Cornelius, North Carolina
Cornelius is a town of 32,783 people in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, founded in 1893.
Why visit Cornelius
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 78 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cain Center For The Arts, Regal Cinemas, Chairman Blake House and Eumenean Hall.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 29°F.
Weather in Cornelius
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cornelius
Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb of Charlotte and part of its metropolitan area. The population was 31,412 at the 2020 census, up from 24,866 in 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Cornelius, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Cain Center For The Arts
Cinema and theater · 1.5 mi
21348 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius
Tu-Fr 10:00-16:00
Cannizzaro Sauces at The Davidson Farmers Market
Farm and orchard · 2.6 mi
120 South Main Street, Davidson
Sa 09:00-12:00
BizzyBee International
Farm and orchard · 2.6 mi
128 South Main Street, Davidson
Sa 09:00-12:00
Museums and landmarks12
Chairman Blake House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Davidson, NC, listed on the NRHP in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
318 Chairman Blake Lane, Davidson
Eumenean Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic college building in Davidson, North Carolina
Beaver Dam Plantation House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Davidson Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic district in Davidson, North Carolina
George Houston House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
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Philanthropic Hall, Davidson College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic university building in Davidson, North Carolina
Potts Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic farm in North Carolina, United States
Wood Lawn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
Lake Norman Co - North Harbor Marina
Marina and boat launch · 2.6 mi
Morningstar Marina - Peninsula Yacht Club
Marina and boat launch · 1.1 mi
Morningstar Marinas - Peninsula Yacht Club
Marina and boat launch · 3.1 mi
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes78
Bad Daddy's Burger Bar
Restaurant · Burger · 1.8 mi
8625-A Lindholm Drive, Huntersville
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
BaoBao - Dim Sum & Chinese
Restaurant · Chinese · 2.2 mi
9715 Sam Furr Road
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr 11:00-21:30; Sa 10:00-21:30; Su 10:00-21:00
Carrabba's Italian Grill
Restaurant · Italian · 2.3 mi
16408 Northcross Drive, Huntersville
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Famous Toastery
Restaurant · 2.7 mi
Breakfast. Lunch. Brunch. Catering Famously Fresh.
101 North Main Street, Davidson
Mo-Su 07:00-15:00
Habibi Lebanon
Restaurant · Lebanese · 2.4 mi
408 South Main Street
Mo-Th 11:00-14:30, 16:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-14:30, 16:00-21:00
Kobe Hero Japanese Steak and Sushi Bar
Restaurant · Sushi, Japanese · 0.6 mi
20465 Chartwell Center Drive, Cornelius
Mo-Th 16:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 16:00-22:30; Su 16:00-22:00
LongHorn Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 2.3 mi
16641 Statesville Road
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Maola's Pizzeria & Restaurant
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.5 mi
20129 North Main Street
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 12:00-20:00
Outback Steakhouse
Restaurant · American, Steak · 2.3 mi
16400 Northcross Drive, Huntersville
Mo-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr 16:00-23:00; Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Sangam Indian Cuisine
Restaurant · Indian · 1.2 mi
20910 Torrence Chapel Road
Mo-Th 11:30-14:30, 17:00-22:00; Sa 12:00-15:00, 17:00-22:30; Fr...
66 more on the map.
History
The Cornelius area has been settled since at least the 1750s. Potts Plantation was established near Cornelius in 1753. The town of Cornelius, the second youngest of Mecklenburg County's six incorporated towns, was founded in 1893, but not incorporated until March 4, 1905. The town's origin has been traced by many historians to a dispute over cotton weighing.
Cornelius has experienced explosive growth during the 2000s, swelling from under 2,600 in the 1990 census to over 31,000 in the 2020 census. The greatest percentage growth was 364% between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, but in absolute terms the population has nearly tripled from under 12,000 in 2000 to the low to mid 30,000s today.
Potts Plantation was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
From the History section of Cornelius, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Four Points by Sheraton Charlotte - Lake Norman
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
16508 Northcross Drive, Huntersville
Econo Lodge & Suites Lake Norman
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
20740 Torrence Chapel Road, Cornelius
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Huntersville-Birkdale
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
16905 Caldwell Creek Drive, Huntersville
Homewood Suites by Hilton Davidson
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cornelius/Lake Norman
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
20820 Torrence Chapel Road, Cornelius
Churches and places of worship10
Ramah Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
St. Alban's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 3.2 mi
301 Caldwell Lane, Davidson
Shopping21
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries24
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library - North County Regional
Library · 2.4 mi
16500 Holly Crest Lane, Huntersville
Healthcare9
Action Behavior Centers - ABA Therapy for Autism
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.0 mi
9710 Northcross Center Court, Huntersville
Novant Health Northlake Dermatology
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.4 mi
9604 Holly Point Drive, Huntersville
Map of Cornelius
221 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 31°F | 3.1 in | 1.3 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 38°F | 4.1 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 47°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 81°F | 56°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 65°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 69°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 67°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 37°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 32°F | 3.5 in | 0.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Concord (17 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Mecklenburg County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Concord Regional Airport (USA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Davidson 3 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Huntersville 5 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Westport 5 mi northwest, about 9 min by car
- Lake Norman of Iredell 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Mooresville 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Concord 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Charlotte 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Belmont 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Albemarle 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Winston-Salem 56 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ramsey Creek, Cornelius NC - panoramio, david28078, CC BY 3.0
- Ramsey Creek Cornelius NC - panoramio, david28078, CC BY 3.0
- Eumenean Hall Exterior, Davidson College, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beaver Dam House, Davidson, NC, RoxylovesHistory, CC BY-SA 4.0
- George Houston House, Cdtew at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Philanthropic Hall, Davidson College (Davidson, NC), Dacoslett, Public domain
- Lake Norman beach in Ramsey Creek Park, Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Norman in Ramsey Creek Park, Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lee Ko, A Way Coming Back, Atrium Health Lake Norman, Charlotte NC, Lee Ko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Running path near natural Park land Birkdale Village (5488721237), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Larger homes facing Natural Park Land Birkdale village (5488720773), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Walking the Grandkid Birkdale Village (5488720065), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Strolling with stroller Birkdale village (5488721375), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Sunset on Lake Norman, Andy Middleton, CC BY 2.0
- Wider Streetscape Birkedale Village (5489317714) (2), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Delivering the mail birkdale Village (5489315350), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Bungalow narrow streetscape Birkdale Village (5489316470), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Alley with utility setbacks Birkdale village (5489317522), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Apartment pod Birkdale Village (5489325002) (2), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Bungalows facing a park Birkdale village (5488719295), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Birkdale village Town Center Directory (5488718837) (2), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Town house streetscape Antiquity (6124619040), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Shutter Detail Antiquity (6124616660), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Manse Loop Anitquity blue sky (6124077371), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Economic speed bump Antiquity (6124075775), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Lawyers Lane Antiquity (6124075095), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Hiking trail antiquity (6124076657), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS055-E-59539 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS055-E-59538 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Davidson Town entrance ped (6124077965), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- House interrupted Davidson (6124620280), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Construction runoff Davidson (6124078615), Brett VA, CC BY 3.0
- Un attractive infill Davidson (6124078251), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Davidson Day School, Sunfishtommy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mainstreet shopping Davidson protrait (6124621184), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Chairman Blake House, Davidson College, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Compact car parking davidson (6124080135), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Mainstreet shopping Davidson (6124620836), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Commercial street Davidson (6124620552), Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
- Davidson Historic District around 1970, Davidson College, CC BY-SA 3.0
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