Watauga County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,086. Its county seat and largest community is Boone. The county is in an exceptionally mountainous region, known as the High Country. It is the home of Appalachian State University, which has approximately 21,570 students as of Fall 2024. Watauga County comprises the Boone, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area.