Watkins is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in southeastern Benton County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 116. Watkins lies along local roads south of the city of Vinton, the county seat of Benton County. Its elevation is 830 feet above sea level. Although Watkins is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 52354, which opened on 15 December 1873. Watkins was platted in 1874.