Watauga, Texas

Watauga (/wɒˈtɔːɡə/)^[4] is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 23,650 at the 2020 census. The city's businesses and retail markets are generally located on Highway 377.

Watauga, Texas
City
City Hall facing north on 24 March 2016.
Location within Tarrant County and Texas
Coordinates: 32°52′17″N 97°14′57″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Tarrant
Government
• Type	Home Rule (Mayor-Council-Manager)
Area [1]
• Total	4.16 sq mi (10.77 km2)
• Land	4.16 sq mi (10.77 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	607 ft (185 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,650
• Density	5,700/sq mi (2,200/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	76148, 76137
Area codes	817, 682
FIPS code	48-76672[3]
GNIS feature ID	2412191[2]
Website	ci.Watauga.TX.us

History

The first settlers came to Tarrant County in 1843.^[5] The Texas and Pacific Railway came through present-day Watauga in 1881, which spurred a settlement of large farms and ranches. The settlement took its name from the pre-Revolutionary War Watauga Association settlement that was located in the northeastern section of East Tennessee, in areas surrounding the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River, near present-day Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Watauga received a railroad station and a post office in 1883. The population was 65 in the mid-1930s and 1940s, when the railroad station had closed. The population then grew due to defense plants to over 1000 in the 1960s. The population continued to grow to 7,050 in 1976, and 20,000 in 1990.^[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.8 km²), all land.

The city is entirely surrounded by the cities of Keller to the north, Fort Worth to the west, Haltom City to the southwest and North Richland Hills to the south and east. Almost all of the city's land area is located east of US 377, though a portion extends west of that highway and includes homes and some city offices.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	3,778		—
1980	10,284		172.2%
1990	20,009		94.6%
2000	21,908		9.5%
2010	23,497		7.3%
2020	23,650		0.7%
2021 (est.)	23,313	[7]	−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

Watauga racial composition as of 2020^[9]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)^[a]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	13,316	56.3%
Black or African American (NH)	1,461	6.18%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	103	0.44%
Asian (NH)	1,461	6.18%
Pacific Islander (NH)	108	0.46%
Some Other Race (NH)	119	0.5%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	1,103	4.66%
Hispanic or Latino	5,979	25.28%
Total	23,650

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 23,650 people, 7,827 households, and 6,100 families residing in the city.

Economy

Top employers

According to Watauga's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[12] the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Birdville ISD	243
2	Target	200
3	City of Watauga	208
4	North Pointe Health & Rehab	89
5	Albertsons	85
6	Keller ISD	68
7	Cotton Patch Cafe	65
8	Fresco's	40
9	Chili's	30
10	Fitness Now	30

Arts and culture

Capp Smith Park, Watauga Pavilion and Watauga Public Library are located in Watauga.

Government

Watauga is a full-service city, providing police, fire and emergency services, parks and recreation, a library, building inspection, economic development, city planning, and public works. The city operates under a Mayor-Council-Manager form of government. According to the city's 2013-2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $25.5 million in revenues, $23.3 million in expenditures, $102.8 million in total assets, $32.8 million in total liabilities, and $27.5 million in cash and investments.^[13]

Education

Watauga is served by two independent school districts. Birdville serves a majority of the city, while Keller serves the northwestern portion.

Infrastructure

• U.S. Route 377

Notes

1. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.^[10][11]