Cornelius, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Cornelius, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,004 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1748.3 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.21% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.0 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,951 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Cornelius grew by 57.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 23,004 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Cornelius is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.9% of residents. That is 2.5 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,483 19.5% -2.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,499 23.9% +2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,346 23.2% +2.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,464 15.1% -1.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.2% of the people living in Cornelius and men 47.8%.
- Women 52.2% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 47.8% North Carolina 48.9%
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Economy
Cornelius has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,023 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.16% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Cornelius is about 44% higher than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $369,605 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,693 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.1% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Cornelius is about 18.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,693 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Cornelius spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 186 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.4 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 44.7 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 186 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,778 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 28.1% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 14,899 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,039 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Cornelius is about the same as in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Cornelius has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.1% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.31 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Cornelius has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Cornelius | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.7 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 7.5% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.1% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Cornelius, NC Compared With Nearby Cities
How Cornelius, NC compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelius, NC | 23,004 | $104,023 #2/3 | $369,605 #1/3 | 22.4 min #2/3 |
| Huntersville, NC | 52,008 | $118,316 | $276,674 | 25.7 min |
| Mooresville, NC | 32,577 | $86,989 | $227,062 | 20.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Cornelius, North Carolina.
How big is Cornelius, North Carolina by population?
About 23,004 people live in Cornelius, North Carolina, in 9,951 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 42.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Cornelius, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Cornelius, North Carolina has 1,748 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 20 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Cornelius, North Carolina?
The median home costs 3.6 times the median household income ($369,605 against $104,023), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,693 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Cornelius, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Cornelius, North Carolina is only 1.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Cornelius, North Carolina have a college degree?
52.1% of adults in Cornelius, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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