Shelby, NC vs Waynesville, NC

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

MetricShelby, NCWaynesville, NC
Population22,10010,502
Median Household Income$48,376$54,923
Median Rent$945/mo$1,070/mo
Median Home Value$197,200$281,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income47.2%49.7%
Poverty Rate17.6%15.9%
Unemployment Rate4.4% (county)3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k879425
Property Crime Rate /100k2,4623,084
Median AQI—43
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs89°F80°F
Winter Lows29°F25°F
Snowfall4 in/yr11 in/yr
Avg Commute20.2 min19.7 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher16.813.6
College Degree Rate26.6%32.9%
Foreign-Born %2.3%5.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.5%+8.6%

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