Mooresville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Monroe
Mooresville
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
84 · Top 2%
vs50 · Top 50%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
27 · Bottom 20%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Mooresville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,759 | 52,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,540 | $89,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,089 | $44,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,142/sq mi | 1,914/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,100 | $390,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,006 | 345 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 27.4 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.3% | -43.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.27 | 16.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.7% | 62.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.2% | 64.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.9% | 49.7% | 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.
Mooresville
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Monroe
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Mooresville
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Monroe, NC · Mooresville, NC · How this is calculated: methodology