Signals
Lincolnton
Charlotte
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs69 · Top 25%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 18%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Lincolnton | Charlotte | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,783 | 903,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,320 | $82,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,456 | $51,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,314/sq mi | 2,901/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,700 | $385,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $965 | $1,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.2% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.7% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 176 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.39 | 16.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.4% | 36.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 42.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.5% | 74.2% | 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
Lincolnton
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Charlotte
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Lincolnton
62
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—
Area Score
Charlotte
66
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Lincolnton, NC · Charlotte, NC · How this is calculated: methodology