Town · North Carolina
Matthews, North Carolina
Matthews, town, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Matthews had 32,769 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 11.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 29,435 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 30,577 (±94). GEOID 3741960.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
32,769
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 29,435 · ACS 2020-2024: 30,577 ±94
Median household income
$108,611
±$9,129 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$445,100
±$11,555 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,764
±$42 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Matthews and what county is it in?
Matthews is a town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It covers 17.1 square miles of land, 1,720 residents per square mile in 2020.
Matthews is in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Matthews, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 32,769 people lived in Matthews on July 1, 2025, up 11.4% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 29,435 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 30,577 (±94).
| Measure | Matthews | Mecklenburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 30,577 ±94 | 1,154,681 | −1,467 |
| Households | 11,864 ±460 | 466,527 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.55 ±0.10 | 2.44 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 12,588 ±432 | 503,071 | no clear change |
Matthews's population since 2000
From 22,127 in 2000 to 32,769 in 2025: up 48.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Matthews as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Matthews?
The median resident of Matthews is 40.1 years old; 21.3% are under 18 and 20.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 70.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 13.0%. 13.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Matthews | Mecklenburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 ±2.7 | 35.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.3% ±2.0 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.5% ±1.6 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±1.6 pts | 48.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.0% ±1.5 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 70.0% ±4.1 pts | 43.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.0% ±3.0 pts | 29.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.4% ±2.1 pts | 6.3% | +2.5 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±0.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 13.4% ±2.5 pts | 17.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.4% ±3.1 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8% ±1.1 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 9.2% ±1.6 pts | 8.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.1% ±1.4 pts | 11.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.9% ±1.4 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.2% ±3.2 pts | 49.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 18.2% ±1.7 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.0% ±2.9 pts | 84.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.1% ±2.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Matthews earn?
Half of Matthews's 11,864 households earn less than $108,611 a year (±$9,129), against $87,005 in Mecklenburg County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $104,109 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Matthews | Mecklenburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,611 ±$9,129 | $87,005 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $134,831 ±$8,878 | $128,782 | – |
| Per capita income | $53,265 ±$3,453 | $53,295 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.7% ±1.2 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.7% ±3.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.1% ±0.9 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±1.1 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.2% ±2.1 pts | 94.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Matthews?
Owners occupy 64.4% of Matthews's occupied homes and renters 35.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $445,100 by its owner (±$11,555). The median renter pays $1,764 a month including utilities, and 39.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Matthews | Mecklenburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $445,100 ±$11,555 | $406,800 | +$118,597 |
| Median gross rent | $1,764 ±$42 | $1,627 | +$190 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.3% ±7.1 pts | 40.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,986 ±$82 | $1,893 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.4% ±3.4 pts | 55.1% | −7.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.6% ±3.4 pts | 44.9% | – |
| Housing units | 12,588 ±432 | 503,071 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.1% ±3.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 61.9% ±3.2 pts | 54.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.5% ±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 16.4% ±3.4 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.3% ±1.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Matthews work and get to work?
69.9% of Matthews's workers drive alone and 18.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.1%.
| Measure | Matthews | Mecklenburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.1% ±2.8 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±0.7 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.9% ±3.5 pts | 58.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±2.7 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±0.6 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.0% ±2.5 pts | 28.5% | +10.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.2 min ±1.4 | 25.1 min | −3.7 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Matthews?
8 census tracts lie mostly in Matthews, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $63,526 (Tract 58.66) to $137,801 (Tract 58.35).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 58.33Mecklenburg County | 5,559 | $132,517 |
| Tract 57.09Mecklenburg County | 4,774 | $110,069 |
| Tract 58.34Mecklenburg County | 4,374 | $98,482 |
| Tract 57.12Mecklenburg County | 3,275 | $105,000 |
| Tract 58.35Mecklenburg County | 2,589 | $137,801 |
| Tract 58.66Mecklenburg County | 4,491 | $63,526 |
| Tract 57.22Mecklenburg County | 2,305 | $113,400 |
| Tract 58.49Mecklenburg County | 3,886 | $99,875 |
| Tract 58.65Mecklenburg County | 2,182 | $115,071 |
| Tract 58.48Mecklenburg County | 5,010 | $180,000 |
| Tract 58.32Mecklenburg County | 3,040 | $172,292 |
| Tract 57.23Mecklenburg County | 3,732 | $82,732 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Matthews) · Census block assignment files
How does Matthews compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Matthews is the 1,256th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 36th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Matthews ranks 44th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 36th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 56th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 49th | 443 |
| Median household income | 44th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 59th | 443 |
| Median home value | 56th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 27th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 330th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47th | 421 |
| Median age | 238th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 244th | 443 |
| Work from home | 108th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 181st | 439 |
Matthews's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Matthews with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Matthews?
10 of the 57 figures for Matthews on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Matthews are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Matthews.