Sherrill's Inn, Lake Lure, U.S. Route 74
Fairview’s story
25 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,830 in 1990, 3,463 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 2001Fairview is settled
FairviewNC
A town of 3,805, settled in 2001. Public schools that outperform most of North Carolina.
Population
3,805
2025 Census estimate · +10% since 2020
Typical home
$482K
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
39.7
years
Jobs based here
663
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#18 of 286 in NC
Is Fairview a good place to live?
Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 97% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades A−, 18th of 286 graded towns in North Carolina. The median household earns $99K and its public schools beat 84% of North Carolina towns on state tests and graduation. On civic life, just 18 of North Carolina’s 331 towns do worse. 1.8% of residents live below the poverty line in Fairview, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
What makes Fairview stand out
Where Fairview beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Fairview for work
Where Fairview’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
663jobs based in Fairview
4%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Fairview grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Fairview is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for jobs and income (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D− for walkability (better than 3%), so the A− overall blends very different results.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.9 of 20; 1.9% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Jobs & income663 jobs based hereA+Open →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →HealthNovant Health Mint Hill Medical Center 8.5 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 1% conserved landC−Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market221 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.7; 31% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 28 attractions →Bank of America Stadium and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Fairview. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi Stadium & arenaBank of America Stadium
24 mi Theme parkCarowinds
32 mi LakeLake Norman23 mi MuseumSullenberger Aviation Museum70K visitors a year
16 mi Stadium & arenaBojangles Coliseum16 mi TheatreTruliant AmphitheaterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Bank of America Stadium: HangingCurve, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Carowinds: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Norman: Prince Grobhelm, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bojangles Coliseum: James Willamor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fairview: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fairview, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric Membership13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUnion County Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fairview’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereUnion County Board of ElectionsUnion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP codes28079, 28110, 2810728079 59% · 28110 38% · 28107 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fairview.
SchoolsA−
Fairview earns an A− for schools
Its A− ranks #3 of the 290 North Carolina towns we grade for schools.
Its public schools are run by the Union County Public Schools. Its one school is below.
84%of NC districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 394 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B
Homes in Fairview are worth about $482K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Fairview home is worth about $482,000, up 2.6% in a year, 45% above the North Carolina typical home. 91% of Fairview households own their home.
$482KZillow home value
| Fairview | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,141 a month | $1,084 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Fairview$482K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
221
days on market
99.2%
sale-to-list price
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Fairview has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Fairview for work: only 4% work in town. The average trip to work in Fairview is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Charlotte (31%), Monroe (12%) and Indian Trail (4%).
4%work in town
| Fairview | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Fairview4%
Charlotte31%
Monroe12%
Indian Trail4%
Mint Hill3%
16 mi
median commute distance
663
jobs based in Fairview
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 3% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Fairview is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Fairview beats the North Carolina average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Fairview.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Fairview | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 25% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
7 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Fairview | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10% | 15.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.1% | 12.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 7.9% |
Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center
8.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
66th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Fairview, expect mild winters and hot summers
Fairview has mild winters and warm summers. Fairview’s July high is 91°F.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–55°
Spring48–73°
Summer68–89°
Fall50–73°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Fairview
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 2015, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fairview.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
3
paid flood claims since 2015
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than North Carolina overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (23% statewide). Fairview has grown 10% since 2020, to 3,805 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 32% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across North Carolina.
39.7median age · NC 39.1
| Fairview | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 29% | 29% |
FairviewNorth CarolinaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school31%
Some college15%
Associate’s18%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.5 points. Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Fairview | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.8% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.7% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.6% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.3% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.1% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.7% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 17.6% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.5% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,800, single groups can be off by several points
#164for trails in NC
| Fairview | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
1.4%
conserved · 276 of 19,320 acres
3.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fairview Park | 0.1 mi | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fairview
18pages on Fairview
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Fairview
Charlotte Christian College and Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Charlotte12 mi$12,858 tuitionWingate UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Wingate12.6 mi$41,636 tuition
About 9 of every 100 Fairview residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
About Fairview
Town in North Carolina, United States
Fairview is a town in Union County, North Carolina, United States. The town incorporated in 2001. The population was 3,463 at the 2020 census. Fairview has one elementary school, one service station, a volunteer fire department, a small chain dollar store, and a community park.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 2001
- Area
- 30 sq mi
Fairview’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Fairview.
Indian TrailUnionvilleFairview
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview | #18 | A− | B | — | A− | B+ |
| Indian Trail | #31 | B+ | C | — | A− | A− |
| Unionville | #22 | A− | A− | — | A− | B+ |
Fairview, Indian Trail and Unionville report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Fairview with a neighbor →
Questions about Fairview
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fairview, NC a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Fairview grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #18 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Fairview, NC expensive?
That is 5.8 years of the area's median household income ($83,304 across the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.