Cornelius, NC

Census place 3714700 · pop 32,783

C61/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in NC
📍 North Carolina ranks #16 of 50 states →
🏆 Inactive15.9% · top 6%
🚽 Inequality0.51 · bottom 7%
Taxes
0.63% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%3.99% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.517

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Housing cost$559,40016

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$559,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Air quality (AQI)County-level51 AQI23

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.

Commute time25 min40

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level4 days41

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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level92/10043

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.

Rent$1,755/mo49

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,755/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

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.

Homeownership69.5%65

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

69.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden0.63%81

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.63% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Uninsured adults6.3%82

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Median household income$113,76784

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$113,767 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate5.4%85

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

5.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+12.1%85

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+12.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Adult smoking8.7%89

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health13.7%89

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult obesity25.8%90

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

25.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher62.2%92

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

62.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Broadband access96.9%92

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

96.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity15.9%94

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

15.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Not measured for Cornelius: 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 Cornelius, NC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Cornelius scores 61/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is physical inactivity 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 Cornelius, NC expensive to live in?
Cornelius has a median home value of $559,400 and typical rent around $1,755/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Cornelius, NC?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.51) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Cornelius, NC best at?
Its strongest measured area is physical inactivity (15.9%) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.