Signals
Waxhaw
Cornelius
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs76 · Top 12%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Waxhaw | Cornelius | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,275 | 32,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $131,894 | $113,767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,910 | $77,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,827/sq mi | 2,583/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,400 | $559,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,840 | $1,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.0% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.0% | 62.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 5.4% | 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 | 22 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 44.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 18.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.9% | 61.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 74.4% | 64.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.3% | 22.4% | 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
Waxhaw
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Cornelius
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Waxhaw, NC · Cornelius, NC · How this is calculated: methodology