Charlotte NC vs Joliet IL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
Charlotte, NC
North Carolina · Population: 886,283
- Median HH Income$78,438
- Median Home Price$399,070
- Unemployment4.4%
- Bachelor's+47.4%
Joliet, IL
Illinois · Population: 149,785
- Median HH Income$88,026
- Median Home Price$264,637
- Unemployment5.8%
- Bachelor's+25.0%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Charlotte
886,283
Charlotte +
Joliet
149,785
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Charlotte
N/A
Joliet
N/A
Median Age
Charlotte
34.4
Charlotte +
Joliet
35.3
Foreign Born
Charlotte
18.1%
Charlotte +
Joliet
15.2%
White
Charlotte
41.5%
Joliet
52.7%
Joliet +
Black
Charlotte
34.1%
Charlotte +
Joliet
17.0%
Asian
Charlotte
6.3%
Charlotte +
Joliet
2.1%
Hispanic
Charlotte
17.0%
Joliet
34.7%
Joliet +
Spanish at Home
Charlotte
N/A
Joliet
N/A
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 886,283 | 149,785 | Charlotte + |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 35.3 | Charlotte + |
| Foreign Born | 18.1% | 15.2% | Charlotte + |
| White | 41.5% | 52.7% | Joliet + |
| Black | 34.1% | 17.0% | Charlotte + |
| Asian | 6.3% | 2.1% | Charlotte + |
| Hispanic | 17.0% | 34.7% | Joliet + |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Charlotte
$78,438
Joliet
$88,026
Joliet +
Per Capita Income
Charlotte
$49,991
Charlotte +
Joliet
$35,820
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Charlotte
$59,120
Joliet
$68,110
Joliet +
Unemployment Rate
Charlotte
4.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
5.8%
Poverty Rate
Charlotte
11.7%
Joliet
11.0%
Joliet +
Bachelor's Degree+
Charlotte
47.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
25.0%
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $78,438 | $88,026 | Joliet + |
| Per Capita Income | $49,991 | $35,820 | Charlotte + |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $59,120 | $68,110 | Joliet + |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 5.8% | Charlotte + |
| Poverty Rate | 11.7% | 11.0% | Joliet + |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 47.4% | 25.0% | Charlotte + |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Charlotte
$399,070
Joliet
$264,637
Joliet +
Homeownership Rate
Charlotte
51.5%
Joliet
73.1%
Joliet +
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $399,070 | $264,637 | Joliet + |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.5% | 73.1% | Joliet + |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Charlotte
398
Joliet
344
Joliet +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Charlotte
1999
Joliet
1842
Joliet +
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 398 | 344 | Joliet + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1999 | 1842 | Joliet + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Charlotte
30.1%
Charlotte +
Joliet
41.9%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Charlotte
10.1%
Charlotte +
Joliet
11.7%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Charlotte
16.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
17.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Charlotte
11.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
13.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Charlotte
15.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
19.1%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Charlotte
11.4%
Charlotte +
Joliet
14.0%
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 30.1% | 41.9% | Charlotte + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 10.1% | 11.7% | Charlotte + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 16.4% | 17.7% | Charlotte + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 11.4% | 13.9% | Charlotte + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 15.4% | 19.1% | Charlotte + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 11.4% | 14.0% | Charlotte + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Charlotte
59.9°F
Joliet
50.6°F
Joliet +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Charlotte
41.6 in
Joliet
36.8 in
Joliet +
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 59.9°F | 50.6°F | Joliet + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 41.6 in | 36.8 in | Joliet + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Charlotte
8.7 µg/m³
Charlotte +
Joliet
9.4 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Charlotte
75.0%
Charlotte +
Joliet
55.0%
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 8.7 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | Charlotte + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 55.0% | Charlotte + |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Charlotte
26.7 min
Charlotte +
Joliet
31.7 min
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Joliet, IL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 26.7 min | 31.7 min | Charlotte + |
Which City is Right for You?
Joliet leads in median household income at $88,026, while joliet offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $264,637. On public safety, Joliet is safer with a violent crime rate of 344 per 100,000 residents, compared to 398 in Charlotte. Charlotte has a lower unemployment rate at 4.4%, and Charlotte has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.7 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Charlotte scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.1%.
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