Jobs, pay and daily life in Watertown, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Watertown is a city in New York with 24,375 residents. The median household earns $51,753 a year and the median rent is $967 a month, which is 22.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metropolitan area, where BLS counts 39,330 jobs.
How Watertown compares. Among the 120 largest places in New York, Watertown is #67 by population, #119 for remote work (#1 = most), #8 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Jefferson County, is #51 of 62 counties for average pay ($55,545).
Watertown has 24,375 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of New York. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,699 people per square mile. The median age is 35.7, 10% younger than the state median (35.7 against 39.8).
The median gross rent is $967 a month (rent plus utilities), 40% below the state median ($967 against $1,621). Over a year that is 22.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $158,600, which is 3.1 times the median household income ($51,753); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 40.9% of households own their home, 25% below the state average (40.9% against 54.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metropolitan area has 39,330 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,600 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,600 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (4,440 jobs, median $44,940); food preparation and serving related (3,920 jobs, median $34,850); sales and related (3,720 jobs, median $34,890). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 4.1%. 60.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.2% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 5.7% walk, 4.5% work from home. 5.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 80% below the state average (5.6% against 27.4%).
26.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34% below the state share (26.6% against 40.2%). 4.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 78% below the state share (4.9% against 22.8%). The poverty rate is 20.1%, 43% above the state rate (20.1% against 14.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 69°F (20.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.1°C). About 1,083 mm (43 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (128 mm) and Feb the driest (67 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Fort Drum (8 miles, rent 68% higher); Oswego (46 miles, rent 15% higher); Rome (56 miles, rent 6% lower); Syracuse (65 miles, rent 7% higher). Rent differences are against Watertown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New York (1,186) →State guide: New YorkCountry guideJefferson CountyNew York rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,186 federal postings open in New York (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in New York →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.51 | $34,280 | $32,240 | $48,930 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,150 | 1.18 | $32,580 | $32,240 | $36,620 | +4% |
| Cashiers | 1,100 | 1.40 | $33,040 | $32,240 | $36,120 | +0% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,090 | 1.00 | $37,440 | $33,880 | $45,880 | +5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 990 | 2.76 | $34,190 | $32,240 | $48,250 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 900 | 1.05 | $96,070 | $68,050 | $125,280 | -2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.18 | $35,050 | $32,240 | $46,810 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.46 | $37,510 | $32,240 | $51,390 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 760 | 0.86 | $93,870 | $48,670 | $193,390 | -11% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 760 | 1.97 | $49,100 | $36,020 | $67,330 | -1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 710 | 1.24 | $38,590 | $32,240 | $76,020 | +10% |
| Office Clerks, General | 560 | 0.91 | $40,820 | $32,240 | $57,510 | -9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 1.16 | $46,120 | $35,240 | $61,240 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 470 | 1.27 | $38,320 | $36,470 | $43,870 | -9% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 470 | 3.53 | $37,810 | $35,500 | $60,010 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 450 | 0.61 | $37,280 | $33,180 | $51,390 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 440 | 1.26 | $62,150 | $50,780 | $88,260 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 420 | 0.64 | $39,830 | $32,400 | $57,340 | -11% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 410 | 0.78 | $55,260 | $45,090 | $74,350 | -6% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 390 | 1.12 | $47,100 | $35,120 | $64,950 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 900 | 1.05 | $96,070 | $68,050 | $125,280 | -2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 760 | 0.86 | $93,870 | $48,670 | $193,390 | -11% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 760 | 1.97 | $49,100 | $36,020 | $67,330 | -1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 1.16 | $46,120 | $35,240 | $61,240 | -3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 560 | 0.91 | $40,820 | $32,240 | $57,510 | -9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 710 | 1.24 | $38,590 | $32,240 | $76,020 | +10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.46 | $37,510 | $32,240 | $51,390 | +2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,090 | 1.00 | $37,440 | $33,880 | $45,880 | +5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.18 | $35,050 | $32,240 | $46,810 | -6% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.51 | $34,280 | $32,240 | $48,930 | -3% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 990 | 2.76 | $34,190 | $32,240 | $48,250 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 1,100 | 1.40 | $33,040 | $32,240 | $36,120 | +0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,150 | 1.18 | $32,580 | $32,240 | $36,620 | +4% |
These figures are for the whole Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,600 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.1% |
| Retail trade | 14.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.3% |
| Public administration | 7.9% |
| Other services | 6.7% |
| Manufacturing | 6.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.3% |
| Information | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Watertown lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 115,040 | $8,276 million | $71,936 | 40,308 | 2,950 | $55,545 | +1.2% | 4.1% | 46,130 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,712 | 22.9% | $62,819 | 1.16 |
| Retail trade | 5,675 | 19.4% | $37,065 | 1.41 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,049 | 13.8% | $25,397 | 1.10 |
| Manufacturing | 1,758 | 6.0% | $66,346 | 0.53 |
| Construction | 1,708 | 5.8% | $68,764 | 0.81 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,483 | 5.1% | $51,968 | 0.87 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,399 | 4.8% | $34,664 | 1.15 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,019 | 3.5% | $59,067 | 0.43 |
| Professional and technical services | 990 | 3.4% | $72,351 | 0.35 |
| Wholesale trade | 896 | 3.1% | $68,481 | 0.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 730 | 2.5% | $89,645 | 0.45 |
| Real estate and rental | 657 | 2.2% | $49,654 | 1.05 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 635 | 2.2% | $51,366 | 1.95 |
| Information | 422 | 1.4% | $60,943 | 0.56 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 401 | 1.4% | $31,595 | 0.59 |
| Management of companies | 305 | 1.0% | $84,049 | 0.45 |
| Utilities | 215 | 0.7% | $145,197 | 1.40 |
| Educational services | 192 | 0.7% | $38,057 | 0.23 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 59 | 0.2% | $56,159 | 0.39 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.2% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 5.7% |
| Work from home | 4.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,753 |
| Income per person | $33,731 |
| Median gross rent per month | $967 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.4% |
| Median home value | $158,600 |
| Homeowners | 40.9% |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,600 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 10.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.6% |
| Born abroad | 4.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.1 | 19 | 74 |
| Feb | -6.3 | 21 | 67 |
| Mar | -1.4 | 29 | 67 |
| Apr | 5.5 | 42 | 86 |
| May | 12.5 | 54 | 92 |
| Jun | 17.4 | 63 | 106 |
| Jul | 20.4 | 69 | 96 |
| Aug | 19.9 | 68 | 96 |
| Sep | 16.2 | 61 | 91 |
| Oct | 9.2 | 49 | 128 |
| Nov | 2.8 | 37 | 86 |
| Dec | -3.3 | 26 | 94 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Drum | NY | 8 mi | 16,065 | $62,291 | $1,622 |
| Oswego | NY | 46 mi | 17,033 | $53,172 | $1,109 |
| Rome | NY | 56 mi | 31,795 | $59,925 | $909 |
| Syracuse | NY | 65 mi | 146,384 | $47,819 | $1,039 |
| Utica | NY | 70 mi | 64,217 | $52,484 | $951 |
| Auburn | NY | 79 mi | 26,285 | $51,052 | $897 |
| Cortland | NY | 96 mi | 17,450 | $59,482 | $975 |
| Irondequoit | NY | 98 mi | 50,657 | $79,162 | $1,159 |
| Rochester | NY | 102 mi | 208,772 | $47,213 | $1,081 |
| Brighton | NY | 102 mi | 36,834 | $85,467 | $1,350 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
24,375 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$967 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.4% of the median household income.
$51,753 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
New York. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.