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Living in
Matthews.
About
Life in Matthews
If you're considering Matthews, understand it's a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class Charlotte suburb where you'll find good schools, stable neighborhoods, and reasonable job access to the city's economy. The median household income sits around $108,611 with home values near $445,000—higher than many suburbs but still more affordable than central Charlotte. Your commute to uptown Charlotte runs about 26 minutes on average, and Interstate 485 cuts right through the southern part of town with multiple access points, making it fairly convenient even with typical traffic.
Matthews at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Foreign-Born
13.4%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
+11.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.4% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Matthews: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Matthews, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (12.7%), and 4.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
21.3%
of residents
65 and Older
20.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.6%
of households
Married Couples
59.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
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 44% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Matthews
In Matthews, rent runs 44% above the NC average, and home values are 54% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,047
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $504,300 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NC
Unemployment in Matthews and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Matthews is close to the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Matthews Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area
Commute25.2 min avg
How Matthews residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Matthews, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 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 70% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Matthews runs 70% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
97.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,283.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Matthews Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Mecklenburg County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Mecklenburg County, which includes Matthews, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2024 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $28.4M |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $550,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $180,000 |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.5M |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $72,500 |
| 2018 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
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.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Mecklenburg County, county-wide
Matthews is about 3% of Mecklenburg County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality51 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Mecklenburg County, which includes Matthews, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
51
Good Days
176
per year
Moderate Days
189
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Mecklenburg County, county-wide
Matthews is about 3% of Mecklenburg County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate89°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Matthews has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.9"
Annual Snowfall
2.1"
Hot Days/Year
51
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
58
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 32°F | 3.00" |
| Feb | 57°F | 35°F | 2.77" |
| Mar | 64°F | 41°F | 3.19" |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 2.90" |
| May | 80°F | 57°F | 2.89" |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 3.73" |
| Jul | 91°F | 69°F | 3.63" |
| Aug | 89°F | 68°F | 3.79" |
| Sep | 83°F | 62°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 73°F | 50°F | 2.97" |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 2.91" |
| Dec | 55°F | 34°F | 2.96" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Matthews
Matthews has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Novant Health Matthews Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Charlotte
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Charlotte
Atrium Health Pineville
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.3 mi away · Charlotte
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.
Education17.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Matthews
Matthews's student/teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 55.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
55.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Matthews (within 15 miles)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
12.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 24,453 students · in-state tuition $7,317 · 69% graduate · median earnings $63,486 (10 yrs after entry)
Central Piedmont Community College
9.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 15,067 students · in-state tuition $2,454 · 22% graduate · median earnings $43,413 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,244 students · in-state tuition $22,370 · 40% graduate · median earnings $44,849 (10 yrs after entry)
Queens University of Charlotte
8.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 1,211 students · in-state tuition $48,445 · 66% graduate · median earnings $58,736 (10 yrs after entry)
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
11.2 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 2-year · 1,184 students · in-state tuition $44,581 · 52% graduate · median earnings $53,928 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-North Carolina
12.6 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 202 students · in-state tuition $21,655 · 59% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (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: Kings Mountain National Military Park, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Matthews
Matthews has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Kings Mountain National Military Park (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Kings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
38 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
38 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
62 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
85 mi awayCongaree National Park
National Park
92 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
99 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Matthews
Matthews Branch Library
230 Matthews Station St, Matthews
Cities Near Matthews
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Matthews?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Matthews FAQ
Is Matthews, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Matthews's median rent is $1,764/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $108,611/year. Median home value is $445,100.
Is Matthews, North Carolina safe?⌄
Matthews's violent crime rate was 98 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 2283 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Matthews, North Carolina?⌄
Matthews has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Matthews, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Matthews is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,764/month and median household income is $108,611/year. The median home value is $445,100. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Matthews, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Matthews is 25 minutes, which is about 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