City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Wendell, NC

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

11,585
Residents
$93,848
Median income
$316,700
Median home
$1,750
Median rent (state)

Wendell - the verdict

Wendell ranks in the 74th percentile for household income and the 55th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

74th
percentile, household income
67th
percentile, home value
71st
percentile, median rent
55th
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: Wendell, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 11,585 residents in Wendell, a small town within North Carolina. Wendell households earn a median of $93,848 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Home values in Wendell run a median of $316,700, and the median resident age is 38.3 years. Educational attainment runs 37.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 73.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1,277 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 271% from five years earlier. Wendell reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1210.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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 $1,750 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Wendell report an average commute of 22.3 minutes, with 66.4% driving alone and 24.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 85.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

11,585 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$93,848 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Wendell compare to other US cities?

Here's how Wendell stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 67% pricier than other cities
Median rent 71% pricier than other cities
Safety 55% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just North Carolina and the picture shifts: Wendell ranks #29 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Wendell'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.

74thIncome percentile
55thSafety percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income · 55th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wendell's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wendell'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 53 Avg. percentile National median
Wendell'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 Wendell's home value compares nationally

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

$316,700 33rd percentile more affordable than 33% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Wendell $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 - Wendell, NC Wendell, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wendell, 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 Wendell, NC median $93,848/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%
Wendell, 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 Wendell, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.8%

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

Population
11,585
Median Income
$93,848
Median Home Value
$316,700
Median Age
38.3
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
73.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1210.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
135.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1074.9
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
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,000 residents10,000 residents15,000 residents20,000 residents25,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,997 residents 19,687 residents ▲ +96.9%
Wendell's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
1,277
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,277
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
110.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 344
2020 702
2021 423
2022 941
2023 1,054
2024 1,277

Permit volume increased 271% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.3 minutes
Drive Alone
66.4%
Carpool
7.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
24.2%
Other
2.4%

Based on 6,689 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 Wendell sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,750/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Spring Lake
11,613 people
Lincolnton
11,503 people
Kings Mountain
11,472 people
Smithfield
11,798 people
Elon
11,325 people
Archdale
11,992 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wendell's 11,585 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Greensburg, IN
11,585 people
Lakeland, CA
11,587 people
Norton, OH
11,576 people
Lindon, UT
11,594 people
New Baltimore, VA
11,595 people
Ringwood, NJ
11,600 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wendell's $93,848 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West Hills, PA
$93,851 median income
Mount Washington, KY
$93,852 median income
Lazy Mountain, AK
$93,854 median income
Adairsville, GA
$93,854 median income
Wauwatosa, WI
$93,859 median income
East Lake, FL
$93,862 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wendell, 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 Wendell, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.3% 25.5% 11.5% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24.9% White 56.3% Black or African American 25.5% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 11.5% Two or more races 6.5% 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 Wendell 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
Wendell (this city) 11,585 $93,848
Spring Lake 11,613 $50,497
Lincolnton 11,503 $43,294
Kings Mountain 11,472 $45,507
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wendell, NC?

What is the population of Wendell, NC? +

The population of Wendell, NC stands at 11,585 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Wendell runs $93,848, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wendell? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wendell; 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 Wendell, NC safe? +

Wendell has a total crime rate of 1210.0 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 Wendell, NC? +

Wendell's median home value sits at $316,700, 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

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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.