Greater Charlotte | |
|---|---|
| Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC Metropolitan Statistical Area | |
 Uptown Charlotte Skyline | |
 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina South Carolina |
| Core city |  Charlotte |
| Principal cities | |
| Area | |
| 3,198 sq mi (8,280 km2) | |
| • Land | 3,149 sq mi (8,160 km2) |
| • Water | 49 sq mi (130 km2) |
| Elevation | 305–2,559 ft (93–780 m) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Metro | 2,805,115 (22nd) |
| • Metro density | 824.1/sq mi (318.2/km2) |
| • CSA | 3,387,115 (19th) |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $228.9 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip Codes | 280xx,281xx,282xx,286xx,297xx |
| Area codes | 704,803,839,828,980 |
TheCharlotte metropolitan area (also referred to informally asMetrolina and to a lesser extent asGreater Charlotte) is ametropolitan area of theU.S. states ofNorth andSouth Carolina, containing the city ofCharlotte, North Carolina. The metropolitan area also includes the cities ofGastonia,Concord,Huntersville, andRock Hill as well as the large suburban area in the counties surroundingMecklenburg County, which is at the center of the metro area. Located in thePiedmont, it is the largest metropolitan area in the Carolinas, and the fourth largest in theSoutheastern United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States.[2]
There are two official metropolitan boundaries for the Charlotte metropolitan area:Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SCMetropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)[3] andCharlotte–Concord, NC–SCCombined Statistical Area (CSA), the latter of which additionally includingHickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area (MSA) and threemicropolitan areas:Marion,Shelby andAlbemarle.[4]
The population of the MSA was 2,595,027[5] and the population of the CSA was 2,754,842 as of 2020 Census.[6] In 2023,[7] theOffice of Management and Budget (OMB) issued new revised delineations for Combined Statistical Areas that included a 2022 population estimate of 3,333,992 for the newCharlotte–Concord, NC–SC CSA (that now includes the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Marion, Albemarle and Shelby Micropolitan Statistical Areas). The metropolitan area is slightly larger than 3,000 square miles (7,800 km2). The new Combined Statistical Area definition is approximately 8,536 square miles (22,108 square km) in size.
The Charlotte metro area is a major financial center, transportation hub, and entertainment destination.Charlotte is the second largest financial hub in the United States behindNew York City, being the headquarters forBank of America andTruist Financial as well as housing the East Coast headquarters and largest employment hub ofWells Fargo. Other Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the metro area includeBrighthouse Financial,Duke Energy,Honeywell,Lowe's,Nucor,Sonic Automotive,Albemarle andCommScope in the Hickory area. The Charlotte metro area is the largest manufacturing region in the Carolinas. The estimatedgross metropolitan product (GMP) of the metro area is over $170 billion.[8] Located in Mecklenburg County,Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the seventh-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the city's location at the junction ofI-85 andI-77 makes it a highway logistics center.[citation needed] The Charlotte metro is also one of the centers of Americanauto racing and is home to theCarolina Panthers,Charlotte Hornets, andCharlotte FC.
The Charlotte metro is home to a number of prominent higher education institutions, including theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte,Queens University of Charlotte,Davidson College,Belmont Abbey College,Winthrop University and many more. The larger region is also home to respected institutions such asGardner-Webb University,Lenoir–Rhyne University,Wingate University, and the Hickory campus ofAppalachian State University. The primary community college for the area isCentral Piedmont Community College, which has several campuses throughout Charlotte and the surrounding region.
Charlotte's most common nickname is the Queen City, often abbreviated as Q.C., a name derived from the city's namesake,Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.[9][10][11]
The regional area around the city was at one time calledMetrolina, a portmanteau ofMetropolis andCarolina. The term has fallen out of widespread general use, though it still maintains a presence and is used by theNorth Carolina Department of Transportation. The term does retain a marketing value, and is thus also used by many businesses in the area. Metrolina refers to the region that includes the cities of Charlotte,Concord,Gastonia andRock Hill. The name Metrolina came into fashion when North Carolina's other two large metropolitan areas took on nicknames—theTriangle forRaleigh/Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill and theTriad forGreensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point. (The Triad now goes by the namePiedmont Triad to distinguish it from other tri-cities.)
The term "Charlotte USA" referred to the 16-county region, which includes 12 counties in North Carolina and 4 counties in South Carolina. The term was championed during a marketing campaign by the Charlotte Regional Partnership, a non-profit organization made up of both private- and public-sector members from throughout the Charlotte region. This organization represents one of seven officially designated economic development regions in North Carolina.[12]
Region F of theNorth Carolina Councils of Government, of which a majority of the Charlotte area municipalities and counties belong, uses the termCentralina in its body's name, Centralina Council of Governments. This term, however, is used only sparingly among locals.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 197,052 | — | |
| 1960 | 272,111 | 38.1% | |
| 1970 | 409,370 | 50.4% | |
| 1980 | 637,218 | 55.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,162,093 | 82.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,499,293 | 29.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,243,960 | 49.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,660,329 | 18.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] 1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15] 1990–2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[18] | |||
The official Charlotte metropolitan area includes theCharlotte–Concord–Gastonia MSA (Anson,Cabarrus,Gaston,Iredell,Lincoln,Mecklenburg,Rowan, andUnion counties in North Carolina; andChester,Lancaster andYork counties in South Carolina). The Charlotte CSA includes all the MSA counties along with twomicropolitan areas in North Carolina – Albemarle (Stanly County) and Shelby (Cleveland County). (Census Bureau definition for CSA)[19]
The Charlotte Regional Partnership also identifies three additional counties to what they refer to as the "Charlotte Region"—Alexander andCatawba counties in North Carolina, andChesterfield County, South Carolina. Catawba and Alexander counties are currently part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area or "the Unifour". Factoring in the Unifour, as well as Chesterfield County, if one considers these regions to be part of the Charlotte area, as many in the area regard them as such, the population according to 2018 Census estimates, increases to 3,190,390. If this population was officially used, the Charlotte Area would become the 20th largest CSA, overtaking theSt. Louis, Missouri area, and placing it behindPortland, Oregon.
| County[20] | 2022 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 1,145,392 | 1,115,482 | +2.68% | 523.84 sq mi (1,356.7 km2) | 2,187/sq mi (844/km2) |
| York County | 294,248 | 282,090 | +4.31% | 680.60 sq mi (1,762.7 km2) | 432/sq mi (167/km2) |
| Union County | 249,070 | 238,267 | +4.53% | 631.52 sq mi (1,635.6 km2) | 394/sq mi (152/km2) |
| Cabarrus County | 235,797 | 225,804 | +4.43% | 361.75 sq mi (936.9 km2) | 652/sq mi (252/km2) |
| Gaston County | 234,215 | 227,943 | +2.75% | 356.03 sq mi (922.1 km2) | 658/sq mi (254/km2) |
| Iredell County | 195,897 | 186,693 | +4.93% | 573.83 sq mi (1,486.2 km2) | 341/sq mi (132/km2) |
| Rowan County | 149,645 | 146,875 | +1.89% | 511.37 sq mi (1,324.4 km2) | 293/sq mi (113/km2) |
| Lancaster County | 104,577 | 96,016 | +8.92% | 549.16 sq mi (1,422.3 km2) | 190/sq mi (74/km2) |
| Lincoln County | 93,095 | 86,810 | +7.24% | 297.94 sq mi (771.7 km2) | 312/sq mi (121/km2) |
| Chester County | 31,931 | 32,294 | −1.12% | 580.66 sq mi (1,503.9 km2) | 55/sq mi (21/km2) |
| Anson County | 22,202 | 22,055 | +0.67% | 531.45 sq mi (1,376.4 km2) | 42/sq mi (16/km2) |
| Total | 2,756,069 | 2,660,329 | +3.60% | 5,598.15 sq mi (14,499.1 km2) | 492/sq mi (190/km2) |
| County | 2022 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | 163,462 | 160,609 | +1.78% | 401.40 sq mi (1,039.6 km2) | 407/sq mi (157/km2) |
| Cleveland County | 100,670 | 99,519 | +1.16% | 464.25 sq mi (1,202.4 km2) | 217/sq mi (84/km2) |
| Burke County | 87,881 | 87,573 | +0.35% | 514.24 sq mi (1,331.9 km2) | 171/sq mi (66/km2) |
| Caldwell County | 80,492 | 80,664 | −0.21% | 474.61 sq mi (1,229.2 km2) | 170/sq mi (65/km2) |
| Stanly County | 64,153 | 62,504 | +2.64% | 395.09 sq mi (1,023.3 km2) | 162/sq mi (63/km2) |
| McDowell County | 44,753 | 44,577 | +0.39% | 445.35 sq mi (1,153.5 km2) | 100/sq mi (39/km2) |
| Alexander County | 36,512 | 36,491 | +0.06% | 260.00 sq mi (673.4 km2) | 140/sq mi (54/km2) |
| Total for Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, McDowell and Stanly counties | 577,923 | 571,937 | +1.05% | 2,954.94 sq mi (7,653.3 km2) | 195/sq mi (75/km2) |
| Total for entire Charlotte CSA | 3,333,992 | 3,232,266 | +3.15% | 8,556.00 sq mi (22,159.9 km2) | 390/sq mi (150/km2) |
![21]
| Rank | City / Town | County | 2022 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Chapel | Union County | 9,040 | 8,681 | +4.14% |
| 2 | Lancaster | Lancaster County | 8,829 | 8,460 | +4.36% |
| 3 | York | York County | 8,648 | 8,503 | +1.71% |
| 4 | Conover | Catawba County | 8,571 | 8,424 | +1.75% |
| 5 | Marion | McDowell County | 7,492 | 7,711 | −2.84% |
| 6 | Clover | York County | 7,405 | 6,671 | +11.00% |
| 7 | Unionville | Union County | 6,875 | 6,643 | +3.49% |
| 8 | Marvin | Union County | 6,624 | 6,358 | +4.18% |
| 9 | Cherryville | Gaston County | 6,207 | 6,078 | +2.12% |
| 10 | Dallas | Gaston County | 6,084 | 5,927 | +2.65% |
| 11 | Bessemer City | Gaston County | 5,563 | 5,428 | +2.49% |
| 12 | Cramerton | Gaston County | 5,441 | 5,296 | +2.74% |
| 13 | Chester | Chester County | 5,187 | 5,269 | −1.56% |
| 14 | Long View | Catawba County | 5,172 | 5,088 | +1.65% |
| 15 | Sawmills | Caldwell County | 5,019 | 5,027 | −0.16% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Changes inhouse prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using theCase–Shiller index; the statistic is published byStandard & Poor's and is also a component of the S&P 20-citycomposite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.
TheCharlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the mass transit agency that operates local, express, bus rapid services that serves Charlotte and its immediate suburban communities in both North and South Carolina. CATS also operateslight rail andstreetcar lines. CATS is also building acommuter, light rail, streetcar network as a supplement to its established bus transit throughout the region. TheLYNX Blue Line runs from Interstate 485, throughSouthEnd,Uptown Charlotte, to theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte. Plans are for it to stretch initially to Mooresville, Pineville, and Matthews. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport will be connected to the system bylight rail.
Gastonia Transit,Concord Kannapolis Area Transit, My Ride Transit in Rock Hill, Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority in Hickory, Salisbury Transit, and Iredell Area Transit System in Iredell County also provide fixed route bus services within the Greater Charlotte metropolitan region as well.
The Charlotte region is also served by 2 major interstate highways (I-85 andI-77), and their 2 spurs (I-277, andI-485).I-40 also passes through the center of Iredell County and west through the Greater Hickory area, which is the northern region of the Charlotte Combined Statistical area. Other major freeways includeIndependence Boulevard (east Charlotte to I-277), a portion of US 321 between Hickory and Gastonia, andMonroe Connector / Bypass, each projected to cost over $1 billion per project.
Other important US highways in the region include:US 74 (east to Wilmington, west to Asheville and Chattanooga),US 52 (through the far eastern part of the region),U.S. Route 321 (through Chester, York, Gastonia, Dallas, Lincolnton and Hickory),US 601 (passing east of Charlotte) andUS 70 (through Salisbury, Statesville and Hickory).
Primary state routes includeNC/SC 49,NC 16 (which extends north toVirginia),NC 73,NC 150,NC 18,NC 24,NC 27,SC 9 andSC 5.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the main airport in the Charlotte area and the 6th busiest in the country by aircraft operations. In April 2007, Charlotte was the fastest growing airport in the US.[22] The airport went on to surpass its sisterUS Airways hub inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania as one of the 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic.[citation needed] CLT is also supplemented byConcord-Padgett Regional Airport with service provided byAllegiant Air to several destinations. In addition, there are numerous other general aviation airports in the region including theHickory Regional Airport (which is certified under 14 CFR Part 139 to host airline and unscheduled charter flights),Charlotte–Monroe Executive Airport,Rock Hill/York County Airport,Stanly County Airport,Lancaster County Airport,Mid-Carolina Regional Airport,Shelby–Cleveland County Regional Airport,Gastonia Municipal Airport,Lincolnton–Lincoln County Regional Airport,Foothills Regional Airport,Anson County Airport,Chester Catawba Regional Airport, Rutherford County Airport and the Statesville Regional Airport.
The foothills of theBlue Ridge Mountains begin along the western edge of the region; the descent (theFall Line) to thecoastal plain begins along the eastern edge. Amid this varied topography, theDaniel Stowe Botanical Garden and several state parks (Morrow Mountain, Crowders Mountain, South Mountains, Lake Norman, Landsford Canal, Andrew Jackson) offer recreational opportunities, along with theUwharrie National Forest just east and northeast ofAlbemarle, and theSumter National Forest at the southwest corner of the area.Kings Mountain National Military Park is partially located inYork County and inCherokee County nearBlacksburg, South Carolina.
Attractions in Charlotte includeCarowinds theme park,Discovery Place,Spirit Square,NASCAR Hall of Fame, theNorth Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Children's Theatre of Charlotte,Actor's Theatre of Charlotte,Carolina Actors Studio Theatre,Theatre Charlotte, theCharlotte Museum of History,Levine Museum of the New South, theMcGill Rose Garden, and theWing Haven Gardens. TheBechtler Museum of Modern Art and theMint Museum in Uptown Charlotte are expanding the art venues in Charlotte.
Other places of interest in the surrounding area include theSchiele Museum (in Gastonia),Charlotte Motor Speedway (in Concord), theCarolina Raptor Center (in Huntersville),Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (in Belmont),Latta Plantation (in Huntersville),Brattonsville Historic District (in McConnells), theNorth Carolina Transportation Museum (in Spencer),Fort Dobbs historical site (in Statesville),Catawba County Firefighters Museum (inConover), the Arts & Science Center of Catawba Valley/Millholland Planetarium (in Hickory) theMuseum of York County (in Rock Hill),James K. Polk historical site (in Pineville), theCatawba Cultural Center (in York County), theMuseum of the Waxhaws (in Waxhaw),Glencairn Gardens (in Rock Hill), and the Reed Gold Mine (in Locust).
ThePNC Music Pavilion is located in theUniversity City area of Charlotte. The performing arts amphitheatre has hosted many popular music concerts. TheU.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) is the world's premier outdoor recreation and environmental education center. Alongside mountain-biking and running trails, a climbing center, and challenge course, the park's unique feature is a multiple-channel, customized whitewater river for rafting and canoe/kayak enthusiasts of all abilities.
The USNWC is only 10 minutes from downtown Charlotte and provides roughly 400 acres (1.6 km2) of woodlands along the scenic Catawba River. Olympic-caliber athletes, weekend warriors and casual observers share this world-class sports and training center.
Inspired by the successfulPenrith Whitewater Stadium built for the 2000 Olympics and the stadium built for the 2004 Athens Games, the USNWC is the world's largest multi-channel recirculating whitewater river. The USOC has designated the USNWC an official Olympic Training Site.
SouthPark Mall is one of the Southern United States' most upscale malls, including stores such asLouis Vuitton,Tiffany & Co.,Burberry,Hermès,Neiman Marcus, andAmerican Girl. SouthPark mall is also the largest mall in the Carolinas and one of the most-profitable malls in the United States.
Other large regional-scaleShopping malls includeNorthlake Mall,Carolina Place Mall,Concord Mills,Charlotte Premium Outlets, Phillips Place (across from SouthPark),RiverGate,Westfield Eastridge,Rock Hill Galleria,Carolina Mall,Monroe Crossing Mall, Signal Hill Mall, andValley Hills Mall.
Concord Mills is unique in that it does not feature the typicalanchor stores found at other malls; it focuses more on attractingoutlet store tenants. The mall is visited by over 15 million annually.
Alongside enclosed malls and strip centers are several other shopping districts. Several downtowns can claim an abundance of shopping options, along with restaurants and other entertainment, and a few other specific districts have emerged:Central Avenue, especially in thePlaza-Midwood area; theNoDa area of North Charlotte; and theArboretum in southeast Charlotte (geographically, south), to offer a handful of examples. Several of these areas are at the center of the area's growing immigrant business communities.
.jpg)
The highly popularCharlotte Motor Speedway is the largest sports venue in the area. Other venues includeBank of America Stadium (home of theNFL'sCarolina Panthers andMLS'sCharlotte FC),Spectrum Center (home of theNBA'sCharlotte Hornets) andBojangles' Coliseum (home ofAmerican Hockey League'sCharlotte Checkers). TheCharlotte Eagles of theUnited Soccer Leagues and the Hickory FC of theNational Premier Soccer League call the area home,Truist Field (home of theCharlotte Knights, theTriple-A affiliate of theChicago White Sox), and theHickory Crawdads are a High-A Minor-League Baseball team and theKannapolis Cannon Ballers are a Low-A Minor-League Baseball team located in this region.
| Name | Industry | Based in | Number of employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Atrium Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | Charlotte | 35,700 |
| 2.Wells Fargo | Finance and Insurance | San Francisco | 26,000 |
| 3.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Educational Services | Mecklenburg County | 18,495 |
| 4.Walmart | Retail Trade | Bentonville, Arkansas | 16,100 |
| 5.Bank of America | Finance and Insurance | Charlotte | 15,000 |
| 6.Novant Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | Winston-Salem, NC | 12,172 |
| 7.American Airlines | Transportation and Warehousing | Dallas, Texas | 11,000 |
| 8.Lowe's | Retail Trade | Mooresville, North Carolina | 9,233 |
| 9.Food Lion | Retail Trade | Salisbury, North Carolina | 8,465 |
| 10.Harris Teeter | Retail Trade | Matthews, North Carolina | 8,239 |
| 11.Duke Energy | Utilities | Charlotte | 7,700 |
| 12.Government of North Carolina | Public Administration | Raleigh, North Carolina | 7,600 |
| 13.Compass Group | Manufacturing | Chertsey, England, UK | 7,500 |
| 14. City of Charlotte | Public Administration | Charlotte | 6,800 |
| 15. Mecklenburg County Government | Public Administration | Mecklenburg County | 5,512 |
| 16.Union County Public Schools | Educational Services | Union County | 5,427 |
| 17.U.S. Federal Government | Public Administration | Washington, D.C. | 5,300 |
| 18.YMCA of Greater Charlotte | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | Charlotte | 4,436 |
| 19. CaroMont Health | Healthcare | Gastonia, North Carolina | 4,223 |
| 20.AT&T Inc. | Utilities | Dallas, Texas | 4,100 |
Companies with headquarters in the region includeBank of America,Belk,BellSouth Telecommunications,Bojangles', TheCompass Group,Carolina Beverage Corporation Inc. (makers ofSun Drop andCheerwine),Duke Energy,Family Dollar,Food Lion,Harris Teeter,Lance, Inc,LendingTree,Lowe's,Meineke Car Care Centers,Muzak,Nucor,Chiquita Brands InternationalTransbotics,Royal & SunAlliance (USA),SPX Corporation,Time Warner Cable (a business unit of Fortune 500 company Time Warner), andWells Fargo.
Charlotte has gained fame as the second largest banking and finance center in the U.S., and the area's orientation towards emerging industries is seen in the success of the University Research Park (the 7th largest research park in the country) and the redevelopment of part of thePillowtex site in Kannapolis as a biotech research facility featuring the participation ofUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Duke University andNorth Carolina State University.
Reflections Studios in Charlotte played an important role in the emergent late-20th-century American musical underground –R.E.M.,Pylon,Let's Active,Don Dixon and Charlotte'sFetchin Bones (among many others) all recorded influential and acclaimed albums there. Charlotte-based Ripete and Surfside Records maintain important catalogs of regional soul and beach music, and the area has also played a role in the history of gospel, bluegrass and country music. The Milestone, one of the first punk clubs in the South, is located in west Charlotte, and in the past hosted legendary appearances from the likes of R.E.M.,Black Flag, Nirvana,The Minutemen,D.O.A.,Bad Brains, Charlotte'sAntiseen, and many others.
A majority of the municipalities and counties in the North Carolina parts of the Charlotte metropolitan area belong to the Centralina Regional Council. Cleveland County belongs to theIsothermal Planning and Development Commission and Alexander and Catawba counties belong to theWestern Piedmont Council of Governments.
Notable people from the Charlotte metro area include:
|  | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
