Editing Cornelius, North Carolina (section)

==Geography==
Cornelius is located along [[Lake Norman]] in northern [[Mecklenburg County, North Carolina|Mecklenburg County]]. The town lies approximately {{convert|20|mi|-1}} north of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quick Facts {{!}} Cornelius, NC - Official Website |url=https://www.cornelius.org/322/Quick-Facts |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=www.cornelius.org}}</ref> at an elevation of {{convert|742|ft}}. It is bordered to the north and east by the town of [[Davidson, North Carolina|Davidson]] and to the south by the town of [[Huntersville, North Carolina|Huntersville]].

[[Interstate 77]] crosses the middle of the town, passing west of the original town center, and with access from Exit 28, Catawba Avenue. I-77 leads south {{convert|20|mi}} to Charlotte and north {{convert|22|mi}} to [[Statesville, North Carolina|Statesville]]. [[U.S. Route 21]] runs parallel to I-77 from Catawba Avenue to the south. [[North Carolina Highway 115]] passes through Cornelius as its Main Street, leading north {{Convert|1.5|mi|1}} to the center of Davidson and {{convert|8|mi|0}} to [[Mooresville, North Carolina|Mooresville]], and leading south {{convert|5|mi|0}} to the center of Huntersville.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|13.2|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|12.7|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|0.5|sqmi|1}}, or 3.53%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2024"/> While the western side of the town drains directly to Lake Norman, a large impoundment on the [[Catawba River]], the eastern side drains toward the [[Rocky River (North Carolina)|Rocky River]], a southeast-flowing tributary of the [[Pee Dee River]].