City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Waxhaw, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waxhaw - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

21,565
Residents
$128,115
Median income
$506,300
Median home
$1,686
Median rent (state)

Waxhaw - the verdict

Waxhaw ranks in the 90th percentile for household income and the 86th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

90th
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
86th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waxhaw, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 21,565 residents in Waxhaw, a small city within North Carolina. Median household income here is $128,115 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Typical homes in Waxhaw are valued around $506,300, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. About 54.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 42 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 85% from five years earlier. Waxhaw reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 481.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,686 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 89.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

21,565 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$128,115 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Waxhaw compare to other US cities?

Where Waxhaw sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 86% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Waxhaw ranks #8 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Waxhaw's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

90thIncome percentile
86thSafety percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income · 86th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Waxhaw's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Waxhaw's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Waxhaw's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Waxhaw's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$506,300 15th percentile more affordable than 15% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waxhaw $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waxhaw, NC Waxhaw, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waxhaw, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waxhaw, NC median $128,115/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waxhaw, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waxhaw, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 54.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
21,565
Median Income
$128,115
Median Home Value
$506,300
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
66.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
54.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
481.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
58.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
422.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents21,000 residents22,000 residents23,000 residents24,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,781 residents 23,140 residents ▲ +11.4%
Waxhaw's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
42
housing units authorized
Single-Family
42
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 289
2020 348
2021 344
2022 143
2023 14
2024 42

Permit volume decreased 85% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
61.6%
Carpool
9.2%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
27.9%

Based on 10,245 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waxhaw sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,686/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Clemmons
21,574 people
Shelby
21,868 people
Carrboro
21,170 people
Lexington
19,691 people
Kinston
19,576 people
Boone
19,534 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waxhaw's 21,565 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Del City, OK
21,561 people
Alliance, OH
21,574 people
Green Valley, AZ
21,581 people
Ennis, TX
21,546 people
Seymour, IN
21,536 people
Lindenwold, NJ
21,534 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waxhaw's $128,115 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

South Windham, ME
$128,108 median income
South Pasadena, CA
$128,105 median income
Durhamville, NY
$128,125 median income
Fishers, IN
$128,141 median income
Centennial, CO
$128,167 median income
Turner Colony, MT
$128,056 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waxhaw, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waxhaw, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 71.3% 8.3% 7.4% 9.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.9% White 71.3% Black or African American 8.3% Asian 7.4% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.1% Two or more races 9.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waxhaw compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waxhaw (this city) 21,565 $128,115
Clemmons 21,574 $84,326
Shelby 21,868 $50,705
Carrboro 21,170 $85,927
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waxhaw, NC?

What is the population of Waxhaw, NC? +

Waxhaw, NC has a population of 21,565 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waxhaw, NC? +

Waxhaw households earn a median of $128,115 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waxhaw? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waxhaw; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Waxhaw, NC safe? +

Waxhaw has a total crime rate of 481.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Waxhaw, NC? +

A typical home in Waxhaw is worth $506,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.