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 Wisconsin with 22,774 residents. The median household earns $70,107 a year and the median rent is $1,052 a month, which is 18.0% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (820,780 jobs), about 13 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Watertown compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Watertown is #36 by population, #79 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #78 for college degrees (#1 = most), #78 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Jefferson County, is #22 of 72 counties for average pay ($54,167).
Watertown has 22,774 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,888 people per square mile. The median age is 40.6, about the same as the state median (40.6 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,052 a month (rent plus utilities), 3% below the state median ($1,052 against $1,087). Over a year that is 18.0% 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 $222,100, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($70,107); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.0% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (62.0% against 67.8%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, metropolitan area has 820,780 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,160 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,160 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (89,880 jobs, median $48,440); transportation and material moving (71,880 jobs, median $44,820); sales and related (70,510 jobs, median $41,770). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and healthcare support (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($128,250) and legal ($100,570). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 2.5%. 65.3% 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, 78.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.1% walk, 6.9% work from home. 17.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 69% above the state average (17.2% against 10.2%).
18.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 45% below the state share (18.2% against 33.4%). 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 41% below the state share (3.0% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 9.9%, 6% below the state rate (9.9% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.4°C). About 954 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (129 mm) and Jan the driest (38 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: Oconomowoc (13 miles, rent 24% higher); Fort Atkinson (19 miles, rent 9% lower); Hartford (20 miles, rent 6% higher); Beaver Dam (20 miles, rent 9% lower). Rent differences are against Watertown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideJefferson CountyWisconsin 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 285 federal postings open in Wisconsin (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Wisconsin →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 30,090 | 1.32 | $37,020 | $27,930 | $39,150 | +3% |
| Registered Nurses | 22,400 | 1.26 | $97,360 | $78,730 | $119,490 | -0% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 19,810 | 1.27 | $44,840 | $34,840 | $57,530 | +11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,850 | 0.92 | $34,410 | $27,850 | $47,700 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 17,490 | 0.86 | $28,440 | $22,530 | $36,850 | -9% |
| Cashiers | 15,050 | 0.92 | $30,400 | $23,320 | $37,510 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 14,820 | 1.14 | $44,040 | $24,960 | $60,970 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 14,380 | 1.23 | $36,620 | $29,600 | $47,740 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 14,080 | 1.03 | $47,840 | $33,910 | $66,390 | +7% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,020 | 0.80 | $34,470 | $29,210 | $48,250 | -8% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 10,790 | 1.65 | $73,880 | $40,370 | $133,810 | +2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 10,520 | 1.42 | $45,770 | $36,470 | $59,720 | +3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,480 | 0.57 | $125,490 | $61,420 | $260,040 | +19% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,250 | 0.94 | $59,580 | $45,300 | $77,940 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,020 | 0.84 | $30,330 | $17,920 | $61,890 | -14% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 8,270 | 1.02 | $56,320 | $36,390 | $76,920 | +14% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 7,960 | 1.04 | $80,290 | $60,340 | $132,150 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 7,930 | 0.88 | $48,480 | $37,440 | $62,730 | +2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 7,880 | 1.03 | $45,690 | $38,850 | $49,160 | +8% |
| Bartenders | 7,330 | 1.84 | $25,970 | $16,930 | $40,250 | -24% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 2,390 | 1.32 | $411,200 | $232,480 | $478,990 | +55% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 500 | 2.87 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | n/a |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,520 | 0.71 | $161,220 | $102,710 | $230,000 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 5,160 | 1.16 | $156,100 | $92,060 | $269,270 | -6% |
| Dentists, General | 830 | 1.27 | $155,940 | $117,460 | $283,800 | -9% |
| Pharmacists | 1,760 | 1.04 | $153,340 | $120,600 | $180,910 | +9% |
| Sales Managers | 3,240 | 0.96 | $144,560 | $78,960 | $229,400 | -3% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,610 | 1.38 | $143,570 | $103,100 | $209,240 | -16% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,190 | 1.02 | $136,530 | $96,770 | $225,010 | -9% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,220 | 1.43 | $135,040 | $97,090 | $169,360 | -1% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,450 | 0.85 | $134,350 | $109,350 | $168,760 | +2% |
| Computer Network Architects | 790 | 0.83 | $134,070 | $92,190 | $169,890 | +0% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,320 | 0.74 | $133,270 | $95,170 | $332,860 | +8% |
| Lawyers | 4,040 | 1.02 | $131,100 | $78,970 | $436,120 | -18% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,580 | 0.76 | $130,700 | $81,980 | $216,350 | -22% |
| Managers, All Other | 3,280 | 1.00 | $129,300 | $79,120 | $203,090 | -9% |
| Purchasing Managers | 610 | 1.38 | $127,950 | $83,250 | $202,010 | -14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,480 | 0.57 | $125,490 | $61,420 | $260,040 | +19% |
| Software Developers | 6,170 | 0.69 | $123,730 | $77,740 | $164,660 | -9% |
| Construction Managers | 1,680 | 0.84 | $119,170 | $77,170 | $169,000 | +4% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, about 13 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,160 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 26.3% |
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Retail trade | 15.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.2% |
| Construction | 6.9% |
| Other services | 5.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.3% |
| Public administration | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Watertown lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Dodge County.
| 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 | 86,003 | $4,923 million | $57,242 | 33,615 | 2,344 | $54,167 | -0.6% | 2.5% | 48,706 |
| Dodge County | 88,742 | $5,048 million | $56,881 | 36,662 | 2,002 | $59,552 | +0.9% | 2.3% | 51,524 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,275 | 31.9% | $70,851 | 3.36 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,139 | 14.3% | $44,227 | 0.86 |
| Retail trade | 3,771 | 13.0% | $31,838 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,469 | 8.5% | $18,090 | 0.81 |
| Construction | 2,028 | 7.0% | $77,070 | 1.15 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,490 | 5.1% | $44,523 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,135 | 3.9% | $50,985 | 0.80 |
| Wholesale trade | 919 | 3.2% | $70,859 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 786 | 2.7% | $41,276 | 0.78 |
| Professional and technical services | 756 | 2.6% | $88,501 | 0.32 |
| Finance and insurance | 664 | 2.3% | $72,041 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 602 | 2.1% | $20,508 | 1.07 |
| Management of companies | 432 | 1.5% | $97,202 | 0.76 |
| Real estate and rental | 239 | 0.8% | $49,060 | 0.46 |
| Information | 217 | 0.7% | $53,636 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 82 | 0.3% | $131,489 | 0.64 |
| Educational services | 29 | 0.1% | $14,584 | 0.04 |
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 | 78.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.1% |
| Work from home | 6.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 17.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,107 |
| Income per person | $32,897 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,052 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.0% |
| Median home value | $222,100 |
| Homeowners | 62.0% |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 96.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $51,160 |
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 7.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.2% |
| Born abroad | 3.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.4 | 19 | 38 |
| Feb | -6.1 | 21 | 42 |
| Mar | 1.0 | 34 | 60 |
| Apr | 7.4 | 45 | 101 |
| May | 13.9 | 57 | 106 |
| Jun | 19.8 | 68 | 129 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 93 |
| Aug | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Sep | 17.4 | 63 | 89 |
| Oct | 9.7 | 49 | 80 |
| Nov | 2.6 | 37 | 56 |
| Dec | -4.2 | 24 | 53 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconomowoc | WI | 13 mi | 19,080 | $106,425 | $1,301 |
| Fort Atkinson | WI | 19 mi | 12,463 | $79,302 | $961 |
| Hartford | WI | 20 mi | 15,821 | $82,014 | $1,110 |
| Beaver Dam | WI | 20 mi | 16,565 | $66,673 | $959 |
| Whitewater | WI | 24 mi | 15,807 | $54,969 | $1,041 |
| Richfield | WI | 25 mi | 11,755 | $143,963 | $1,388 |
| Sussex | WI | 26 mi | 12,066 | $119,041 | $1,369 |
| Sun Prairie | WI | 26 mi | 37,570 | $90,942 | $1,419 |
| Pewaukee | WI | 26 mi | 16,211 | $108,350 | $1,622 |
| Waukesha | WI | 27 mi | 71,233 | $83,837 | $1,219 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
22,774 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,052 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.0% of the median household income.
$70,107 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.5% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.