Signals
Waxhaw
Gastonia
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs75 · Bottom 40%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs36 · Bottom 31%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Waxhaw | Gastonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,275 | 82,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $131,894 | $64,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,910 | $35,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,827/sq mi | 1,542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,400 | $277,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,840 | $1,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.0% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.0% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 15.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.9% | 35.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 74.4% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.3% | 92.4% | 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.
Gastonia
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: Waxhaw, NC · Gastonia, NC · How this is calculated: methodology