Shelby receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lexington
Shelby
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
77 · Top 8%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
41 · Bottom 36%
vs56 · Top 44%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 3%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Lexington | Shelby | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,690 | 22,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,128 | $48,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,661 | $31,112 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,024/sq mi | 989/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $179,900 | $197,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $893 | $945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.6% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 491 | 287 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 24.9 | 13.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 354.6% | 18.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.09 | 16.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.4% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.4% | 46.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.2% | 99.2% | 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
Lexington
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Shelby
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: Lexington, NC · Shelby, NC · How this is calculated: methodology