Everything You Need to Know About Relocating to Charlotte

There are plenty of great reasons for living in and moving to Charlotte, NC.

And

I’m quite sure you have a lot of questions on the subject.

There’s so much to know about this beautiful city and one article alone can’t answer it.

But…

We’ll take a shot at it.

Whether you want to be surrounded by performing arts centers and museums, or you want to work with some the largest corporations in the country, the Queen City will definitely give you the royal treatment.

As a Charlotte property manager and resident, I’ve had the privilege to experience many of these attractions.

Before moving to Charlotte, here’s what you need to know.

Things To Know About Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and the second-largest in the southeastern U.S. It has a population of 810,000 people, and a population density of 2,720 people per square mile. It’s also the third fastest-developing city in the U.S.

A recent survey found Charlotte’s racial makeup to be 45% non-Hispanic white, 35% black, 5% Asian, 0.5% Native American and 9.7% other races. If you’re a straight, single person, you’ll probably like the fact that Charlotte’s male-to-female ratio is almost 1:1.

Charlotte is also the birthplace of NASCAR and houses the headquarters of Bank of America. You’ll also be pleased to note that the city has lightning-fast Wi-Fi, courtesy of Google Fiber.

One great thing to note about Charlotte NC is that the cost of living, in general, is lower than the national average. Meanwhile, the property taxes are also below the national average, but the sales taxes are about the national average.

Once you live in Charlotte, you’ll be saying “Hello Sunshine!” a lot. Although Charlotte’s weather can be quite unpredictable, it’s pretty much moderate year-round except for summer.

In summer, the temperature can go up as high as 70 degrees Fahrenheit. During that period, residents mostly engage in activities like festivals, music, sports, and arts and crafts.

Spring is generally the best season to live in Charlotte. Plants like cherry, azaleas, dogwood, and camellias bloom during that time of year.

Charlotte’s winters are mild and rarely drop below 30 degrees. Snow usually falls between January and February.

Whether you’re looking for urban-chic or traditional neighborhoods, you’re bound to find them in Charlotte.

Also known as the Interstate or “The Loop,” the City Center is home to around 11,000 residents. Most folks here live in townhouses, condos and lofts. The City Center has 50 times as many townhouses and condos as single-family homes.

Hands down, this is Charlotte’s funkiest neighborhood. Most suburbs are beige, but this one has orange, pink, purple and electric blue hues. Also known as North Davidson (NoDa), it’s a favorite neighborhood for twenty-somethings and professionals looking to enjoy converted snazzy lofts and mills.

The Plaza Midwood area is a hotbed of Asian cuisine, fine breads, used LP shops, converted mansions, and golf and tattoo parlors.

South Park is the secondary business district outside of City Center, and home to the largest shopping mall in the region. The mall was built about 40 years ago on a dairy farm. Today, the neighborhood is adorned with million-dollar homes.

Ballantyne is a bustling mix of townhouses, condos, shopping malls, and dining and entertainment options. This is probably the best neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina for you and your family if you’re looking for something new, clean and simple.

If you like biking, there are plenty of bicycles for rent throughout the city. You’ll also find multiple urban bike sharing systems in the area. Most of these systems are facilitated by B-cycle, arguably the largest of its kind in the Southeast.

For non-biker types, Charlotte also has other transportation options. Commuters can use the Lynx Light Rail, or they can use the Charlotte Area Transportation Services (CATS). CATS provides both shuttle services to the airport and bus routes throughout the city.

Charlotte has easy access to a top-of-the-line airport, namely the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. It’s one of the busiest airports in the country, and is located west of Charlotte.

After moving to Charlotte, NC, you may realize that you need extra storage for your stuff. In that case, SpareFoot — the world’s largest marketplace for storage — has got your back. SpareFoot offers various solutions depending on your needs, whether it’s on-demand full service storage or traditional self-storage.

Charlotte is pretty much a haven for sports fans. It’s home to:

In the heart of the Queen City is The NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte. The Charlotte Motor Speedway is also where NASCAR first got its start in 1949.

For NFL fans, the Carolina Panthers may just be the team to root for. Even if you’re not a Panthers fan now, you might be tempted to convert given that they’re five-time NFC South Champions. You can catch any Panthers game at the 33-acre Bank of America Stadium facility.

North Carolina is a hotbed of college basketball dynasties. If you're thinking of moving to Charlotte NC, you’d better choose quickly between rivals Duke and UNC, both of which are two hours north of the city.

If you’re an NBA fan, the Charlotte Hornets need no further explanation. They can be seen at the Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte.

5. Golf for Days

If you're a fan of golf, you'll be happy to know that you'll find plenty of ranges in Charlotte! Some popular favorites among Charlotte residents include Myers Park Country Club and Charlotte Country Club.

Before moving to Charlotte, make sure to get your utilities in order. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Craft culture is a way of life in Charlotte. There’s craft beer, craft sodas, craft cocktails, craft coffee and more. You’ll find plenty of small-batch breweries and specialty house cocktails featuring home-grown coffee and local ingredients. To date, Charlotte has over 25 breweries — from the cozy wood-lined walls of Ass Clown to the expansive biergarten at Olde Mecklenburg.

Besides great craft beer, Charlotte is also home to great restaurants. There are a couple of places where you can get a good slice of pizza and bagel. The popular ones include Lorenzo’s Pizzeria, Water Bagel, and Brooklyn. Charlotte also has a ton of great barbecue restaurants to choose from, like Kyle Fletcher’s BBQ and 521 BBQ in Indian Land.

Charlotte is home to boutiques that range from high-end luxury to cheap-chic. Some of them are Sloan, Luna, Boem, Capital Charlotte, Chezelle and The Impeccable Pig.

Located in Plaza neighborhood, The Antique Heaven features several shops, including Clearing House, Century Vintage and 1510 Antiques.

As far as malls go, this is a pretty good one. The South Park Mall has over 150 stores, including the anchor stores of companies like Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Belk and Nordstrom.

Every Sunday in June, Charlotte holds an outdoor concert courtesy of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. To watch it, you need a ticket or an annual pass.

Every September, the Dilworth neighborhood plays host to the family-friendly Yiasou Green Festival. If you like all things Mediterranean, you’ll love this event.

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is one place you shouldn’t miss. Designed by the Swiss architect Mario Botta, the museum’s collection includes works from some of the most important artists in the mid-20th century. They include Chillida, Le Corbusier, Ernst, Tinguely, Warhol, Nicholson, Hepworth, Calder, Picasso, Giacometti and Miro.

Lake Norman is a great place to spend the afternoon and weekends. Located just an hour north of the city, it’s undoubtedly the ultimate haven for watersport enthusiasts. The lake stretches 34 miles long.

To enjoy Lake Norman, bring a paddleboard, kayak, jet ski, or boat with you. Or relax by having a picnic in the nearby State Park, or sunbathing on one of Charlotte’s many beaches.

Built on 1,300 acres of land, the U.S. National Whitewater Center is a great place for all skill levels to enjoy some great outdoor thrills.

There you have it – everything you need to know about moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. Clearly, Charlotte deserves its “Queen City” moniker.

This article only scratches the surface of what Charlotte has to offer, though. If you decide on moving to Charlotte, discover the city’s hidden treasures for yourself.