New to Charlotte? Considering A Move? WELCOME
Charlotte Communities is designed to be the place that newcomers, potential newcomers and other folks interested in Charlotte come to learn about how things work here and what the vibe is like. CCO helps you answer the BIG QUESTIONS: “If I move there, will I (or my family) be happy? If I move there, where the heck do I want to live?” 
We also think CCO should be a one stop shop for getting your questions answered. We will try to put countless resources at your finger tips.
So, if you have friends here, that’s great! Some folks move here and don’t know a soul.
You’ll be glad to know Charlotte is welcoming to newcomers. So many of the folks you meet in CLT are transplants and can still remember their first years here. Like everywhere, people have their opinions on the “best” places to eat, to live and to play. We’ll do our best to offer curated opinions, backed up by whatever facts, feelings and stories we can share, an informed and honest opinion. And we’ll make it fun!
Charlotte is a fast growing large city- #7 in 2017
Over 40 people move here per day according to recent US Census tracking. From 2000-2010, over 400,000 people moved here- that is the equivalent of a city the size of Cincinnati. What will the 2020 Census show? How will the city manage that growth? These are key questions going forward. Charlotte also ranks as one of the Americas most affordable large cities as well, #25 in a recent US News and World Report survey. At an average housing expense of 21% of gross income, this allows salaries to go further.
We have people from all walks of life here, and they trend young. Recent college grads come in large numbers (and populate the many Uptown-Southend apartment buildings, and breweries!) from a variety of top notch schools, from NC favorites Duke, Wake Forest, UNC, Davidson, UNC Charlotte- and more, to our nearby out of state grads from Clemson, USC (University of South Carolina) and Furman. On fall weekends, the college flags come out, and the bars fill up with jerseys from Ohio State, Vi
rginia Tech, West Virginia University, Tennessee and more.
Healthcare, finance and tech draw lots of young professionals to Charlotte. The recent announcement of the creation of Charlottes first full medical school from Wake Forest University is a welcome addition.
Neighborhoods
All types of neighborhoods are here- urban pioneers in the arts district, historic, our Uptown urban core, suburbs, walking neighborhoods and their opposite, rural areas. In the suburbs, we also have a wide range of country clubs, from the famous Quail Hollow which hosts a PGA tournament every year, to beautiful lake communities like the Peninsula on Lake Norman for those who love boats AND golf! In most cases, people know their neighbors. We track some of the most popular for you here. Check our top menu for more on neighborhoods and communities.
Charlotte Area Business
Charlotte is a pro-business town in a pro-business state. CLT is the largest city between Atlanta and Washington DC, and the 2nd largest city by financial assets under management behind New
York City. There are almost 500 international firms, and North American headquarters to quite a few, including companies like Siemens, Husquavarna and Toshiba in Charlotte. Charlotte is a hub for precision manufacturing. We are proud to be the home of six Fortune 500 companies, including Bank of America. Subsequently, employment is growing at an average of 2.9% per year, more than 60% higher than the national figure of 1.7% per year since 2013. The greater Charlotte area added nearly 35,000 new jobs in 2018, according to the the chambers Growth Report.
Here on Charlotte Communities Online, we have a diverse group of writers. A recently re-located young family from New York City, with a new baby son; a writer born in Trinidad who holds dual citizenship with Canada, and has
spent half a life abroad; a New Orleans born single Mom navigating life after her child has left for college.
Bobby will focus more on the music scene in Charlotte and real estate topics. I write about whats on my mind, real estate, business and education to name a few. My families relocation (from Hoboken, NJ) brought my wife, four young children and a dog to the Charlotte area more than 20 years ago. We’ve been succesful, and I know you will be too.
We, our team, are always going to various interesting places around the city, and my hope is we will take you there as well. The majority of writers are thoughtful real estate agents, but we continue to increase the diversity of our writers.
Welcome to CCO! And I’ll see you in Charlotte!
Terry McDonald
Related Links
Charlottes Very VERY Good Year 2018
Our excellent Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Renamed Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
