Signals
Harrisburg
Waxhaw
Opportunity
75 · Top 15%
vs75 · Top 13%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
75 · Top 19%
vs85 · Top 8%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Harrisburg | Waxhaw | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,633 | 22,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $148,254 | $131,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,237 | $48,910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,562/sq mi | 1,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $478,000 | $549,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,640 | $1,840 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.5% | 83.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.5% | 55.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 4.5% | 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 | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 33.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.78 | 17.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.3% | 73.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.2% | 74.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.1% | 12.3% | 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.
Waxhaw
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Harrisburg
75
Your Score
—
Area Score
Waxhaw
72
Your Score
69
Area Score
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Full profiles: Harrisburg, NC · Waxhaw, NC · How this is calculated: methodology