Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb of Charlotte and part of its metropolitan area. The population was 31,412 at the 2020 census, up from 24,866 in 2010.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Cornelius ranks

All →

#5Lowest obesity in NC #9Most active in NC #10Healthiest in NC All NC rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code28031

Area code704

Living in Cornelius

Housing in Cornelius

$522K▲ 1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Cornelius home is worth about $522,000, up 1% in a year, 56% above the North Carolina typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market52

Sale-to-list97.6%

Sold in May65

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Cornelius

Safety Grade B

Cornelius reports less crime per resident than 63% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Cornelius 1.3

North Carolina 3.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Cornelius 9.5

North Carolina 18.1

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Cornelius

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Cornelius for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Charlotte (39%), Huntersville (7%) and Mooresville (5%). Half commute less than 17 miles.

Charlotte

39%

Huntersville

Mooresville

Davidson

10%Work in townlive and work in Cornelius 17 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 12,995Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Cornelius →

Health in Cornelius

A⁺

Health Grade A+

Healthier than 97% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with North Carolina

20better than NC·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 11 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▲ 1▼ 4 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 3▲ 4 close Mind 4▲ 1 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

6.5%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethNC 13.9% · better 7.4%Fewer adults facing food insecurityNC 15.2% · better 9.2%More adults who have had cancerNC 7.9% · worse

Care nearby

Novant Health Huntersville Medical CenterHuntersville · 4.7 mi · ER

Charlotte Community Health ClinicCharlotte · 12.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Cornelius · CMS · HRSAHealth in Cornelius →

Natural hazards in Cornelius

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 29% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes

5Does Cornelius flood?paid flood claims since 2013 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Cornelius MapCornelius vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Cornelius →

Climate in Cornelius

Full climate →

Cornelius has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

53° / 32°Winter

71° / 47°Spring

88° / 66°Summer

72° / 49°Fall

How much snow does Cornelius get?About 4 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 3, with the last in spring around Mar 30.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.2° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Cornelius →

Schools in Cornelius

All Cornelius schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Cornelius’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 53% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

#11Best public schoolsof 252 in NC

DistrictCharlotte-Mecklenburg SchoolsSchools6

J.V. Washam Elementary A-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 818 students Cornelius Elementary A-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 542 students Lakeside Charter Academy CElementary · Grades K–8 · 221 students Grace Covenant AcademyElementary · Grades PK–8 · 264 students Bailey Middle AMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 1,315 students William Amos Hough High A+High · Grades 9–12 · 2,518 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NC. Ratings are from neighbors.