Why Charlotte Is the Third Fastest-Growing City in Country

Known proudly as the Hornet’s Nest, on account of it having the first governmental body in America to declare its independence from the British crown (“a hornet’s nest of rebellion”), Charlotte is a city of great tradition, hospitality and its own brand of Southern charm.

Being the second biggest city in the South behind Jacksonville, Fla., and a host to so many great attributes, it isn’t hard to see why Charlotte is the third fastest-growing city in the United States.

It’s Attractively Odd

Charlotte is one of those cities that can’t be labeled. Though Charlotte’s technically a banking city — Bank of America and Wells Fargo count Charlotte as home — there is so much more to this Southern financial capital. Charlotte is a friendly city and charmingly quirky (hey, it’s the pimento cheese capital of the world! Despite its elusive nature, Charlotte is a neat city that’s funky and up and coming.

Low Cost of Living & Home Ownership

Perhaps the best thing about Charlotte is its cost of living, which sits about 9 percent lower than the national average (which is especially low when it comes to the cost of housing). According to PayScale, a salary profile database, Charlotte’s housing market is one of the most affordable, sitting comfortably at 23 percent below the national average. The cost of utilities is also relatively low in comparison. Median salaries range from $30,000 to as high as $82,000 (in the field of Information Technology). The enticing affordability makes buying a home, kick-starting your career and raising a family in Charlotte an easy choice.

There’s Plenty To Do

Many people shy away from large cities, afraid that they will be giving up public parks and outdoor space for their children. That’s not a problem in Charlotte! There is almost 40 miles of greenbelt land developed with open spaces and paths for biking and walking and, if that isn’t enough, 150 more miles have been set aside to be developed in the next decade. The whole family can bike, picnic, play Frisbee and take the dog out for a walk every weekend on essentially 17,600 acres of parkland.

If being outdoors isn’t really your kind of thing, you can visit the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art or check out the Carolinas Aviation Museum. Charlotte also has great sports teams to root for, such as the pro football team the Carolina Panthers and pro basketball team the Charlotte Hornets. While there’s no zoo, there are plenty of other animal parks nearby! And don’t forget the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where stock car racing fans can get their fix on everything NASCAR.

You Experience All Four Seasons

Charlotte is home to comfortable seasons and stunning blue skies. The summers are hot and humid, but winters are mild. Temperatures rarely dip below 30 degrees in winter or rise above 90 degrees in summer, making it the ideal place to play outdoors nearly every month of the year.

It’s Too Good To Be True

If you’re looking for the perfect Southern city, Charlotte seems almost too good to be true. Charlotte has award-winning public schools, tons of cultural opportunities and is home to the headquarters of several Fortune 500 companies. The energy and financial industries are booming in Charlotte and it’s the biggest financial center in the country after New York, meaning lots of great career opportunities. It has also come to be known as the new Energy Capital because of the many innovative energy businesses headquartered there.

Charlotte is a city of balance. Be it from the bustling financial centers downtown (or uptown, you might say) to the urban parks and trails both already here and yet to come, or from the quirk of the culture to the steady reliability of the seasons, the Hornet’s Nest seems to have a little something for everyone.