The Town FilesWatauga, Texas
City in Tarrant County · population 23,650 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,500
- Household income
- $91,171
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 36.2
Watauga is a city of 23,650 people in Tarrant County, Texas. The median home is worth $250,500, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Texas towns, more walkable than 97% of Texas towns, better transit than 97% of Texas towns.
How Watauga ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Watauga is worth $250,500, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $91,171, which is more affordable than 59% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,982 a month. 78.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watauga | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,500 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,982 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $91,171 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 78.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Watauga
| People | Watauga | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.4% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Watauga
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 35.5°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 98 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watauga since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 4, 1960 about 4.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 23 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 13, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 358 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 28, 1989.
Severe weather in Tarrant County since 1996
Tarrant County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Tarrant County
Tarrant County had 1,010,352 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,674 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Watauga itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Watauga
5 public schools with 2,394 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATAUGA EL | PK-5 | 712 | 15.1 |
| GRACE E HARDEMAN EL | PK-5 | 595 | 15.3 |
| WATAUGA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 582 | 13.2 |
| WHITLEY ROAD EL | PK-4 | 374 | 11.7 |
| NEWMAN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY WATAUGA (charter) | PK-6 | 131 | 18.7 |
Towns near Watauga
- North Richland Hills, TX2.0 mi · 69,917 people · home $360,700
- Haltom City, TX3.9 mi · 46,073 people · home $218,800
- Richland Hills, TX4.5 mi · 8,621 people · home $248,100
- Keller, TX4.5 mi · 45,776 people · home $594,300
- Hurst, TX4.8 mi · 40,413 people · home $315,200
- Colleyville, TX6.1 mi · 26,057 people · home $784,900
- Saginaw, TX6.6 mi · 23,890 people · home $298,500
- Bedford, TX7.0 mi · 49,928 people · home $350,700
Watauga questions
Is Watauga, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watauga scores better for retirees than 15% of Texas towns and quieter than 9%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Watauga?
The median owner-occupied home in Watauga is valued at $250,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,171, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,982 a month.
What is the weather like in Watauga?
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 35.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.0 inches of snow.
Does Watauga get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watauga since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 4, 1960. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)