Monroe, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Monroe, 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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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,543 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 778.3 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.16% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,788 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Monroe grew by 19.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 25,543 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Monroe is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.1% of residents. That is 1.3 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,912 23.1% +1.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,413 21.2% -0.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,115 20.0% -0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,539 13.9% -3.1 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 51.7% of the people living in Monroe and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 48.3% North Carolina 48.9%
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Economy
Monroe has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,238 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.71% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Monroe is about the same as in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $274,310 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,254 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Monroe is about 18.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,254 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Monroe spend about 51 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 212 hours, about 8.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.4 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 50.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 212 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,566 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,790 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,826 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Monroe is 25 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes 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
Monroe has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.87 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Monroe has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Monroe | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.8% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.1% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Monroe, NC Compared With Nearby Cities
How Monroe, NC compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, NC | 25,543 | $72,238 #2/2 | $274,310 #2/2 | 25.4 min #1/2 |
| Indian Trail, NC | 33,281 | $100,729 | $431,741 | 26.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Monroe, North Carolina.
How many people live in Monroe, North Carolina?
About 25,543 people live in Monroe, North Carolina, in 8,788 households of 2.9 people on average. The median age is 37.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Monroe, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Monroe, North Carolina has 778 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 9.0 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Monroe, North Carolina?
The median home costs 3.8 times the median household income ($274,310 against $72,238), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,254 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Monroe, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Monroe, North Carolina is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Monroe, North Carolina?
18.3% of adults in Monroe, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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