Are you moving to or have you recently relocated to Charlotte, NC? Here are 6 things to know about living in Charlotte, NC.
1. Charlotte is close to everything! Charlotte is in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. You are 2 hours to the Mountains and 3 hours to the beach. It’s easy to drive up to the mountains in the morning, hike for a couple of hours, have lunch, and come home. The city of Charlotte’s boundary is all of Mecklenburg County. So if you live in Mecklenburg County, you truly live in Charlotte. Even if you don’t actually live in the city of Charlotte itself, most people, even those in SC will still say they live in Charlotte. Charlotte is so close to the border of SC that there are some neighborhoods that are both in NC and SC. The airport in Charlotte is located on the west side of town, and American Airlines has a major hub in Charlotte, offering direct flights domestic and internationally. So whether you want to drive or fly to your chosen destination, living in Charlotte makes it easy.
2. Snow will shut down the city! Even the threat of snow. The grocery store will run out of milk and bread and even the threat of a single snowflake will close school. If you are relocating to Charlotte, don’t bring your snow blower! Charlotte rarely has a snowfall that lasts even more than a day. Sometimes we don’t have snow at all throughout the whole winter. Summers can be hot and humid but people escape to the numerous lakes, parks and those close by beaches and mountains to handle the heat and still have fun. Spring can sometimes make your head spin on the changing weather. You could have snow flurries one day and be wearing a tee shirt and shorts the next. But spring is a wonderful time to see all the plants and trees come back to life. Bring your antihistamines. The pollen will turn your car and all outdoor furniture tops yellow. Fall splendor in the Carolinas is unbeatable! Travel to those close mountains to see the spectacular views or just enjoy the Fall festivals and Fall activities around the Charlotte area.
3. Street names can be confusing. One road can change into 5 different names depending on when it was built. Idlewild road changes into Rama Rd. changes into Sardis Road changes into Fairview which changes into Tyvola without making a turn! Whew! And who the heck is this Sharon person? Sharon is a biblical reference tied to historical Charlotte. Charlotte is the Queen City , named after Queen Charlotte so you have a lot of Queens Road. My favorite is the Queens and Queens road intersection. And no one in the Charlotte area uses North and South type directions. It is always left and right. For example…. You turn left at the streetlight and right into the neighborhood. And it’s Uptown not downtown to those living in Charlotte!
4. Charlotte has lots of sports! The Carolina Panthers are the NFL football franchise. Their stadium, Bank of America stadium, is located in Uptown. The Charlotte Hornets, NBA basketball franchise, play in the Spectrum Center, also in Uptown. The Charlotte Knights, AAA Chicago White Sox affiliate, plays at Knight Stadium, in Uptown. 85% of NASCAR teams call the Charlotte area home and race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Charlotte is also home to the NASCAR Museum. The Charlotte Checkers, an AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, play at Bojangles Coliseum. Charlotte FC, the newest Major League Soccer expansion franchise, will play at Bank of America stadium. Charlotte is home to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with all their 49er teams. There is also a Whitewater Center that has canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing and more.
5. Charlotte is a melting pot of people from around the country and the world. And it’s Charlotteans, not Charlatans. Native Charlotteans are few and far between.
6. Getting around Charlotte….. While it is true we don’t have a subway, we do have the light rail system. You can travel from South Charlotte through Uptown to the University of North Carolina in the Northern part of Charlotte. Charlotte is a car city, but with I 485 encircling the city, there is easy access to other main thoroughfares.
Charlotte is a great, growing city with lots of opportunities and diversions. Click on this link if you want to download our relocation guide to Charlotte, NC; relocation guide
Did you know that you could live in South Carolina and still be part of suburban Charlotte? Check out this video to learn more: NC vs SC video
The beauty of Charlotte is you can live in either North or South Carolina and still have access to all the best parts of the city. Charlotte borders SC in the south and the southwest. There are even some neighborhoods that actually straddle both states! Two that come to mind are Bridgehampton in the Ballantyne area and Firethorne Country Club in the Marvin area. So what’s best for you? NC or SC?
Are you a retiree? South Carolina is tax-friendlier. SC does not tax your social security benefits In addition, if you are 65 or older you can exclude up to $10,000 of retirement income. There are also low property tax rates in SC. Seniors can claim a homestead exemption for the first $50,000 of your property’s fair market value. NC also does not tax social security benefits but other tax breaks are scarce. Property taxes are still lower than other areas of the country.
Do you want to go back to school after retirement? NC residents 65 and older can, space available, audit classes tuition free at universities of NC as well as community colleges. SC residents 60 and older can attend state funded college tuition free, on a space available basis.
Do you want to live in a 55 + community? There are numerous in both states. Lancaster County SC is home to a growing area of active adult communities from Del Webb’s Sun City to Tree Tops by Lennar.
Do you still work? Is your company in Uptown Charlotte, the Central Business District? You still can choose to live in NC or SC. If you plan to access your work by public transportation, Charlotte’s light rail system or buses, you probably will want to live in NC. However, Charlotte has a highway corridor, I485, that wraps around the city which allows you to be in Uptown in 30 minutes or less from various places both North and South Carolina.
Maybe your office isn’t in Uptown. Ballantyne in NC is located very close to the SC border and hosts many corporate offices. Fort Mill, SC is home to other large companies as well.
Do you travel? Charlotte is a major hub for American Airlines and there are direct flights to almost everywhere, domestic and internationally. The airport is easily accessed from almost anywhere around Charlotte via I 485.
Do you want to live near a lake? Charlotte has 2 lakes – Lake Wylie and Lake Norman. Lake Wylie is at the southern part of Charlotte and has easy access from either North or South Carolina. While Lake Norman is located in the northern part of Charlotte.
Depending on your situation, there are advantages to living in both Charlotte NC or just over the border in South Carolina.
This is a short list of some of the small town and suburbs located near Charlotte, NC
If you think Charlotte could be the perfect place to find your new home, let’s get together and answer any questions you may have.
