Confirming what so many already knew, Money Magazine named Indian Trail one of the Best Places to Live in the U.S. for 2021-2022. Coming in 15th out of 50 cities and towns across the country, Indian Trail was selected for its growth, economic opportunity, cost of living and quality of life.
Indian Trail’s feature and the other Best Places to Live can be found at https://money.com/collection/best-places-to-live-2021/5746561/indian-trail-north-carolina-2021/.
Money used several criteria to select its top 50 places. First, only cities and towns with populations between 25,000 and 500,000 were considered. It narrowed down that list to 1,300 locations by eliminating places where the crime risk is more than 1.5 times the national average; the median income is lower than its state's median; the population is declining; and where there is minimal ethnic diversity.
To select the final 50 places, Money then looked at 100 different metrics in nine categories, which include the cost of living, economic opportunity, diversity, education, fun/amenities, health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finances, and quality of life. In an effort to highlight places where people can afford to live, special emphasis was placed on the cost of living, economic opportunity and housing affordability.
Winners were also limited to three per state and one per county.
According to Money, Indian Trail’s population is 40,272, with a median household income of $86,030, a median home price of $298,414 and an unemployment rate of 4 percent. The Town is home to numerous public and private recreational amenities. It also provides residents and businesses with regional connectivity with its proximity to Charlotte, airports and major highways.
“Spend any amount of time in Indian Trail, and you can see why it was named one of the Best Places in the United States,” said Mayor Michael Alvarez. “As you can see by our growth, this is a place people want to be. We have safe, affordable neighborhoods, access to excellent K-12 schools and higher education, job opportunities, and provide many community activities for residents to enjoy. But what truly makes Indian Trail so great is its people. As a Town, we weathered the pandemic together, supporting each other when we needed it most. Visit any restaurant or business and you’ll find genuine people who care about their community. It doesn’t get any greater than that.”