MetricGaffney, SCShelby, NC
Population12,59622,100
Median Household Income$41,089$48,376
Median Rent$887/mo$945/mo
Median Home Value$137,700$197,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42.2%47.2%
Poverty Rate29.1%17.6%
Unemployment Rate5.8% (county)4.4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k280879
Property Crime Rate /100k2,8482,462
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs86°F89°F
Winter Lows28°F29°F
Snowfall2 in/yr4 in/yr
Avg Commute18.8 min20.2 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.616.8
College Degree Rate23.1%26.6%
Foreign-Born %6.4%2.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-1.3%+6.5%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.