M3 Salon, 2009
Watauga’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,778 in 1970, 23,650 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 5 maps from 1955 on.
- 1883Watauga is settled
Photo: Smarty9108 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
22,981
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$272K
−0.3% in a year
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
36.2
years
Jobs based here
3,943
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#161 of 640 in TX
Is Watauga a good place to live?
Watauga grades B− overall, 161st among Texas's 640 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $272K for a typical one and 3 times the Dallas metro’s $90K median household income. It also does better than most on schools: its public schools beat 68% of Texas towns on state tests and graduation. Watauga’s median rent is $1,982 a month, above both Texas’ towns ($1,206 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). The biggest park or preserve is Capp Smith Park, at 37 acres.
WeakestC−Cost of living
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Watauga for work
Where Watauga’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,943jobs based in Watauga
2%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Watauga grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Watauga is from typical.
Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.3 of 20; 1.7% of households have no car; 1.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →HealthMedical City North Hills 3.7 miles awayBOpen →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life3.8 library visits per resident; 1.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$272K typical home, down 0.3% in a year; 28 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.2–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 87 attractions →AT&T Stadium and 78 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Watauga. Close and well known come first.
Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaAT&T Stadium
Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaGlobe Life Field
Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaCotton Bowl
13 mi Theme parkSix Flags Over Texas
Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaTexas Stadium
13 mi Stadium & arenaChoctaw StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
AT&T Stadium: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Globe Life Field: Drone To Fly, CC BY 3.0 · Cotton Bowl: Robbiewest88, Public domain · Six Flags Over Texas: Chris Hagerman from New Port Richey, FL, US, CC BY 2.0 · Texas Stadium: Allspamme, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Choctaw Stadium: KENGRIFFEY24FAN, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Watauga: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Watauga, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Watauga water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsBirdville Independent School DistrictKeller Independent School District2 districts serve Watauga; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTarrant County Early Voting ClerkTarrant County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes76148, 7613776148 88% · 76137 12%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 Watauga.
Watauga fares better on crime within Texas than nationally and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 2.9% of Watauga
2.7 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The trail density in Watauga is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#123for trails in TX
| Watauga | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.9% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
2.9%
conserved · 76 of 2,651 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Arcadia Trail Park | 0.5 mi | 12 |
| 2. BISD Park | 0.4 mi | 7 |
| 3. Capp Smith Park | 0.3 mi | 37 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB+
For schools, Watauga earns a B+
Its public schools are run by Birdville ISD. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
68%of TX districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 700 | C− |
| Grace E Hardeman ElTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 600 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Watauga has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Watauga for work: only 2% work in town. Watauga’s average trip to work is 29 minutes. Jobs based in Watauga fell to 3,943 in 2023, 215 fewer than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Watauga | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 16% | 9.6% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Watauga2%
Fort Worth26%
Dallas8%
Irving6%
Grapevine5%
12 mi
median commute distance
3,943
jobs based in Watauga
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 63% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Watauga has mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 96°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.3°.
Watauga has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
| Watauga | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 35°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–59°
Spring55–76°
Summer74–95°
Fall56–78°
Nov 19
typical first frost
Mar 11
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
An age mix much like Texas’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Texas average. Watauga has lost 2.8% of its people since 2020, down to 22,981 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Texas.
36.2median age · TX 35.6
| Watauga | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 26% | 22% |
| Median age | 36.2 years | 35.8 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 14% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 23% | 29% |
WataugaTexasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma11%
High school34%
Some college22%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.2 points. Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 37.1, men 34.5.
| Watauga | TX | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.1% | 13.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.6% | 11.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6% | 9.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.2% | 14.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.5% | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 8.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.3% | 5.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.1% | 14% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.2% | 20.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.5% | 7.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.9% | 21.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.2% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HealthB
Residents of Watauga are healthier than 60% of U.S. towns
Watauga beats the Texas average on 4 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 72% of Watauga adults had a checkup this year.
60%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Watauga | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 74% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 37% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Texas
4 better26 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Watauga | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 11% | 12.7% |
| More adults with depression | 24.3% | 21.2% |
Medical City North Hills
3.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
68th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyB
Watauga reports less crime per resident than 57% of U.S. towns
At 15.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 71% of Texas’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 348 to 246 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
57%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Watauga1.1
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Watauga9.6
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
57th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
71st
percentile among TX towns
25
violent crimes reported in 2025
221
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, Watauga earns a C−
The typical Watauga home is worth about $272,000, about the same as a year ago, 8% below the Texas typical home. 78% of households own their home in Watauga.
$272KZillow home value
Typical home value
Watauga$272K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
28
days on market
99.4%
sale-to-list price
−0.3%
value change, 1 year
31
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Watauga faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
68 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 15 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 68 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Watauga.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
68
paid flood claims since 1981
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Watauga
19pages on Watauga
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 68% of TX districts · 5 schoolsSafetyB1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than TX on 4 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$272K typical home · down 0.3% in a yearWork & commuteB+$91K median household income · 3,943 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
12 within 15 miles of the center of Watauga
Remington College-Fort Worth CampusCommunity college · Private nonprofit · North Richland Hills1.8 mi$16,071 tuitionTarrant County College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Fort Worth9.3 mi$1,863 in-state tuitionUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterUniversity or college · Public · Fort Worth10.8 mi
About 5 of every 100 Watauga residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
About Watauga
City in Texas, United States
Watauga () is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 23,650 at the 2020 census. The city's businesses and retail markets are generally located on Highway 377.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 607 ft
Watauga’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Watauga.
KellerNorth Richland HillsFort WorthHaltom CityWatauga
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga | #161 | B− | C− | B | B+ | B |
| Keller | #28 | A− | D | A− | A− | A |
| North Richland Hills | #247 | C+ | D | C | B− | B+ |
| Fort Worth | #554 | D | C− | D | D | C+ |
| Haltom City | #451 | D | C+ | C− | B− | C− |
Questions about Watauga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Watauga, TX a good place to live?
Watauga grades B− overall, better than 53% of U.S. towns and #161 of 640 in Texas. It grades B for health, B for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Watauga, TX expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.