Methodology

How the numbers get on the page.

Real-estate figures

Median prices, days-on-market, and price-per-square-foot are aggregated quarterly from Canopy MLS for the relevant ZIP codes (28173 for Waxhaw/Marvin, 28104 for Weddington). Builder bid and lot-cost figures reflect rolling conversations with three to five active custom-home builders in the corridor.

School data

School Performance Grades come from the NC Department of Public Instruction's annual School Report Cards (most recent: 2024–25). Comparative rankings reference Niche.com 2025. ACT scores and AP course counts come from each school's published profile and the UCPS program-of-studies.

Commute times

Drive-time figures are Google Maps off-peak baselines, validated against Charlotte Department of Transportation data and corridor sampling. Airport route lists come from American Airlines' published Charlotte Douglas (CLT) destinations map.

Demographic & population figures

Population estimates use the most recent NC State Demographer release, supplemented by US Census ACS 5-year estimates. Median household income figures use the same ACS source.

Business listings

Restaurants, shops, and service providers are vetted against current Google Business Profiles and direct outreach. We remove listings within 30 days of confirming a closure.

Update cadence

Each guide carries a per-page "Updated" date that reflects the last substantive editorial revision — not a cosmetic edit. Real-estate and school pages are reviewed quarterly; lifestyle guides annually.