Town · North Carolina
Waxhaw, North Carolina
Waxhaw, town, in Union County, North Carolina. Waxhaw had 23,140 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 12.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 20,534 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 22,275 (±38). GEOID 3771460.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
23,140
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 20,534 · ACS 2020-2024: 22,275 ±38
Median household income
$131,894
±$11,510 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$549,400
±$23,757 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,840
±$97 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Waxhaw and what county is it in?
Waxhaw is a town in Union County, North Carolina. It covers 12.2 square miles of land, 1,684 residents per square mile in 2020.
Waxhaw 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 Waxhaw, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 23,140 people lived in Waxhaw on July 1, 2025, up 12.6% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 20,534 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 22,275 (±38).
| Measure | Waxhaw | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 22,275 ±38 | 250,958 | +7,038 |
| Households | 6,815 ±282 | 84,237 | +2,042 |
| Average household size | 3.26 ±0.13 | 2.95 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 7,084 ±282 | 88,851 | +2,013 |
Waxhaw's population since 2000
From 2,625 in 2000 to 23,140 in 2025: up 781.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waxhaw 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 Waxhaw?
The median resident of Waxhaw is 36.2 years old; 33.1% are under 18 and 8.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.8%. 15.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Waxhaw | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 ±3.4 | 39.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 33.1% ±2.0 pts | 25.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.4% ±1.1 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Male | 48.0% ±1.9 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.8% ±2.8 pts | 13.4% | +5.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.5% ±3.7 pts | 66.8% | −9.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.1% ±2.2 pts | 10.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±1.6 pts | 4.5% | +3.7 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 | 4.7% ±1.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 15.6% ±2.9 pts | 12.2% | +7.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.1% ±4.8 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9% ±1.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 6.7% ±1.6 pts | 9.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±1.5 pts | 7.7% | +2.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.8% ±1.3 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.0% ±4.2 pts | 40.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.5% ±3.1 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.7% ±3.3 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.4% ±2.3 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 Waxhaw earn?
Half of Waxhaw's 6,815 households earn less than $131,894 a year (±$11,510), against $102,900 in Union County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $137,397 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waxhaw | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $131,894 ±$11,510 | $102,900 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $156,987 ±$12,308 | $137,465 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,910 ±$3,818 | $46,949 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.5% ±1.7 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.3% ±3.3 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.2% ±2.4 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±0.6 pts | 96.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.1% ±2.0 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 Waxhaw?
Owners occupy 83.0% of Waxhaw's occupied homes and renters 17.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $549,400 by its owner (±$23,757). The median renter pays $1,840 a month including utilities, and 26.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waxhaw | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $549,400 ±$23,757 | $417,300 | +$144,009 |
| Median gross rent | $1,840 ±$97 | $1,496 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.4% ±11.1 pts | 35.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,351 ±$127 | $1,940 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.0% ±4.4 pts | 81.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.0% ±4.4 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Housing units | 7,084 ±282 | 88,851 | +2,013 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±6.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.0% ±3.7 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 8.3% ±2.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 40.6% ±4.3 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 many new homes is Waxhaw building?
Builders took permits for 102 new housing units in Waxhaw in 2025 (102 in single-family houses), 4.4 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Waxhaw work and get to work?
62.5% of Waxhaw's workers drive alone and 27.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Waxhaw | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.4% ±3.1 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±1.5 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 62.5% ±4.0 pts | 69.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.3% ±2.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 27.7% ±3.9 pts | 19.5% | +13.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.0 min ±2.7 | 29.8 min | no clear change |
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 Waxhaw?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Waxhaw, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $94,886 (Tract 210.14) to $230,938 (Tract 210.17).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 210.13Union County | 10,294 | $112,471 |
| Tract 210.17Union County | 5,861 | $230,938 |
| Tract 210.12Union County | 5,449 | $147,175 |
| Tract 210.14Union County | 2,486 | $94,886 |
| Tract 210.09Union County | 4,568 | $224,545 |
| Tract 210.16Union County | 4,811 | $228,942 |
| Tract 210.15Union County | 4,653 | $85,268 |
| Tract 210.05Union County | 4,609 | $83,750 |
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 Waxhaw) · Census block assignment files
How does Waxhaw compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waxhaw is the 1,718th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 46th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Waxhaw ranks 19th 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 | 46th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 45th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 54th | 443 |
| Median household income | 19th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 82nd | 443 |
| Median home value | 26th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 19th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 321st | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48th | 421 |
| Median age | 350th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 96th | 443 |
| Work from home | 34th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 44th | 439 |
Waxhaw's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Waxhaw 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 Waxhaw?
10 of the 57 figures for Waxhaw 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 Waxhaw 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 Waxhaw.