Signals
Harrisburg
Matthews
Opportunity
75 · Top 15%
vs76 · Top 13%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
75 · Top 19%
vs68 · Top 30%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Harrisburg | Matthews | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,633 | 30,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $148,254 | $108,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,237 | $53,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,562/sq mi | 1,787/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $478,000 | $445,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,640 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.5% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.5% | 55.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.78 | 18.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.3% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.2% | 60.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.1% | 53.2% | 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
Harrisburg
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Matthews
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Harrisburg
75
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Matthews
75
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Full profiles: Harrisburg, NC · Matthews, NC · How this is calculated: methodology