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.

Safety

–WingateNot graded AElonSafer than 88% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−WingateBetter than 81% of districts in the state CElonBetter than 32% of districts in the state

Health

B+WingateHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns AElonHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns

6Wingate

13Elon

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #14#245 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #40#248 Lowest property taxCost of living · 297 towns #76#241 Most walkableOutdoors · 297 towns #189#27 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 296 towns #210#62 Cheapest rentCost of living · 284 towns #158#277 Most activeHealth · 296 towns #134#21 Most affordableCost of living · 297 towns #111#216

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Wingate’s rankings →

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.

Down paymentRate%

Wingate$1,860/mo

Typical home $322K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,123/mo · Housing →

Elon$2,030/mo

Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $2,080/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

WingateElon

Snow a year2″2″

January low30°F —

July high91°F —

Growing season (days)213d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th 43rd

Outdoors & history

WingateElon

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land3%3.4%

National Register places—2

Archive photos4 3

Community

WingateElon

Colleges in town1 1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

WingateNC ElonNC

Wingate ↔ Elon93 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.

Only big differences vs North Carolina average

WingateElon

People

Population 4,425Lowest 11,032Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +16.2%Lowest NC: +9.5% +20.4%Highest NC: +9.5%

Median age 21.8±0.9Highest 44% below NC 21.2±0.5Lowest 46% 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 17.2%±4.6Highest NC: 21.8% 10.7%±2.7Lowest 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+ 7.6%±3.9Lowest NC: 17.2% 13.2%±1.9Highest 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+ 37.9%Lowest NC: 35.7% 51.5%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 46.1%±5Lowest NC: 6.4% 48.2%±2.9Highest 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 $63,068±$22kLowest 13% below NC $84,773±$20kHighest 17% above 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 $229,800±$15kLowest 20% below NC $366,300±$36kHighest 27% above NC

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,123±$184Lowest 9% below NC $2,080±$606Highest 69% above NC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,438Lowest 24% below NC $2,646Highest 40% above NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 74.9%±10.8Highest NC: 48.9% 74.8%±7.6Lowest 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 17%Lowest NC: 13% 20%Highest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.9%Lowest NC: 66.6% 70.1%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1987Lowest 4 yrs older than NC 1997Highest 6 yrs newer than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 7% below NC 20 minLowest 20% below NC

Work from home 14%±5.9Highest NC: 16.3% 12.3%±4.6Lowest 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 3.4%Lowest 6.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miHighest 19.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.76Lowest 0.91Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Monroe (23%)Burlington (22%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ElonFew work in Wingate

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 3.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.4Lowest 82.2Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #209 of 252 in NC #184 of 252 in NC

School district Union County Public SchoolsAlamance-Burlington 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.

Wingate neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wingate’s Town Square.

Elon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elon’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wingate and Elon

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

Towns like Wingate

+ Compare

Murfreesboro3,170 people · $159K homes

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Mars Hill3,025 people · $295K homes

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Boiling Springs4,757 people · $265K homes

+ Compare

Richlands2,335 people · $249K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks North Carolina towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Wingate vs Elon

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Elon places higher on 13 of 19 NC lists

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Elon

What daily life feels like in each

93 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Wingate and Elon

Towns like Wingate

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