MetricMatthews, NCMonroe, NC
Population30,57736,759
Median Household Income$108,611$72,540
Median Rent$1,764/mo$1,246/mo
Median Home Value$445,100$309,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)9797
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42.7%46.4%
Poverty Rate3.7%13.3%
Unemployment Rate3.5%3.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k98530
Property Crime Rate /100k2,2832,333
Median AQI5140
Good AQI Days /yr176—
Summer Highs89°F89°F
Winter Lows34°F32°F
Snowfall2 in/yr2 in/yr
Avg Commute25.2 min30.1 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating5.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher17.815.1
College Degree Rate55.2%24.1%
Foreign-Born %13.4%17.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+11.4%+23.1%

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