Population 3,500 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Car Town
Household size in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.51 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 2.68 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.77 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.55 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Car Town is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.50 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.5 | 36.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.4 | 38.2 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.0 | 36.9 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 39.4 | 38.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Car Town is 38.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Kannapolis as a whole looks much the same.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 12.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.1% | 12.5% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 14.4% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 11.8% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Car Town than nationally: 10.1%, against 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Car Town
Renters in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.3% | 33.0% | 30.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.1% | 37.6% | 33.4% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.9% | 37.2% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 33.6% | 34.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | +0.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Car Town rent their homes (41.4%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 37.7% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 13.3% | 10.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.5% | 8.6% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 12.0% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.1% of the housing in Car Town, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1974 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1975 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1978 | 1989 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1984 | 1994 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +10 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Car Town is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $582 | $712 | $875 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $705 | $832 | $966 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $803 | $896 | $1,127 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,248 | $1,350 | $1,552 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$666 | +$638 | +$678 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Car Town pays $1,248 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 35.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Car Town
Bachelor's degrees in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 15.0% | 30.6% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 17.7% | 32.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 19.8% | 35.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 27.3% | 40.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +12.2 pts | +10.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Car Town have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.5%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.9% | 79.3% | 85.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.9% | 82.4% | 87.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.2% | 85.1% | 89.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 89.6% | 90.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +15.7 pts | +10.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Car Town: 94.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Car Town
| Period | Car Town | Kannapolis | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 10.8% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 12.5% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 6.1% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.0 pts | −7.3 pts | −4.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Car Town is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Kannapolis overall (3.5%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Car Town compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car Town | 2.31 | 38.5 | 10.1% | 41.4% | 15.1% | 1950 | $1,248 | 16.5% | 94.6% | 4.8% |
| Skybrook | 3.24 | 42.7 | 4.3% | 14.2% | 9.6% | 2009 | $2,157 | 63.1% | 98.8% | 5.3% |
| Mount Pleasant Area | 2.89 | 40.6 | 8.8% | 14.3% | 13.8% | 1984 | $1,190 | 26.5% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Highland Creek | 2.28 | 40.1 | 9.4% | 39.0% | 6.4% | 2004 | $2,046 | 51.8% | 95.7% | 1.4% |
| Mallard Creek-Withrow Downs | 2.93 | 31.8 | 19.5% | 46.0% | 13.8% | 2008 | $1,814 | 39.8% | 97.5% | 4.3% |
| Harris-Houston | 2.15 | 29.8 | 12.7% | 67.9% | 6.5% | 2002 | $1,293 | 42.4% | 89.1% | 2.9% |
| University City North | 2.05 | 28.4 | 16.7% | 89.7% | 12.3% | 2002 | $1,588 | 50.5% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Davis Lake-Eastfield | 2.54 | 37.6 | 11.7% | 25.2% | 5.8% | 2005 | $1,540 | 52.0% | 96.7% | 1.5% |
| Prosperity Church Road | 2.41 | 38.1 | 13.8% | 51.3% | 10.3% | 1997 | $1,805 | 52.7% | 95.3% | 3.7% |
| University City South | 1.91 | 20.3 | 6.5% | 87.2% | 61.1% | 2001 | $1,074 | 49.6% | 81.8% | 20.3% |
| Back Creek Church Road | 2.28 | 32.0 | 12.3% | 59.9% | 13.4% | 2004 | $1,664 | 45.5% | 94.1% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Youngsville, Manchester, NH · Smith Dairy West, Lake Worth, FL · South Abbott, Buffalo, NY · Colonial Hills, Lincoln, NE · Marquette, Muskegon, MI · Sharon Heights, Menlo Park, CA · Konnoak, Winston-Salem, NC · McGilvra, Mercer Island, WA · Glennon Heights, Lakewood, CO · Brookwood, Acworth, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Car Town. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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