Signals
Monroe
Matthews
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs76 · Top 13%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
27 · Bottom 20%
vs68 · Top 30%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Matthews | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,759 | 30,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,540 | $108,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,089 | $53,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,142/sq mi | 1,787/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,100 | $445,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 55.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 3.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.27 | 18.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.7% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.2% | 60.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.9% | 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
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Matthews
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Monroe, NC · Matthews, NC · How this is calculated: methodology