Elon, NC
Census place 3721095 · pop 11,032
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-4.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$366,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$84,773 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% 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 67.2% · better than most cities
70.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
74/100 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 0.99% · better than most cities
0.72% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
51.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
27.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
17.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
7.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
Not measured for Elon: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime, Rent. 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 Elon, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Elon scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 17 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult smoking and its weakest is poor mental health. 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 Elon, NC expensive to live in?
- Elon has a median home value of $366,300 — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Elon, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (20.1%) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Elon, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult smoking (7.9%) — 93/100, 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.