Ideal CityOpen the map

Charlotte vs Matthews

Charlotte, North Carolina versus Matthews, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Charlotte

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Matthews

Mixed · objective livability49/100

Charlotte and Matthews score about the same overall (46 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorCharlotteMatthews
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k$103k
Cost of Living$64k$64k
Home Value$313k$360k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.82%0.77%
Income Tax4.50%4.50%
Sales Tax7.00%7.00%
Estimated total tax burden10.28%9.49%
Unemployment4.7%3.0%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F42°F
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F80°F
Annual Precipitation43.8 in37.9 in
Annual Snowfall3.5 in2.1 in
Sunny Days187 days187 days
Summer Humidity68°F68°F
Comfortable Days82 days81 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk29.236.8
Air Quality46 AQI43 AQI
School Quality55.055.0
Violent Crime1942/100k1150/100k
Property Crime3152/100k2983/100k
Community
Population875,04529,613
Median Age34.539.5
Racial Diversity0.680.44
Male/Female Ratio0.940.99
Political LeaningD+36D+36
White (%)39.7%72.0%
Black (%)34.7%12.0%
Hispanic (%)15.3%6.2%
Asian (%)6.5%6.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%3.8%
Getting Around
Commute Time25 min27 min
Walkability14.6/208.6/20
Airport Distance7 mi15 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.9%92.8%
Amenities Nearby10.2468.55
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Charlotte or Matthews more affordable?
Matthews has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Charlotte's $64k and Matthews's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Charlotte versus $1k in Matthews.
Is Charlotte or Matthews safer?
Matthews has the lower violent crime rate. Charlotte reports 1942/100k and Matthews reports 1150/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Charlotte or Matthews?
The median home value is $313k in Charlotte and $360k in Matthews, so homes are more affordable in Charlotte.
See each on the map

Explore Charlotte →Explore Matthews →

Full profiles