Charlotte metropolitan area

"Metrolina" redirects here. For other uses, see Metrolina (disambiguation).

Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States

Charlotte metropolitan area

Metropolitan Statistical Area

Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC
Metropolitan Statistical Area

Uptown Charlotte Skyline

Map of Charlotte–Concord, NC CSA

City of Charlotte

Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC MSA

Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC MSA

Shelby–Kings Mountain, NC µSA

Albemarle, NC µSA

Marion, NC µSA

Country|  United States
State|  North Carolina
South Carolina
Core city|  Charlotte
Principal cities|

\- Concord
\- Gastonia
\- Rock Hill
\- Huntersville
\- Kannapolis
\- Mooresville
\- Hickory
\- Indian Trail
\- Monroe
\- Salisbury

Area

• Metropolitan Statistical Area| 3,198 sq mi (8,280 km2)
• Land| 3,149 sq mi (8,160 km2)
• Water| 49 sq mi (130 km2)
Elevation

| 305–2,560 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

[1]

• MSA| $228.9 billion (2022)
Time zone| UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip Codes|

280xx,281xx,282xx,286xx,297xx

Area code(s)| 704, 803,828,980

The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, containing the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastonia, Concord, Huntersville, and Rock Hill as well as the large suburban area in the counties surrounding Mecklenburg County, which is at the center of the metro area. Located in the Piedmont, it is the largest metropolitan area in the Carolinas, and the fourth largest in the Southeastern 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: the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)[3] and the Charlotte–Concord, NC–SC Combined Statistical Area (CSA).[4] The two regions are identical except for the addition to the Charlotte-Concord CSA of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area (MSA) and three micropolitan areas, Marion, Shelby and Albemarle, that are not included in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia MSA. 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] the Office 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 new Charlotte–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 behind New York City, being the headquarters for Bank of America and Truist Financial as well as housing the East Coast headquarters and largest employment hub of Wells Fargo. Other Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the metro area include Brighthouse Financial, Duke Energy, Honeywell, Lowe's, Nucor, Sonic Automotive, Albemarle and CommScope in the Hickory area. The Charlotte metro area is the largest manufacturing region in the Carolinas. The estimated gross 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 of I-85 and I-77 makes it a highway logistics center. The Charlotte metro is also one of the centers of American auto racing and is home to the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, and Charlotte FC.

The Charlotte metro is home to a number of prominent higher education institutions, including the University 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 as Gardner-Webb University, Lenoir–Rhyne University, Wingate University, and the Hickory campus of Appalachian State University. The primary community college for the area is Central Piedmont Community College, which has several campuses throughout Charlotte and the surrounding region.

## Nickname

[edit]

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.[citation needed]

### Regional identity

[edit]

The regional area around the city was at one time called Metrolina, a portmanteau of Metropolis and Carolina. The term has fallen out of widespread general use, though it still maintains a presence and is used by the North 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 and Rock Hill. The name Metrolina came into fashion when North Carolina's other two large metropolitan areas took on nicknames—the Triangle for Raleigh/Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill and the Triad for Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point. (The Triad now goes by the name Piedmont 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.[9]

Region J of the North Carolina Councils of Government, of which a majority of the Charlotte area municipalities and counties belong, uses the term Centralina in its body's name, Centralina Council of Governments. This term, however, is used only sparingly among locals.

## Geography

[edit]

Historical populations 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[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[15]

### Counties

[edit]

The official Charlotte metropolitan area includes the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia MSA (Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union counties in North Carolina; Chester, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina). The Charlotte CSA includes all the MSA counties along with the following micropolitan areas in North Carolina: Albemarle (Stanly County) and Shelby (Cleveland County). (Census Bureau definition for CSA)[16]

The Charlotte Regional Partnership also identifies three additional counties to what they refer to as the "Charlotte Region"—Alexander and Catawba counties in North Carolina, and Chesterfield 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 the St. Louis, Missouri area, and placing it behind Portland, Oregon.

County[17] | 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)

Additional Counties Included in Combined Statistical Area[17]

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)

### Largest cities and towns

[edit]

Rank  | City / town[17] | County  | 2022 Estimate  | 2020 Census  | Change

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Charlotte | Mecklenburg County | 897,720  | 874,579  | +2.65%
2  | Concord | Cabarrus County | 109,896  | 105,240  | +4.42%
3  | Gastonia | Gaston County | 82,653  | 80,411  | +2.79%
4  | Rock Hill | York County | 75,349  | 74,372  | +1.31%
5  | Huntersville | Mecklenburg County | 63,035  | 61,376  | +2.70%
6  | Kannapolis | Cabarrus County / Rowan County | 55,448  | 53,114  | +4.39%
7  | Mooresville | Iredell County | 52,656  | 50,193  | +4.91%
8  | Hickory | Catawba County | 44,084  | 43,491  | +1.36%
9  | Indian Trail | Union County | 41,724  | 39,997  | +4.32%
10  | Monroe | Union County | 36,018  | 34,562  | +4.21%
11  | Salisbury | Rowan County | 35,808  | 35,540  | +0.75%
12  | Cornelius | Mecklenburg County | 32,294  | 31,412  | +2.81%
13  | Fort Mill | York County | 30,940  | 24,521  | +26.18%
14  | Matthews | Mecklenburg County / Union County | 30,124  | 29,435  | +2.34%
15  | Statesville | Iredell County | 29,681  | 28,419  | +4.44%
16  | Mint Hill | Mecklenburg County / Union County | 27,143  | 26,450  | +2.62%
17  | Waxhaw | Union County | 22,533  | 20,534  | +9.74%
18  | Shelby | Cleveland County | 21,855  | 21,913  | −0.26%
19  | Harrisburg | Cabarrus County | 19,822  | 18,967  | +4.51%
20  | Mount Holly | Gaston County | 18,255  | 17,703  | +3.12%
21  | Lenoir | Caldwell County | 18,170  | 17,703  | +2.64%
22  | Morganton | Burke County | 17,602  | 17,473  | +0.74%
23  | Stallings | Union County / Mecklenburg County | 16,768  | 16,112  | +4.07%
24  | Albemarle | Stanly County | 16,766  | 16,422  | +2.09%
25  | Davidson | Mecklenburg County / Iredell County | 15,771  | 15,106  | +4.40%
26  | Belmont | Gaston County | 15,353  | 15,010  | +2.29%
27  | Weddington | Mecklenburg County / Union County | 13,717  | 13,181  | +4.07%
28  | Tega Cay | York County | 13,689  | 12,832  | +6.68%
29  | Newton | Catawba County | 13,337  | 13,146  | +1.45%
30  | Lincolnton | Lincoln County | 11,818  | 11,091  | +6.55%
31  | Kings Mountain | Cleveland County / Gaston County | 11,638  | 11,142  | +4.45%
32  | Pineville | Mecklenburg County | 10,886  | 10,602  | +2.68%

### Cities and Towns: 5,000 to 10,000 in Population

[edit]

Rank  | City / Town  | County  | 2022 Estimate  | 2020 Census  | Change

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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%

### Suburban towns and cities under 5,000 in population

[edit]

* Badin, Stanly
* Belwood, Cleveland
* Boiling Springs, Cleveland
* China Grove, Rowan
* Cleveland, Rowan
* Earl, Cleveland
* East Spencer, Rowan
* Fairview, Union
* Faith, Rowan
* Fallston, Cleveland
* Fort Lawn, Chester
* Granite Quarry, Rowan
* Great Falls, Chester
* Grover, Cleveland
* Harmony, Iredell

* Heath Springs, Lancaster
* Hemby Bridge, Union
* Hickory Grove, York
* High Shoals, Gaston
* Kershaw, Lancaster
* Kingstown, Cleveland
* Lake Park, Union
* Lake Wylie, York
* Landis, Rowan
* Lattimore, Cleveland
* Lawndale, Cleveland
* Locust, Stanly & Cabarrus
* Love Valley, Iredell
* Lowell, Gaston
* Lowrys, Chester

* Marshville, Union
* McAdenville, Gaston
* McConnells, York
* Midland, Cabarrus
* Mineral Springs, Union
* Misenheimer, Stanly
* Mooresboro, Cleveland
* Mount Pleasant, Cabarrus
* New London, Stanly
* Norwood, Stanly
* Oakboro, Stanly
* Patterson Springs, Cleveland
* Polkville, Cleveland
* Ranlo, Gaston

* Richburg, Chester
* Richfield, Stanly
* Rockwell, Rowan
* Sharon, York
* Smyrna, York
* Spencer, Rowan
* Spencer Mountain, Gaston
* Stanfield, Stanly
* Stanley, Gaston
* Troutman, Iredell
* Waco, Cleveland
* Wingate, Union

|
|
|

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Boger City, Lincoln
* Denver, Lincoln
* Elgin, Lancaster
* Enochville, Rowan
* Eureka Mill, Chester

* Frog Pond, Stanly
* Gayle Mill, Chester
* India Hook, York
* Indian Land, Lancaster
* Irwin, Lancaster

* JAARS Union
* Lancaster Mill, Lancaster
* Lesslie, York
* Light Oak, Cleveland
* Lowesville, Lincoln

* Newport, York
* Riverview, York
* South Gastonia, Gaston
* Westport, Lincoln

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|

Changes in house prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of the S&P 20-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.

## Transportation

[edit]

### Mass transit

[edit]

The Charlotte 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 operates light rail and streetcar lines. CATS is also building a commuter, light rail, streetcar network as a supplement to its established bus transit throughout the region. The LYNX Blue Line runs from Interstate 485, through SouthEnd, Uptown Charlotte, to the University 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 by light 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.

### Roads

[edit]

The Charlotte region is also served by 2 major interstate highways (I-85 and I-77), and their 2 spurs (I-277, and I-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 include Independence Boulevard (east Charlotte to I-277), a portion of US 321 between Hickory and Gastonia, and Monroe 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) and US 70 (through Salisbury, Statesville and Hickory).

Primary state routes include NC/SC 49, NC 16 (which extends north to West Virginia), NC 73, NC 150, NC 18, NC 24, NC 27, SC 9 and SC 5.

### Air

[edit]

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.[18] The airport went on to surpass its sister US Airways hub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as one of the 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic.[citation needed] CLT is also supplemented by Concord-Padgett Regional Airport with service provided by Allegiant Air to several destinations. In addition, there are numerous other general aviation airports in the region including the Hickory 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.

## Higher education

[edit]

### Four-year institutions

[edit]

North Carolina

* Barber–Scotia College
* Belmont Abbey College
* Carolinas College of Health Sciences
* Catawba College
* Davidson College
* Elon University School of Law, Charlotte Campus
* Gardner–Webb University
* Appalachian State University, Hickory Campus
* Johnson & Wales University
* Johnson C. Smith University

* Lenoir-Rhyne University
* Livingstone College
* Montreat College
* Pfeiffer University
* Queens University of Charlotte
* Strayer University
* University of North Carolina at Charlotte
* Wake Forest University - Charlotte Center - MBA
* Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte Campus
* Wingate University

|

South Carolina

* Clinton College
* Winthrop University
* University of South Carolina-Lancaster

### Two-year institutions

[edit]

North Carolina

* Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
* Catawba Valley Community College
* Central Piedmont Community College
* Cleveland Community College
* Gaston College
* McDowell Technical Community College

* Mitchell Community College
* Rowan–Cabarrus Community College
* South Piedmont Community College
* Stanly Community College
* Western Piedmont Community College

|

South Carolina

* York Technical College

### Defunct institutions

[edit]

* Charlotte School of Law (2006–2017, private for-profit law school)
* King's College (1901–2018, private for-profit two-year college)

## Healthcare

[edit]

* Hospitals of the Atrium Health system
* Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte)
* Levine Children's Hospital (Charlotte)
* Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy (Charlotte)
* Atrium Health Cabarrus (Concord)
* Atrium Health Pineville (Pineville)
* Atrium Health University City (Charlotte)
* Atrium Health Union (Monroe)
* Atrium Health Cleveland (Shelby)
* Atrium Health Lincoln (Lincolnton)
* Atrium Health Kings Mountain (Kings Mountain)
* Atrium Health Stanly (Albemarle)
* Hospitals of the Novant Health system
* Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center (Charlotte)
* Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital (Charlotte)
* Novant Health Rowan Medical Center (Salisbury)
* Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital (Charlotte)
* Novant Health Matthews Medical Center (Matthews)
* Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center (Mint Hill)
* Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center (Huntersville)
* Other hospitals
* CaroMonth Regional Medical Center (Gastonia)
* Iredell Memorial Hospital (Statesville)
* Lake Norman Regional Medical Center (Mooresville)
* W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center (Salisbury)
* Duke Lifepoint Frye Regional Medical Center (Hickory)
* Catawba Valley Medical Center (Hickory)
* UNC Health Blue Ridge (Morganton)
* Broughton Hospital (Morganton)
* UNC Health Caldwell (Lenoir)
* Mission Hospital McDowell (Marion)
* Piedmont Medical Center (Rock Hill)
* Piedmont Medical Center (Fort Mill)
* Medical University of South Carolina Health - Lancaster Medical Center (Lancaster)
* Medical University of South Carolina Health - Chester Medical Center (Chester)

## Attractions

[edit]

### Nature and geography

[edit]

The foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains begin along the western edge of the region; the descent (the Fall Line) to the coastal plain begins along the eastern edge. Amid this varied topography, the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden and several state parks (Morrow Mountain, Crowders Mountain, South Mountains, Lake Norman, Landsford Canal, Andrew Jackson) offer recreational opportunities, along with the Uwharrie National Forest just east and northeast of Albemarle, and the Sumter National Forest at the southwest corner of the area. Kings Mountain National Military Park is partially located in York County and in Cherokee County near Blacksburg, South Carolina.

### Cultural attractions

[edit]

Fury 325 at Carowinds

Attractions in Charlotte include Carowinds theme park, Discovery Place, Spirit Square, NASCAR Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Actor's Theatre of Charlotte, Carolina Actors Studio Theatre, Theatre Charlotte, the Charlotte Museum of History, Levine Museum of the New South, the McGill Rose Garden, and the Wing Haven Gardens. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte are expanding the art venues in Charlotte.

Other places of interest in the surrounding area include the Schiele Museum (in Gastonia), Charlotte Motor Speedway (in Concord), the Carolina Raptor Center (in Huntersville), Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (in Belmont), Latta Plantation (in Huntersville), Brattonsville Historic District (in McConnells), the North Carolina Transportation Museum (in Spencer), Fort Dobbs historical site (in Statesville), Catawba County Firefighters Museum (in Conover), the Arts & Science Center of Catawba Valley/Millholland Planetarium (in Hickory) the Museum of York County (in Rock Hill), James K. Polk historical site (in Pineville), the Catawba Cultural Center (in York County), the Museum of the Waxhaws (in Waxhaw), Glencairn Gardens (in Rock Hill), and the Reed Gold Mine (in Locust).

### Entertainment

[edit]

The PNC Music Pavilion is located in the University City area of Charlotte. The performing arts amphitheatre has hosted many popular music concerts. The U.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 successful Penrith 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.

### Shopping

[edit]

SouthPark Mall is one of the Southern United States' most upscale malls, including stores such as Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Hermès, Neiman Marcus, and American 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-scale Shopping malls include Northlake Mall, Carolina Place Mall, Concord Mills, Charlotte Premium Outlets, Phillips Place (across from SouthPark), RiverGate, Westfield Eastridge, Rock Hill Galleria, Plaza Fiesta, Carolina Mall, Monroe Crossing Mall, Signal Hill Mall, and Valley Hills Mall.

Concord Mills is unique in that it does not feature the typical anchor stores found at other malls; it focuses more on attracting outlet 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 the Plaza-Midwood area; the NoDa area of North Charlotte; and the Arboretum 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.

### Sports

[edit]

Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC

The highly popular Charlotte Motor Speedway is the largest sports venue in the area. Other venues include Bank of America Stadium (home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers and MLS's Charlotte FC), Spectrum Center (home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets) and Bojangles' Coliseum (home of American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers). The Charlotte Eagles of the United Soccer Leagues and the Hickory FC of the National Premier Soccer League call the area home, Truist Field (home of the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox), and the Hickory Crawdads are a High-A Minor-League Baseball team and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are a Low-A Minor-League Baseball team located in this region.

## Economy

[edit]

Bank of America Corporate Center, the world headquarters for Bank of America

See also: List of companies in Charlotte

20 largest employers in the Charlotte metropolitan area (Q2 2019)  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

[19] [20]

Companies with headquarters in the region include Bank of America, Belk, BellSouth Telecommunications, Bojangles', The Compass Group, Carolina Beverage Corporation Inc. (makers of Sun Drop and Cheerwine), Duke Energy, Family Dollar, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Lance, Inc, LendingTree, Lowe's, Meineke Car Care Centers, Muzak, Nucor, Chiquita Brands International Transbotics, Royal & SunAlliance (USA), SPX Corporation, Time Warner Cable (a business unit of Fortune 500 company Time Warner), and Wells 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 the Pillowtex site in Kannapolis as a biotech research facility featuring the participation of University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and North 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's Fetchin 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's Antiseen, and many others.

## Government

[edit]

A majority of the municipalities and counties in the North Carolina parts of the Charlotte metropolitan area belong to the Centralina Council of Governments. Cleveland County belongs to the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission and Alexander and Catawba counties belong to the Western Piedmont Council of Governments.

## Notable residents

[edit]

Notable people from the Charlotte metro area include:

* Artists – Romare Bearden
* Astronauts – Charles Duke and Susan Helms
* Business – Irwin Belk, Jim Crockett Jr., Elisabeth DeMarse, Jack Fulk, Herman Lay, Leon Levine, and Hugh McColl
* Religious figures – Billy Graham and Steven Furtick
* Musicians – Earl Scruggs, Dababy, George Clinton, Fred Durst, Prairie Prince, Blind Boy Fuller, The Avett Brothers, and Randy Travis
* Independent filmmakers – Tim Kirkman and Ross McElwee
* Actors – Randolph Scott, Dwayne Johnson, Nick Cannon, Ali Hillis, Chyler Leigh, Lauren Holt, Brian Huskey, Jim Rash, and Berlinda Tolbert
* Media – Jim Nantz, Heather Childers, and Anna Kooiman
* Politicians – Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt, Elizabeth Dole, Mick Mulvaney, Jesse Helms; U.S. presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk
* Professional wrestlers – Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair, Tessa Blanchard, Cedric Alexander, Cody Rhodes and R-Truth
* NASCAR drivers – Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and William Byron
* Professional athletes – Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, Kyle Seager, Corey Seager, Hakeem Nicks, Bobby Jones, Walter Davis, Tommy Helms, Daniel Jones, Ray Durham, Chris Canty, Dwight Clark, Luke Maye, Stephon Gilmore, Ish Smith, Hoyt Wilhelm, Kennedy Meeks, Benjamin Watson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Rayjon Tucker, Jadeveon Clowney, Wendell Moore Jr., Jaden Springer, J. R. Sweezy, Patrick Williams, Grant Williams, Alex Wood, Hassan Whiteside and James Worthy
* R&B singers – Anthony Hamilton, Calvin Richardson, Stephanie Mills and K-Ci & JoJo of Jodeci
* Writers – Carson McCullers and Ayesha Curry

## See also

[edit]

* North Carolina statistical areas
* Catawba Nuclear Station
* Interstate 85
* Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion
* Piedmont Crescent
* Upstate South Carolina

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (MSA)". fred.stlouisfed.org.
2. ^ "Top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States from 2010-2019". Statista. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
3. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 03-04 Attachment" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget - via National Archives.
4. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau CSAs".
5. ^ "Census profile: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area". Census Reporter. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
6. ^ "Census profile: Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC CSA". Census Reporter. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
7. ^ "OMB BULLETIN NO. 23-01 Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF).
8. ^ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Research. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. January 2001. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
9. ^ Charlotte USA – Charlotte Regional Partnership Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
14. ^ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals and Components of Change: 2010-2019". United States Census Bureau. US Census Bureau. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
15. ^ "Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area". censusreporter.org. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
16. ^ "Census Bureau CSA List".
17. ^ a b c "2022 Census Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
18. ^ "Fastest Growing". USA Today. 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
19. ^ "Major Employers in Charlotte Region - Charlotte Area Major Employers (Q2 2018)" (PDF). Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
20. ^ Shapiro, Amy. "Charlotte's largest employers". Charlotte Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 25 June 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Charlotte Metro.

* Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
* Charlotte USA – The Charlotte Regional Partnership

* v
* t
* e

City of Charlotte, North Carolina

Main|

* Charlotteans
* Mecklenburg County
* Metrolina
* North Carolina
* Piedmont
* Flag
* Neighborhoods
* Tallest buildings

History|

* Timeline
* Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence
* Mecklenburg Resolves
* Battle of Charlotte
* Charlotte Mint
* Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
* Flight 212
* Flight 1016

Government|

* Mayor of Charlotte: Vi Lyles
* Charlotte City Council
* Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
* Public Library System
* Charlotte Fire
* CMPD

Colleges and
universities|

* University of North Carolina at Charlotte
* Central Piedmont Community College
* Charlotte School of Law (Defunct)
* Johnson C. Smith University
* Johnson & Wales University
* Queens University of Charlotte

Attractions|

* Convention centers:
* Charlotte Convention Center

* Museums:
* Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
* Billy Graham Library
* Carolinas Aviation Museum
* Discovery Place
* Harvey B. Gantt Center
* Levine Museum of the New South
* Mint Museum
* NASCAR Hall of Fame

* Performing arts:
* AvidxChange Music Factory
* Carolina Theatre (Charlotte)
* Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
* ImaginOn
* North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
* PNC Music Pavilion

* Parks:
* First Ward Park
* Freedom Park
* The Green
* Independence Park
* Little Sugar Creek Greenway
* Reedy Creek Park
* Romare Bearden Park

* Sports arenas and fields:
* American Legion Memorial Stadium
* Bank of America Stadium
* Spectrum Center
* Truist Field

* See also:
* Levine Center for the Arts
* Queen City Quarter

Sports teams|

* Carolina Panthers (NFL)
* Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
* Charlotte FC (MLS)
* Charlotte Hounds (MLL) (defunct)
* Charlotte Checkers (AHL)
* Charlotte Independence (USLC)
* Charlotte Eagles (USL2)
* Charlotte Knights (IL)
* Charlotte Rugby Club (RSL)
* Charlotte 49ers (NCAA Division I)
* Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls and Lady Golden Bulls (NCAA Division II)
* Queens Royals (NCAA Division II)
* JWU Charlotte Wildcats (USCAA)

Media|

* Newspapers:
* The Charlotte Observer
* The Charlotte Post
* Creative Loafing
* Q-Notes
* Charlotte Weekly

* Television:
* 3 WBTV (CBS)
* 9 WSOC (ABC)
* 14 WWJS (Ind.)
* 18 WCCB (CW)
* 30 WNSC (PBS/ETV)
* 36 WCNC (NBC)
* 42 WTVI (PBS)
* 46 WJZY (Fox)
* 55 WMYT (MNT)
* 58 WUNG (PBS/UNC-TV)
* 64 WAXN (Ind.)

Economy|

* Uptown (Center city)
* Companies
* Convention Center
* Charlotte Regional Business Alliance

Transportation|

* Charlotte Area Transit System
* Lynx Blue Line
* CityLynx Gold Line
* Gateway Station
* Charlotte Douglas International Airport

* Roads:
* I-77
* I-85
* I-277
* I-485
* US 21
* US 29
* US 74
* US 521
* NC 16
* NC 49
* NC 51
* NC 115
* Route 4

* Rail:
* Carolinian
* Crescent
* Piedmont

Healthcare|

* Atrium Health
* Mecklenburg County Health Department
* MEDIC
* Novant Health

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Charlotte metropolitan area

Counties

* Alexander¶
* Anson¶
* Cabarrus
* Catawba¶
* Chester
* Chesterfield¶
* Cleveland‡
* Gaston
* Iredell
* Lancaster
* Lincoln
* Mecklenburg
* Rowan
* Stanly‡
* Union
* York

Major city

* Charlotte

Municipalities and CDPs in the Charlotte metropolitan area

| 50k–100k|

* Concord
* Gastonia
* Huntersville
* Kannapolis
* Mooresville
* Rock Hill

|

20k–50k|

* Cornelius
* Fort Mill
* Hickory¶
* Indian Trail
* Matthews
* Mint Hill
* Monroe
* Salisbury
* Shelby‡
* Statesville
* Waxhaw

5k–20k|

* Albemarle‡
* Belmont
* Bessemer City
* Cheraw¶
* Cherryville
* Chester
* Conover¶
* Davidson
* Harrisburg
* Kings Mountain
* Lake Norman of Catawba¶
* Lancaster
* Lincolnton
* Mount Holly
* Newton
* Pageland¶
* Pineville
* Stallings
* South Gastonia
* St. Stephens¶
* Unionville
* Wadesboro¶
* Weddington
* Wesley Chapel
* York

Footnotes|

* Bold = principal metro cities
* ‡ = places and counties part of CSA
* ¶ = sometimes included in metropolitan

North Carolina

* v
* t
* e

State of North Carolina

Raleigh (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Climate
* Geography
* lakes
* reserviors
* rivers
* state parks
* wildlife
* History
* colonial era
* American Revolution
* War of 1812
* Civil War
* Mass media
* newspapers
* radio
* TV
* North Carolinians
* Politics
* government
* law
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions

Society|

* Abortion
* Culture
* music
* sports
* Climate change
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Elections
* Gambling
* Gun laws
* LGBT rights

Regions|

* Western
* Foothills
* High Country
* Piedmont
* Metrolina (Charlotte)
* Piedmont Triad
* Triangle
* Eastern
* Sandhills
* Cape Fear
* Crystal Coast
* Inner Banks
* Outer Banks

Largest cities|

* Cary
* Charlotte
* Concord
* Durham
* Fayetteville
* Greensboro
* High Point
* Raleigh
* Wilmington
* Winston‑Salem

Smaller cities|

* Apex
* Asheboro
* Asheville
* Burlington
* Carrboro
* Chapel Hill
* Clayton
* Clemmons
* Cornelius
* Fuquay-Varina
* Garner
* Gastonia
* Goldsboro
* Greenville
* Hickory
* Holly Springs
* Huntersville
* Indian Trail
* Jacksonville
* Kannapolis
* Kernersville
* Kinston
* Knightdale
* Leland
* Lexington
* Matthews
* Mint Hill
* Monroe
* Mooresville
* Morrisville
* New Bern
* Rocky Mount
* Salisbury
* Sanford
* Shelby
* Statesville
* Thomasville
* Wake Forest
* Waxhaw
* Wilson

Major towns|

* Albemarle
* Boone
* Eden
* Elizabeth City
* Graham
* Harrisburg
* Havelock
* Henderson
* Hendersonville
* Hope Mills
* Kings Mountain
* Laurinburg
* Lenoir
* Lewisville
* Lumberton
* Morganton
* Morehead City
* Newton
* Reidsville
* Roanoke Rapids
* Smithfield
* Southern Pines
* Tarboro
* Winterville

Counties|

* Alamance
* Alexander
* Alleghany
* Anson
* Ashe
* Avery
* Beaufort
* Bertie
* Bladen
* Brunswick
* Buncombe
* Burke
* Cabarrus
* Caldwell
* Camden
* Carteret
* Caswell
* Catawba
* Chatham
* Cherokee
* Chowan
* Clay
* Cleveland
* Columbus
* Craven
* Cumberland
* Currituck
* Dare
* Davidson
* Davie
* Duplin
* Durham
* Edgecombe
* Forsyth
* Franklin
* Gaston
* Gates
* Graham
* Granville
* Greene
* Guilford
* Halifax
* Harnett
* Haywood
* Henderson
* Hertford
* Hoke
* Hyde
* Iredell
* Jackson
* Johnston
* Jones
* Lee
* Lenoir
* Lincoln
* Macon
* Madison
* Martin
* McDowell
* Mecklenburg
* Mitchell
* Montgomery
* Moore
* Nash
* New Hanover
* Northampton
* Onslow
* Orange
* Pamlico
* Pasquotank
* Pender
* Perquimans
* Person
* Pitt
* Polk
* Randolph
* Richmond
* Robeson
* Rockingham
* Rowan
* Rutherford
* Sampson
* Scotland
* Stanly
* Stokes
* Surry
* Swain
* Transylvania
* Tyrrell
* Union
* Vance
* Wake
* Warren
* Washington
* Watauga
* Wayne
* Wilkes
* Wilson
* Yadkin
* Yancey

North Carolina portal

* v
* t
* e

State of South Carolina

Columbia (capital)

Regions|

* Atlantic Coastal Plain
* Blue Ridge Mountains
* Grand Strand
* High Hills of Santee
* Lake Murray Country
* Lowcountry
* Metrolina
* Midlands
* Ninety-Six District
* Olde English District
* Pee Dee
* Piedmont
* Sandhills
* Sea Islands
* Upstate

Larger cities|

* Charleston
* Columbia
* Greenville
* North Charleston
* Rock Hill
* Spartanburg

Smaller cities|

* Aiken
* Anderson
* Beaufort
* Bennettsville
* Camden
* Cayce
* Conway
* Easley
* Florence
* Forest Acres
* Gaffney
* Georgetown
* Goose Creek
* Greenwood
* Greer
* Hilton Head Island
* Isle of Palms
* Laurens
* Lexington
* Mauldin
* Myrtle Beach
* North Augusta
* North Myrtle Beach
* Orangeburg
* Simpsonville
* Summerville
* Sumter
* Union
* Walterboro
* West Columbia
* York

Towns|

* Abbeville
* Barnwell
* Batesburg-Leesville
* Bluffton
* Clemson
* Darlington
* Dillon
* Edgefield
* Fort Mill
* Fountain Inn
* Great Falls
* Hardeeville
* Irmo
* Jefferson
* Kingstree
* Liberty
* Marion
* McCormick
* Moncks Corner
* Mount Pleasant
* Newberry
* Pageland
* Pendleton
* Pickens
* Seneca
* Sullivan's Island
* Travelers Rest
* Walhalla
* Westminster
* Williamston

CDPs|

* Berea
* Carolina Forest
* Dentsville
* Five Forks
* Gantt
* Garden City
* Ladson
* Parker
* Red Hill
* Saint Andrews
* Seven Oaks
* Socastee
* Taylors
* Wade Hampton

Counties|

* Abbeville
* Aiken
* Allendale
* Anderson
* Bamberg
* Barnwell
* Beaufort
* Berkeley
* Calhoun
* Charleston
* Cherokee
* Chester
* Chesterfield
* Clarendon
* Colleton
* Darlington
* Dillon
* Dorchester
* Edgefield
* Fairfield
* Florence
* Georgetown
* Greenville
* Greenwood
* Hampton
* Horry
* Jasper
* Kershaw
* Lancaster
* Laurens
* Lee
* Lexington
* Marion
* Marlboro
* McCormick
* Newberry
* Oconee
* Orangeburg
* Pickens
* Richland
* Saluda
* Spartanburg
* Sumter
* Union
* Williamsburg
* York

Topics|

* Outline
* Airports
* Amusement parks
* Census areas
* Congressional districts
* Famous people
* Geography
* Rivers
* Governors
* Highways
* History
* Historic places
* Legislature
* Mass media
* Newspapers
* Radio
* TV
* Shopping malls
* Sports venues
* State House
* State parks
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Wildlife management areas

Society|

* Abortion
* Crime
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Colleges and universities
* Gun laws
* LGBT rights
* Literature
* Politics
* Sports
* African Americans

South Carolina portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* Israel

35°14′N 80°50′W﻿ / ﻿35.23°N 80.84°W﻿ / 35.23; -80.84
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