Watertown
Safe Republican — shifted 5.5pp toward Republicans in 2024 — 249K residents — 3 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 86.3% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 4.8% |
▶Black / African American(13) | 3.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.4% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.4% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(4) | 0.4% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.8% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 20.6% | 57.4% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 7.3% | 20.4% |
| Mainline Protestant | 5.3% | 14.7% |
| Other | 2.6% | 7.1% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 1.3% | 3.7% |
| Non-religious | 64.1% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+23.8 |
| 2020 | Trump+18.3 |
| 2016 | Trump+17.7 |
| 2012 | Obama+5.1 |
| 2008 | Obama+4.1 |
| 2004 | Bush+1.8 |
| 2000 | Gore+2.0 |
| 1996 | Clinton+19.1 |
| 1992 | Clinton+3.3 |
Watertown is a media market that has a population of 248,873. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+23.8. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 38.0% | 61.8% | R+23.8 | R+5.5 |
| 2020 | 39.8% | 58.1% | R+18.3 | R+0.7 |
| 2016 | 37.7% | 55.3% | R+17.7 | R+22.8 |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 46.6% | D+5.1 | D+1.0 |
| 2008 | 51.3% | 47.2% | D+4.1 | D+5.8 |
| 2004 | 48.1% | 49.9% | R+1.8 | R+3.8 |
| 2000 | 48.8% | 46.8% | D+2.0 | R+17.1 |
| 1996 | 51.9% | 32.8% | D+19.1 | D+15.8 |
| 1992 | 38.8% | 35.5% | D+3.3 | D+13.0 |
| 1988 | 44.8% | 54.5% | R+9.7 | D+21.4 |
| 1984 | 34.3% | 65.4% | R+31.1 | R+24.3 |
| 1980 | 41.5% | 48.2% | R+6.8 | D+9.7 |
| 1976 | 41.6% | 58.0% | R+16.4 | D+13.8 |
| 1972 | 34.8% | 65.0% | R+30.2 | R+13.5 |
| 1968 | 39.5% | 56.2% | R+16.7 | R+56.8 |
| 1964 | 70.0% | 29.9% | D+40.1 | D+58.3 |
| 1960 | 40.9% | 59.1% | R+18.2 | D+30.7 |
| 1956 | 25.6% | 74.4% | R+48.9 | R+8.5 |
| 1952 | 29.0% | 69.4% | R+40.4 | R+17.6 |
| 1948 | 37.3% | 60.1% | R+22.8 | — |
What defines Watertown?
Watertown has been trending Republican — 29pp redder over the last 4 presidential cycles.
Constituent Counties
Similar media markets
Counties in Watertown
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 115K | R+23.6 | 16,326 | 26,417 | 42,843 | 42.9% |
| St. Lawrence | 107K | R+18.0 | 18,010 | 25,919 | 44,026 | 44.1% |
| Lewis | 27K | R+44.4 | 3,600 | 9,353 | 12,966 | 13.0% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 23.8% margin
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2012, Republicans in 2024
- Shifted 28.9 points toward Republicans over the last 4 elections
Who Lives Here
| Group | Watertown | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 86.3% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 4.8% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.8% | 4.0% |
▶Black / African American(13) | 3.2% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.4% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(4) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: +32.5pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Catholic-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Democratic-leaning urban and suburban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.6% | 57.4% | — | — | |
| 7.3% | 20.4% | — | — | |
| 5.3% | 14.7% | — | — | |
| 2.6% | 7.1% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.3% | 3.7% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 64.1% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Watertown media market? 248,873 residents across 3 counties.
Demographics
25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 8pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+3 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Watertown
How competitive is Watertown?
Do voters in Watertown split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+23.8 | R+13.9 | 9.9pp |