Charlotte residents enjoy a cost of living right around the national average and a rich variety of options when it comes to both work and play. If you’re thinking of calling the city home yourself, you’ll have to take mild winters in stride with hot, humid summers and be able to tolerate the congested traffic.

Named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a German princess who went on to become queen of Great Britain in the late 1700s, the city of Charlotte’s a great example of a place that embraces both the old and the new—it still retains much of its historic charm, but widely seen as the financial hub of the South, it also has many of the features you’d expect of a 21st-century city.

In recent years, the Charlotte area has seen some serious growth—if you’re thinking about moving here yourself, you’ll want to evaluate the pros and cons. Courtesy of

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What you need to know about Charlotte before you move

Charlotte spans an area of about 300 square miles and is home to over 874,000 people and counting. It’s one of the largest cities in the South and plays a role of huge economic importance on both regional and national scales.

So, should this city make room for one more? If you’re debating whether to relocate here, here’s what you can expect if you decide to make Charlotte your next home.

1. How expensive living in Charlotte feels might depend on where you’re moving from

Whether or not you find living in Charlotte expensive might depend on where you’re moving from, but by national standards, it’s pretty average. In fact, the cost of living in Charlotte is within just a few percent of the national average.

So, if you’re moving from

San Francisco

New York

, or

Honolulu

, moving to Charlotte might feel like a bargain! But it might be more of an adjustment if you’re moving from a lower cost of living city like

Cleveland

Louisville

If you were looking for an apartment to rent in Charlotte, you could expect costs to fall around $1,500 per month for a one-bedroom—slightly under the national average.

On a run to the grocery store, it’s possible you could expect a gallon of milk to cost about $5.75, while a dozen eggs could cost about $3.40.

While you’re out and about, a cup of coffee could cost $4 to $5, while a pint of beer could run you $5 to $6.

Charlotte’s minimum wage matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, and the median income was $65,359, as of the 2020 census.

2. There are tons of jobs (and not just in finance)

Charlotte’s economy is a major staple of

North Carolina’s

economy as a whole. As the headquarters for Bank of America, Charlotte is the country’s second-largest banking center, right behind New York City.

Outside the financial sector, however, there are plenty of other areas of opportunity in Charlotte. Other major sectors include—but are far from limited to—health care, manufacturing, energy, and retail.

3. Crime has been on the rise

It’s worth noting that Charlotte does have a crime rate that’s somewhat higher than the national average for both property crime and violent crime.

While the overall number of crimes in Charlotte dipped in 2021, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), vehicle thefts rose 5%, and vehicle break-ins rose 4%.

But for the first half of 2022,

The Charlotte Observer

reported overall crime increased again by 4.3%. Gun violence played a major role in the city’s violent crime increase and rose 25% over a five-year average, and property crime saw a 6% increase.

MORE: How high is the cost of living in North Carolina?

4. There’s plenty of outdoor recreation

If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, there are plenty of ways to enjoy it in and around Charlotte—on both water and land. You’ve got hiking and biking trails with varying levels of accessibility and literally hundreds of parks in various settings. Popular spots include Freedom Park, Anne Springs Close Greenway, Hornet’s Nest Park, and Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve.

You could also easily spend an entire day on nearby

Lake Norman

5. Driving is usually the best way to get around

While other cities have it worse, traffic in Charlotte can be pretty congested. Charlotte drivers spent an hour of 17 hours in traffic in 2021, according to

INRIX’s Global Traffic Scorecard

But considering Charlotte spans an area of nearly 300 square miles, driving is still usually the best way to get around.

If you don’t have a car of your own, you’ll have access to

Charlotte’s public transit

, which includes the buses of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and the LYNX trains, to help you get from point A to point B, as well as taxis and rideshare options like Lyft or Uber.

Plus, there’s plenty of

bike routes

around the city that are as great for enjoying the local scenery as they can be for commuting.

Oh, and when you’re looking to escape the city, you’ll also be close to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

MORE:

How bad is Charlotte traffic?

6. You’ll get mild winters but hot, humid summers

It doesn’t snow much in Charlotte, but the area gets an average of about 2 inches per year. When it does, it’ll often slow down traffic for a while. The mild winters make Charlotte a great candidate if you kind of like cold temperatures but don’t like committing to them long-term.

In turn, you’ll get hot, humid summers in Charlotte, with average highs that extend into the high 80s and low 90s.

Also, since Charlotte is located farther inland, the risk of hurricanes is substantially lower than on North Carolina’s coast.

7. There’s no shortage of entertainment options

No matter what team you’re rooting for, sports lovers will likely be able to appreciate that Charlotte is home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Minor League Baseball’s Charlotte Knights.

If music is more your thing, Charlotte has a lively local music scene, and it also tends to be a popular touring destination for many of the music industry’s top acts across all kinds of genres.

There’s also tons of museums, nightlife entertainment options, year-round festivals, and one-of-a-kind shops. And that’s just scratching the surface!

Does Charlotte live up to the hype?

There’s a lot to like about Charlotte. You’ll have plenty of entertainment options at your disposal, including your choice of hundreds of different local parks and year-round festivals, plus a good number of job prospects across a variety of sectors. In exchange for mild winters, you’ll have to be willing to endure Charlotte’s hot, humid summers and its congested traffic.

If all this sounds fine to you, Charlotte might just be worth your consideration!

MORE:

Does my car insurance cover me if I move to a new city?

Finding a place to live in Charlotte

Housing costs in Charlotte are generally lower than the national average, but that might vary depending on the amenities you’re looking for in a home and what part of the city you’re living in.

Realtor.com’s overview

of Charlotte shows that the median sale price of homes in Charlotte, as of July 2022, was about $397,000. For comparison, the median sales price of houses sold in the United States in the second quarter of 2022 was about $440,300, according to data from the

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

The median monthly homeownership costs for Charlotte residents who have mortgages was about $1,456, as of the 2020 census.

Planning to rent rather than buy? Rent costs in Charlotte tend to be slightly less expensive than the national average of about $1,770 per month for a one-bedroom, according to

rent.com’s analysis

. In Charlotte, here’s what average monthly rent costs look like based on the number of bedrooms you’re looking for:

Studio: $1,712

One-bedroom: $1,507

Two-bedroom: $1,749

Three-bedroom: $2,2029

The largest share of Charlotte apartments (49%) fall between $1,500 and $2,100 per month. The next largest share (39%) cost upwards of $2,100.

That said, what Charlotte neighborhood you choose will also have an influence on your rent costs. You might find a studio apartment in Eastside or Sheffield Park for around $1,000, while a studio apartment in Ashley Park or Plaza Midwood could cost you around $2,800 per month!

When it comes to picking out a Charlotte neighborhood that’s right for you, establishing a budget is a good place to start. Once you have an idea of what you can afford, you can narrow down your list further by different factors that suit your lifestyle, like nearby parks or shops.

As you browse your options across Charlotte's nearly 200 neighborhoods, here are some locations worth looking into:

Most iconic neighborhoods: Uptown, South End, NoDa, Fourth Ward, Ballantyne

Best neighborhoods if you’ve got kids: Ballantyne East, Ballantyne West, Providence Crossing

Best neighborhoods for foodies: South End, Plaza Midwood, Myers Park

Best neighborhoods to buy a house: Providence Crossing, Olde Providence South, Plaza Hills, Dilworth

Most affordable neighborhoods: Wildwood, Capitol Drive, Jackson Homes

If you’re able, it’s a good idea to visit the neighborhoods you’re interested in first—that way, you can get a better sense of each one’s atmosphere and whether it could actually be a good fit for you.

Pro Tip If you’re looking to cut down on your housing costs in Charlotte, you could consider choosing a larger apartment and splitting rent with roommates.

MORE:

Cheap car insurance if you rent an apartment

Moving to Charlotte checklist

So, it’s official: you’re actually moving to Charlotte! Whether you’re moving from a nearby city or all the way across the country, each move will have its own unique challenges. Here are some items worth adding to your Charlotte moving checklist to help the process go that much more smoothly.

Before you go

Ahead of moving day, make sure you:

Book a reputable moving company to safely move your belongings to your new home. Not sure where to start? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has

helpful tips

on finding good moving companies and steering clear of scams.

Or, if you’re handling your move to Charlotte solo, be sure to reserve a U-Haul ahead of time if you need one.

Depending on the distance and circumstances of your move, you might want to consider shipping your car instead of driving it.

Let important contacts know you’re moving, including your landlord, your employer, your insurance provider(s), and utility provider(s).

Update your address and set up mail forwarding with the

USPS

so you don’t miss any important communications.

Verify that your new renters or

homeowners insurance policy

will be active and ready to go once you’ve moved in.

After you get there

After unpacking that final box in your new place, here are just a couple more items you’ll want to take care of:

If you’ve moved to Charlotte from out of state, you’ll need to re-register your car in North Carolina and update your car insurance if you haven’t already.

Explore Charlotte! Now that you’re finally moved into your new Charlotte home, take your time to get familiar with the city and experience all the great food, recreation, and entertainment it has to offer.

MORE:

How to choose the right kind of home insurance for you

How to save on car, renters, and home insurance in Charlotte

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FAQs

Is it worth moving to Charlotte?

Whether Charlotte’s the right fit for you will largely depend on your budget and what you’re looking for in a lifestyle. If you’re looking for a city with a healthy job market, plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities and entertainment options, and a cost of living right around the national average, Charlotte might just be the city for you! You’ll just have to take the mild winters in stride with the hot, humid summers.

How much money do I need to move to Charlotte?

Depending on where you’re relocating from, a move to Charlotte could cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand.

As for how much you’ll need to earn once you’re actually living in Charlotte, that will depend on your lifestyle and the needs of your household. Data from MIT’s

Living Wage Calculator

estimates a single adult without children would need to earn at least $17.70 per hour to live comfortably in Charlotte, while a household of two adults and three kids would need to take in a cumulative $56.86 per hour.

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