Waxhaw receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waxhaw
Monroe
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs66 · Top 29%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs84 · Top 2%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs27 · Bottom 20%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Waxhaw | Monroe | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,275 | 36,759 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $131,894 | $72,540 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,910 | $31,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,827/sq mi | 1,142/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,400 | $309,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,840 | $1,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.0% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.0% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 1,006 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 27.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -79.4% | 28.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 22 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 31.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 15.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.9% | 31.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 74.4% | 32.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.3% | 71.9% | 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
Waxhaw
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Waxhaw, NC · Monroe, NC · How this is calculated: methodology