By Nathan Ham
The population of Watauga County increased from 51,079 people in 2010 to 54,086 according to the data released from the 2020 Census, a change of roughly 6%. The population was about 2,000 less than the 56,177 population estimate released in 2019 prior to the Census data being collected.
Overall, North Carolina’s population increased by 9.5% over the last decade from 9,535,483 in 2010 to 10,439,388 in 2020.
Breaking down the demographics for Watauga County, 94.8% of the population is white, followed by 4% Hispanic, 1.9% African American, 1.2% Asian and 0.4% Native American.
In North Carolina, 77% of the state population is white, 22.2% of the population is African American, followed by 9.8% Hispanic, 3.2% Asian and 1.6% Native American.
The median household income in Watauga County was $47,526 compared to the statewide average of $54,602. However, the median value of a home in Watauga County was well above the state average. In Watauga County, that number was $238,000 while the statewide average was $172,500.
In neighboring counties, Avery County saw its population increase by just nine people over the 10-year span from 17,797 to 17,806. Ashe County saw its population drop from 27,281 to 26,577.