I regularly receive emails with questions about living in Charlotte.I LOVE living in Charlotte so I’m super excited to show all of you how great this city is!
I grew up in middle Georgia and attended college at the University of Georgia. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina and Birmingham, Alabama for a few years after college before landing in Charlotte in 2009. I have been here for six years and haven’t had the itch to move anywhere else since. I’m very happy in Charlotte!
Here are seven of my favorite things about living in Charlotte:
1) It’s the perfect size.
I grew up in a small town with less than 20,000 residents. While there are definite benefits to living in a smaller town, I always dreamed of living in a bigger city. Traveling extensively with my grandmother throughout my childhood and teenage years only furthered this desire. The population of Charlotte is just under 800,000. It’s big enough that there are options for things to do and places to live but not so big that it’s overwhelming. I visited Atlanta a lot growing up and my parents lived there for a few years when I was in my 20s and I always found it to be TOO big and spread out. I was always happy to get home to Charlotte. Like a breath of fresh air.
There is great shopping in both malls and boutiques, lots of restaurants with good ethnic options, small and large music venues, major sports teams, festivals, etc.
2) Unique neighborhoods and affordable city living.
Like most cities, Charlotte has a variety of neighborhoods in different parts of the city and each has its own unique feel. To name just a few…
– Ballantyne if you’re looking for family friendly, more bang for your real estate buck, better schools, strip malls and shopping options
– NoDa for an artsy, eclectic, up and coming urban neighborhood
– Elizabeth for historic homes in a quaint neighborhood close to town
– Dilworth for family-friendly charming bungalows in a slightly yuppie neighborhood
– Plaza Midwood for hipster vibe with great restaurant and entertainment options
– Uptown condo for urban living
– Myers Park for pricier in-town living with a country club feel
– South End for easy rail access, lots and condos, walkability to restaurants and bars. This area is BOOMING!
I live in an area called Madison Park and it’s just 2 miles from our biggest mall/shopping area, 2 miles from Interstate I-77 and 5 miles from Uptown Charlotte. My centrally located home is relatively affordable given the size of the city and my proximity to so many things. Another thing I appreciate is that I never have to get on the Interstate to get around the city. I can get everywhere I need to go relatively quickly (15 minutes or less) on surface streets.
3) Safe and clean downtown.
We call downtown “uptown” in Charlotte (read why here) and unlike some cities, our downtown is very safe and clean. In the past it has kind of lacked in the livability department due to few grocery store and shopping options (it kind of closed down after work hours were over) but that is rapidly transforming. There are many new condo developments going up, restaurants opening, parks being built, etc.
4) The fitness community.
Charlotte is a really active city with TONS of fitness offerings. We have a strong running community with countless training groups, group runs and races (including a yearly half and full marathon, Thunder Road).
When it comes to yoga, we are seriously spoiled in this city. There are so many studios and incredible teachers. I have had students move away from Charlotte and stop practicing yoga because they couldn’t find anything like it anywhere else…including major cities like Chicago and New York. We also have CrossFit gyms, barre studios and other fun fitness concepts like FlyWheel, Air Fit, Orange Theory, 9 Round and much, much more.
Working out is a pretty big social scene in Charlotte and I’ve made some really great friends through CrossFit and yoga. There are great options for “fitness events” that you can participate in to meet people. The community is very close and supportive.
5) The proximity to beach and mountains.
Charlotte is an easy 2 hour drive to the North Carolina mountains and about 3-3.5 to the coast. I love having this flexibility for day trips or weekend getaways.
6) A great airport.
The Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is super close to town and so easy to fly in and out of. I can usually get a great price on a flight no matter where I’m flying and there are direct flights to many destinations from U.S. cities to Mexico and the Caribbean.
7) It feels like a young, thriving city and welcoming to newcomers.
Charlotte is full of young professionals and young families and is very welcoming to newcomers. It’s kind of a crazy phenomenon but it’s rare to find someone who was actually born and raised in Charlotte because so many of us are transplants. Most people that move here find a place where they fit in and thrive. The job market is turning around and I feel like there’s a ton of opportunity in Charlotte. I have been so blessed with abundance and have never felt strained in the job market whether I was working in marketing, advertising or fitness. From day one I felt welcome in Charlotte and have been able to easily make friends.
If you live in Charlotte…what do you love about living here? If you don’t…please let me know if you have any questions about living in Charlotte. I’m happy to answer and offer insight.
