Signals
Belmont
Cornelius
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 12%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Belmont | Cornelius | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,546 | 32,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,883 | $113,767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,413 | $77,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,272/sq mi | 2,583/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $395,000 | $559,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,365 | $1,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.1% | 62.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 44.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.29 | 18.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.1% | 61.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 64.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.1% | 22.4% | 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
Belmont
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Cornelius
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Belmont, NC · Cornelius, NC · How this is calculated: methodology