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Living in
Elon.
About
Life in Elon
Elon is a community of 11,325 people in North Carolina. The median household income is $84,773, median rent runs about $2,080 per month, and median home values are around $366,300. Unemployment is low at 3.9%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Elon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
21.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.0%
Foreign-Born
3.8%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.8% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Elon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Elon, the largest foreign-born group is from India (32.1%), and 2.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
10.7%
of residents
65 and Older
13.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.2%
of households
Married Couples
58.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.61
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 69% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Elon
In Elon, rent runs 69% above the NC average, and home values are 27% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
69.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
50.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,646
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1997
median year built
Vacant Homes
19.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $344,099 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NC
Unemployment in Elon
Unemployment in Alamance County, which includes Elon, is close to the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Elon: Alamance County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Alamance County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Elon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.1 min avg
How Elon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Elon, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)
Small hub1.0M passengers boarded in 2025
- 43 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 101 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 84% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Elon runs 84% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
52.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
527.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Elon Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Alamance County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Alamance County, which includes Elon, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $123,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Flash Flood | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $830,000 |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $635,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alamance County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Guilford County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 16 miles from Elon) is typically good — 274 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
274
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Guilford County, NC (16 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Elon has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.3"
Annual Snowfall
1.8"
Hot Days/Year
48
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
78
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
130
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 30°F | 3.07" |
| Feb | 56°F | 33°F | 2.81" |
| Mar | 64°F | 39°F | 3.88" |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 3.83" |
| May | 80°F | 57°F | 3.37" |
| Jun | 88°F | 65°F | 4.28" |
| Jul | 91°F | 70°F | 4.65" |
| Aug | 89°F | 68°F | 3.53" |
| Sep | 83°F | 62°F | 4.40" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.09" |
| Nov | 63°F | 38°F | 3.27" |
| Dec | 55°F | 33°F | 3.12" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Elon
Uninsured
3.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Elon's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Alamance Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Burlington
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Elon
Elon's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 51.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Elon
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,452 students · in-state tuition $48,723 · 83% graduate · median earnings $82,524 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
North Carolina A & T State University
14.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,182 students · in-state tuition $6,813 · 58% graduate · median earnings $50,279 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 19 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Elon
Elon has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (19 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
19 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayAppomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
97 mi awayCities Near Elon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Elon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Elon FAQ
Is Elon, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Elon's median rent is $2,080/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $84,773/year. Median home value is $366,300.
Is Elon, North Carolina safe?⌄
Elon's violent crime rate was 53 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 528 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Elon, North Carolina?⌄
Alamance County, which includes Elon, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Elon, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Elon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,080/month and median household income is $84,773/year. The median home value is $366,300. About 70% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Elon, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Elon is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from