Monroe, NC
Census place 3743920 · pop 36,759
Hometown and birthplace of longtime U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, where his family had lived for seven generations.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
17.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
29.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
15.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
24.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,970/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
61.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$309,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$72,540 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
86/100 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 90.0% · better than most cities
92.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
41 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 3.6% · better than most cities
3.0% 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 0.99% · better than most cities
0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 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.
Not measured for Monroe: 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 Monroe, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Monroe scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is uninsured adults. 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 Monroe, NC expensive to live in?
- Monroe has a median home value of $309,100 and typical rent around $1,970/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Monroe, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (17.5%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Monroe, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Hometown and birthplace of longtime U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, where his family had lived for seven generations.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.