Signals
Monroe
Kannapolis
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs62 · Top 37%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs84 · Top 45%
Schools
27 · Bottom 20%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Kannapolis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,759 | 57,890 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,540 | $73,836 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,089 | $37,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,142/sq mi | 1,657/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,100 | $276,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 65.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 29.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.27 | 16.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.7% | 33.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.2% | 36.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.9% | 92.9% | 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
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Kannapolis
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Monroe
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Kannapolis
62
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Monroe, NC · Kannapolis, NC · How this is calculated: methodology