Signals
28150
28602
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 17%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs80 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 10%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 28150 | 28602 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,142 | 31,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,832 | $62,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,658 | $32,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 257/sq mi | 440/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $211,400 | $212,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $873 | $896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.12 | 17.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.9% | 51.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.9% | 51.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.8% | 89.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
28150
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
28602
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 28150 — Shelby, NC · 28602 — Hickory, NC · How this is calculated: methodology