Everything You Need to Know About Relocating to Charlotte, NC

Whether you’re currently planning to relocate to Charlotte or you’re on the fence about making the move. Here is everything you need to know about relocating to Charlotte, NC & SC.

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Charlotte’s Cost of Living

Bare with me, my inner nerd for data and stats will show itself for a moment, but I promise I’ll break it down. Charlotte’s cost of living is, currently, 3% lower than the national average, which is great for folks moving from more expensive states like New York, Chicago and California.

Comparing the cost of living across state of North Carolina, Charlotte’s cost of living is about 1% higher than the rest of NC.

Don’t let that discourage you; here’s a short breakdown of how we looked at this:

Housing in Charlotte is 10% cheaper, on average, than the rest of the U.S.
Utilities are about 12% less expensive in Charlotte than the national average.
Grocery costs in Charlotte closely align with the national average while food costs are reported to be a little above 11% than the national average.
Transportation is about 3.5% higher than the national average.

Regionally, Charlotte’s cost of living is a little above the state average, but the important statistic here is this: this is still 5% below the national average for cost of living.

Seeing cost of living percentages can be intimidating, but it’s a lot less scary when we break down the data into the respective categories. This allows us to see a more wholistic view and we can make better, well informed decisions when we really analyze what is being considered.

Overall, the affordability is still a major draw for individuals and families to come to the area.

Is North Carolina or South Carolina right for you? Find out in my blog post right here.

What Tech Companies are in Charlotte?

Did you know Charlotte is becoming a major tech hub?

Charlotte has seen a 21%+ increase in high-tech jobs which is surpassing the national growth rate of 10.1% per CBRE’s article on Charlotte Tech Job growth.

Major tech companies in the area include Red Ventures, AvidXchange, Microsoft, IBM, Honeywell, Lowe’s, and several other heavy hitters in the tech industry.

What Other Companies are in Charlotte NC?

Aside from tech, Charlotte is the second largest banking city in the U.S. and it’s only natural to see an abundance of finance and banking companies calling the Queen City- home.

As of 2023, Charlotte boasts 9 companies on the Fortune 500 list and is home to several major employers in a diverse range of industries.

A few of the companies that are headquartered in Charlotte are Bank of America, Duke Energy, Nucor, Sonic Automotive, Sealed Air, Domtar and more.

Learn more about what it’s really like to live in the Charlotte area with these resources:

Average Temperatures in Charlotte NC

The Carolina area is known for its mild winters and hot summers.

In Spring, the QC averages 50-75 °F with moderate humidity and highs of 60-70 degrees by April.

Summer brings averages of 70-90 °F with July being the hottest month and you might experience several days above 90 °F, high humidity levels and seasonal thunderstorms.

Fall begins to cool things down and temperatures hang out in the 50-70 °F range and you’ll experience cool, crisp air and vibrant foliage.

Lastly, our mild winter brings us temps between 33-55 °F. Frost is more common than snow in the Charlotte region so no need to worry too much about it being snowed every year.

Relocating to Charlotte? Download my free relocation guide here.

What is the Charlotte Area Transit System like?

Charlotte’s public transit system offers regular bus routes through CATS; the LYNX Blue Line light rail connects key areas of the city and there’s no shortage of ride share drivers and environmentally friendly transportation options in the city.

Charlotte is actively working to enhance its transit systems.

For 2025, the city is proposing over $5 billion to expand the Red and Silver line rails and another $380 million to extend the Gold Line Streetcar. The plan aims to improve connectivity and reduce reliance on personal vehicles and decrease congestion.

Top Hospitals in Charlotte

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center (CMC): Atrium has a level 1 trauma center, transplant center, and offers a broad range of specialty services from cancer care, orthopedics, urology and they are known for their state-of-the-art facilities and top-rated physicians.
Levine Children’s Hospital: Levine’s is known for its excellence in Pediatric care, specialty and comprehensive services, and they are well known for their high standards of pediatric care and specialized departments.
Novant Health Medical Center: Known for high-quality care across specialties and they’ve been noted for delivering excellent patient care. They’ve consistently ranked among the best for patient satisfaction and medical outcomes.
Veterans Affairs Hospital and Medical Centers: Charlotte has 2 major VA hospitals located in Salisbury and South Charlotte. The city also has a VA Outpatient client in the University area (NE Charlotte) for services that aren’t restricted to a hospital environment.

Novant and Atrium are only two of the major medical systems within the Charlotte area, other great, comprehensive, medical groups include Tryon Medical Group and CaroMont Health to name a few others. Of course, it’s important to research each of these to determine what is best for your own medical needs.

If you’d like to know more about my beloved Queen City, please send me an email or give me a call and let’s chat about what you want to see discussed in the next blog.