CHARLOTTE MOVING GUIDE
READY… SET… MOVING… IN THE QUEEN CITY
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What to Know Before Moving to Charlotte:
Charlotte, North Carolina, nestled in Mecklenburg County, recently surpassed San Francisco to become the 15th largest city in the United States. Its growth rate is calculated as the fifth largest among all U.S. cities, only slightly behind Fort Worth and Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado. Its population boom of 16.6% is caused by North Carolina’s economy. “The Queen City”, as it is often called, is the cultural, economic, and transportation center of the Charlotte metropolitan area. This Charlotte metropolitan region comprises 16 counties with an estimated 2018 census of 2.7 million residents. It continues to draw new transplants with its impressive financial center infrastructure, its notable attractions, and its mild climate.
Find All You Need to Know About Moving to Charlotte
So you’re ready to move to the Queen City? We’ve created this resource to provide you with everything you need for your Charlotte move, right at your fingertips. Check out the links below for everything you need to know before, during, and after your move.
Great Places to Live in Charlotte:
Uptown – #1 Best Neighborhood to live in Charlotte
- Population 2,399
- Urban feel
- Median home value=$321,923
- Median rent=$1,463
- Median household income=$87,451
- 79% rent 21% own
- Bachelor’s degree 46%
- Families with children 7%
- Myers Park High School/Cato Middle College High School/Charlotte Engineering Early College/Randolph Middle School/Levine Middle College High School
First Ward – #2 Best Neighborhood to live in Charlotte
- Population 2, 537
- Urban feel
- Median Home Value= $215,792
- Median rent=$1,212
- Median household income=$50,806
- 92% rent 8% own
- Bachelor’s degree or higher 61%
- Families with children 13%
- Myers Park High School/Charlotte Lab School/Cato Middle College High School/Charlotte Engineering early College/Randolph Middle School
Dilworth – #3 Best Neighborhood to live in Charlotte
- Population 6,690
- Urban feel
- Median Home Value=$594,754
- Median rent=$1,411
- Median household income=$109,293
- 55% rent 45% own
- Bachelor’s degree or higher 80%
- Families with children 7%
- Myers Park High School/Cato Middle College High School/Randolph Middle School/Levine Middle College High School
Ballantyne West – #1 Best Neighborhood to raise a family in Charlotte
- Population 6,621
- Dense Suburban feel
- Median Home Value=$327,964
- Median rent=$1,621
- Median household income=$109,055
- 35% rent 65% own
- Bachelor’s degree or higher 62%
- Families with children 42%
- Ardrey Kell High School/Cato Middle College High School/South Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte Engineering Early College/Elon Park Elementary School
Sharon Woods – #5 Best Neighborhood to raise a family in Charlotte
- Population 3,968
- Dense Suburban feel
- Median home value=#321,789
- Median rent=$1,389
- Median household income=$96,179
- 38% rent 62% own
- Bachelor’s degree or higher 71%
- Families with children 33%
- Myers Park High School/Cato Middle College High School/South Mecklenburg High School/Charlotte Engineering Early College/Randolph Middle School
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Career & Industries in Charlotte:
One of the largest and most established markets in Charlotte is that of finance and banking. The corporate headquarters of Bank of America, Truist Financial, and Wells Fargo (the east operations), along with a few other financial institutions, have made Charlotte the second-largest banking center in America since 1995. It follows only New York City. The Truist Financial institution is a 2019 merger of BB&T and SunTrust. Seven Fortune 500 companies reside within the metropolitan area. In their ranking order they are Bank of America, Honeywell, Nucor, Lowe’s, Duke Energy, Sonic Automotive, and Brighthouse Financial.
Along with finance and banking, Charlotte offers a diverse collection of other businesses. Food industries include Harris Teeter, Snyder’s-Lance, Carolina Foods, Inc., Bojangles, Food Lion, Compass Group USA, and Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated. Belk, Cato Corporation, and Rack Room Shoes top the list for retail companies, and RSC Brands, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, Meineke Car Care Centers, and Carlisle Companies bring in revenue for the motor and transportation industry. Chemical company Albemarle Corporation and financial service institutions like Dixon Hughes Goodman bring more diversity to the ever growing economy.Powering many of these corporate companies is the Charlotte energy force. “Charlotte USA–The New Energy Capital” powers more than 240 companies. AREVA, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedmont Natural Gas, Siemens Energy, and several other energy-related businesses currently employ more than 26,400 people. The power market has seen an influx of 4,000 jobs since 2007.
Other top major industries in the Charlotte region are U.S. Motorsports, trucking and freight transportation, and construction. Several projects are underway as the Midtown Charlotte/Elizabeth area is being updated and remodeled. Giving credibility to the city’s growth and development, Forbes created a list of the 20 largest employers in Charlotte. If you are looking for a place to start a new career, an industry to continue your career, or a company to call your own, here are several promising options:
Healthcare
- Atrium Health 35,700 employees
- OrthoCarolina 936 employees
Educational Services
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 18,495 employees
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte 4,000 employees
- Central Piedmont Community College 2,700 employees
Finance and Insurance
- Bank of America 15,000 employees
Utilities - Duke Energy 7,900 employees
Public Administration
- City of Charlotte 6,800 employees
- Mecklenburg County Government 5,512 employees
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
- Carowinds 4,100 employees
- U.S. National Whitewater Center 1,000 employees
Retail Trade
- Belk 2,300 employees
- Hendrick Automotive Group 1,723 employees
Accomodation and Food Services
- Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits 1,892 employees
- Carolina Restaurant Group 1,866 employees
Manufacturing
- Sealed Air 1,400 employees
- Snyder’s-Lance 1,280 employees
- Coca-Cola Bottling Co. 1,210 employees
- Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Co. 1,200 employees
Professional Services
- AvidXChange Inc. 1,000 employees
Things To Do in Charlotte:
It’s not just home to NASCAR Hall of Fame, Carowinds, and BB&T ballpark, Charlotte offers a plethora of attraction options for filling your visiting itinerary.
The top of the list is the 150,000 sq. ft. NASCAR Hall of Fame. Along with memorabilia, artifacts, and interactive exhibits, the amazon venue holds a state of the art theater that seats 278 people.
Home to the Charlotte Knights, the BB&T baseball stadium is a popular attraction for families and baseball fanatics. An impressive skyline sets the backdrop for the Triple A international League minor league team.
Science is brought to life at Discovery Place. Children and parents alike will find an exhibit or show that is sure to pique interest in the natural or physical world.
Take your history knowledge to the skies at the Carolinas Aviation Museum. Climb in the civilian and military planes, explore the hangars that house these flying machines, or view the “Miracle on the Hudson”–the actual plane that landed on the Hudson River in 2009.
Carowinds is roller coaster fun for the whole family. “Thrill Capital of the Southeast” offers 13 world class roller coasters that will zip, flip, and dip you! Peanuts lovers will feel right at home in Planet Snoopy and Peanuts themed rides and attractions.
Take a stroll or bike ride on twenty miles of paved trails and walkways in the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. Pack a picnic to stay all day, or enjoy a 30 minutes respite from the business center of the state.
The Mint Museum is best known for the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, and many other wonderful collections. Its American and European culture are beautifully displayed in progressive exhibitions and impressive glass and wood artwork.
Put your flying skills to the test as you enjoy the DefyGravity Charlotte Trampoline Park. It includes within its 26,000 sq. ft. space wall to wall steel frame trampolines, angled wall trampolines, and a gigantic Olympic Foam Pit. Grab a team and compete in one of the largest Trampoline Dodgeball cages in North America.
Busy business weeks in the office are rewarded with time spent in the McDowell Nature Center and Preserve. The native animals, plentiful trails, kayak and canoe rentals, and outdoor amphitheater allow individuals and families to explore the outdoors.
Those that love interesting architecture will want to check out Metalmorphosis. This 23 ft. unique fountain is made of horizontal steel plates and forms a giant metal head. Simply sit back and watch the show or allow the kids to splash about in the refreshing water.
College Education in Charlotte:
College and master’s education are highly sought after, especially in the progressive economy in Charlotte. Here are several colleges and college characteristics in the Charlotte area. Information is according to niche.com.
Davidson College – ranked #1 in best colleges in Charlotte area and #2 in the best Christian colleges in America.
- 1,843 undergraduates
- Acceptance rate is 19%
- Popular majors are Political Science and Government, Economics, Biology.
- $26,565 a year
- 70% students receive financial aid
- No evening degree options
University of North Carolina Charlotte – ranked #2 in best colleges in Charlotte Area and #7 in top public universities in North Carolina
- 21,025 undergraduates
- Acceptance rate is 67%
- Popular majors are Psychology, Communications, and Computer Science
- $14,987 a year
- 74% receive financial aid
- Evening degree options
Winthrop University – #3 best colleges in Charlotte area and #5 in Top public universities in South Carolina
- 4,331 undergraduates
- Acceptance rate is 67%
- Popular majors are Business, Biology, and Psychology
- $17,903 a year
- 99% receive financial aid
- No evening degree options
Queens University of Charlotte – #4 best colleges in Charlotte area and #9 best value college in North Carolina
- 1,552 undergraduates
- Acceptance rate is 79%
- Popular majors are Nursing, Business, and Sports and Fitness Management
- $21,651 a year
- 100% receive financial aid
- Evening degree options
Sports in Charlotte:
Charlotte residents have many options for cheering when it comes to favorite teams. From the NASCAR race fans to the Carolina Panthers football fans, there is no lack for sporting events!
The Carolina Panthers, founded in 1995, represent Charlotte in the NFL and play their home games in the Bank of America Stadium located in Uptown Charlotte.
The Charlotte Hornets, founded in 1988, also play in Uptown Charlotte calling the Spectrum Center their home for NBA matches.
The Bank of America Stadium serves as the Charlotte MLS team home. This team is the most recent of Charlotte’s sporting teams, added in just 2019.
The Charlotte Knights keep the baseball crowds cheering in the BB&T Ballpark.
Although it is a southern city with warmer temperatures, Charlotte does have its own hockey team. The Charlotte Checkers are a part of the American Hockey League and play their home games in the Bojangles’ Coliseum>.
Indianapolis and Charlotte have a lot in common when it comes to Motorsports. Charlotte is considered one of the hubs of American motorsports with most NASCAR teams and several open wheel and sports car teams calling Charlotte and the area surrounding it home. Several speedways in the Charlotte region include Charlotte Motor Speedway and Metrolina Speedway.
Other unique sports interest venues are the many golf courses available. The PGA Tour stops in Charlotte once a year to participate in the Wells Fargo Championship played at the Quail Hollow Club.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center serves as an official United States Olympic Training site for the whitewater slalom racing. It has hosted the most Olympic team qualifying events.
Queens Cup Steeplechase, one of steeplechase horse racing’s major events is held at Brooklandwood in the nearby Union County of Mineral Springs. Held annually on the last Saturday of April, this program consists of several races and features a Jack Russell Terrier judging contest. Who knew!!!
Getting Around Town – Transportation in Charlotte:
Getting around the Charlotte city limits is quick and easy when you know these travel tips.
Traveling by rail offers you two options: LYNX Blue Light Rail or CityLYNX Gold Line. The Blue Light Rail is North Carolina’s first of its kind connecting South Charlotte to Center City. From Center City it continues on to NoDa and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Running weekdays every 7.5 minutes during rush hour and every 15 minutes during non-peak hours, residents are sure to catch a ride to their destination. Passes are available for purchase from your smartphone with CATSPass, Charlotte Area Transit System’s app.
CityLYNX Gold Line is a streetcar system running east to west connecting neighborhoods to businesses and education facilities. Popular stops along this line include Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Central Piedmont Community College, and the Charlotte Transportation Center. The Gold Line offers free commute every 15-20 minutes Monday-Thursday (6 a.m.-11 p.m.), Friday (6 a.m.-midnight), Saturday (8 a.m.-midnight), and Sunday (9 a.m.-7 p.m.).
The Charlotte Area Transit System Bus Service manages more than 70 local, express, and regional routes, totaling a whopping 25 million passenger trips annually. Routes are frequent and reasonably priced.
Sprinter Bus Services is a hybrid-electric bus that makes quick commutes from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Center City. Running every 20 minutes during the week and every 30 minutes on nights and weekends, the bus fare is just $2.20 each way.
Of course there are many taxi cab services that offer transportation around the city and community.
A healthier option to commuting is made effortless as Charlotte B-cycle has more than 20 bike docks. Swipe your credit card to rent a bike in 30- minute increments. LimeBike, Mobike, and Spin make transit convenient by offering dockless bike sharing. Riders opt to pick up and leave their bicycles in any legal spot. The wheels lock when they are not in use!
Travel the skies from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Not only does it offer domestic and international flights, it is also the primary airport for commercial and military use. Located conveniently just six miles from downtown, access from the terminal to the city sights is quick and easy.