Shelby, NC vs Lincolnton, NC

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricShelby, NCLincolnton, NC
Population22,10011,783
Median Household Income$48,376$46,320
Median Rent$945/mo$965/mo
Median Home Value$197,200$248,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)—97
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income47.2%47.8%
Poverty Rate17.6%22.7%
Unemployment Rate4.4% (county)3.4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k879229
Property Crime Rate /100k2,4621,956
Median AQI—41
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs89°F87°F
Winter Lows29°F32°F
Snowfall4 in/yr6 in/yr
Avg Commute20.2 min25 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher16.814.4
College Degree Rate26.6%24%
Foreign-Born %2.3%7.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.5%+12.5%

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