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Elon vs Wingate

93 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+85% in Elon) and trails (4× in Wingate).

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Elon, NCAn outdoors townNorth Carolina · 11,032 people
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Wingate, NCKnown for its schoolsNorth Carolina · 4,425 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Elon places higher on 13 of 19 NC lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Elon

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Elon$2,030/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $2,080/mo · Housing →
Wingate$1,860/mo
Typical home $322K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,123/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Elon and Wingate.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ElonWingate
Snow a year2″2″
January low—30°F
July high—91°F
Growing season (days)—213d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd39th
Outdoors & history
ElonWingate
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land3.4%3%
National Register places2—
Archive photos34
Community
ElonWingate
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

93 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Elon ↔ Wingate93 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ElonWingate
People
Population 11,032Highest 4,425Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +20.4%Highest NC: +9.5% +16.2%Lowest NC: +9.5%
Median age 21.2±0.5Lowest 46% below NC 21.8±0.9Highest 44% below NC
Wingate and Elon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 10.7%±2.7Lowest NC: 21.8% 17.2%±4.6Highest NC: 21.8%
Wingate and Elon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.2%±1.9Highest NC: 17.2% 7.6%±3.9Lowest NC: 17.2%
Elon and Wingate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 51.5%Highest NC: 35.7% 37.9%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 48.2%±2.9Highest NC: 6.4% 46.1%±5Lowest NC: 6.4%
Elon and Wingate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $84,773±$20kHighest 17% above NC $63,068±$22kLowest 13% below NC
Elon and Wingate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $366,300±$36kHighest 27% above NC $229,800±$15kLowest 20% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,080±$606Highest 69% above NC $1,123±$184Lowest 9% below NC
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,646Highest 40% above NC $1,438Lowest 24% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 74.8%±7.6Lowest NC: 48.9% 74.9%±10.8Highest NC: 48.9%
Wingate and Elon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20%Highest NC: 13% 17%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.1%Highest NC: 66.6% 60.9%Lowest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 6 yrs newer than NC 1987Lowest 4 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 23 minHighest 7% below NC
Work from home 12.3%±4.6Lowest NC: 16.3% 14%±5.9Highest NC: 16.3%
Wingate and Elon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.7%Highest 3.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 23.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.91Highest 0.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Burlington (22%)Monroe (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WingateFew work in Elon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.4%Highest 3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 82.2Highest 43.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #184 of 252 in NC#209 of 252 in NC
School district Alamance-Burlington SchoolsUnion County Public Schools
High school in town None in townNone in town
North Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Elon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elon’s Town Square.

Wingate neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wingate’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Elon and Wingate

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Elon

Towns like Elon

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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