Chicago vs Charlotte
A side-by-side comparison of Chicago, Illinois and Charlotte, North Carolina — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  ChicagoIllinois, United States |  CharlotteNorth Carolina, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | Illinois | North Carolina |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 41.837, -87.685 | 35.209, -80.831 |
| Elevation | 178 m | 229 m |
| Timezone | — | Eastern Time Zone |
| Founded | — | 1768 |
| Nickname | — | Hornet's Nest |
| Size | ||
| Population | 2,721,326 | 943,474 |
| Land area | 227.7 mi² | 310.8 mi² |
| Water area | 6.8 mi² | 2.0 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 11,949 | 3,036 |
| Housing units | 1,282,248 | 415,975 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 35.9 | 34.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36.5% | 39.8% |
| Black or African American | 26.3% | 32.7% |
| Asian | 7.8% | 6.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.2% | 18.4% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $80,613 | $86,416 |
| Median home value | $341,200 | $431,900 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 46.4% | 49.4% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 11.9% |
| Unemployment | 7.3% | 4.3% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 59°F | 72°F |
| Avg low temp | 45°F | 54°F |
| Annual precipitation | 45.7 in | 44.6 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 55.0% | 64.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,403 | 1,632 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 111 | 61 |
| Air quality category | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 29.1 | 10.4 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 29.5 | 11.1 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 126.0 | 69.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 4.7 | 7.7 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 2,935,043 | 646,088 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 6 | 2 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 3.8 | 2.6 |
| Active weather alerts | 2 | 1 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 32.9% | 30.1% |
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 10.7% |
| Smoking | 12.1% | 11.4% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 711 | 155 |
| Elementary schools | 487 | 97 |
| Middle schools | 35 | 21 |
| High schools | 166 | 27 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Mayor / leader | — | Vi Lyles |
| Official website | — | https://www.charlottenc.gov/ |
| Sister cities | — | 9 |
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 16 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 4 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 8,687 | 63,561 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S. Wikipedia | Charlotte is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. With a population of 874,579 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., seventh-most populous city in the South, and second-most populous city in the Southeast. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.88 million residents, is the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an 18-county combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3.47 million as of 2024. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. Wikipedia |
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