Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Watertown, SD

    Is Watertown a good place to live?

    Watch Watertown

    Watertown ranks #2 of 4 South Dakota cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (50/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.6% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $212,300
    +7.2% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $904
    per month
    Household income
    $62,721
    median
    Unemployment
    2.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Watertown

    The median home value in Watertown is $212,300 and median rent is $904 a month, against a median household income of $62,721. Homes cost about 3.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Watertown crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across South Dakota the 2025 rate was 327 violent and 1,430 property crimes per 100,000 people — #26 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Watertown, SD

    Watertown has about 22,859 residents, 2.0% unemployment and 15% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Watertown with

    Watertown vs Sioux FallsWatertown vs Rapid CityWatertown vs Aberdeen

    More: Where to move in South Dakota · Best counties in South Dakota

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report