Charlotte, NC
Census place 3712000 · pop 903,844
A major U.S. banking hub, second only to New York, headquartering Bank of America.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
51.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
51 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$385,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
4 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
92/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
11.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,734/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$82,068 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.73% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
48.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Not measured for Charlotte: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Charlotte, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Charlotte scores 50/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Charlotte, NC expensive to live in?
- Charlotte has a median home value of $385,700 and typical rent around $1,734/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Charlotte, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.50) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Charlotte, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (48.0%) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A major U.S. banking hub, second only to New York, headquartering Bank of America.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.