertown is safer than 57% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
Watertown’s property crime rate is 3.6 per 1,000 residents.
57%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Watertown | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.6 per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Watertown3
Tennessee5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Watertown3.6
Tennessee16.6
U.S.15.5
57th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthB−
On CDC estimates, Watertown is less healthy than 50% of U.S. towns
Watertown beats the Tennessee average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Watertown.
50%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Watertown | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 29% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 39% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 41% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
5 better26 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Watertown | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.1% | 14.6% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 11% | 13.6% |
Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital
13.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC−
Conserved land covers 0% of Watertown
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 919 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 3 Forks Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Watertown
20pages on Watertown
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 91% of TN districts · 3 schoolsSafetyB3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than TN on 5 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA$414K typical home · up 2.7% in a yearWork & commuteB$68K median household income · 335 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 77% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Watertown
About 4 of every 100 Watertown residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
Famous people from Watertown
4 notable people were born in Watertown.
About Watertown
City in Tennessee, United States
Watertown is a city located in Wilson County, Tennessee. The population was 1,477 at the 2010 census. The population then raised to 1,553 after the 2020 census. It is located southeast of Lebanon, and northwest of Smithville.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1845
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 653 ft
- ZIP code
- 37184
- Area code
- 615
Questions about Watertown
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Watertown, TN a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Tennessee.
Is Watertown, TN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Watertown, TN known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Harry Phillips and Edwin Boyd Johnson.