News & Media

How the Charlotte Region is Changing

The Charlotte Region is dynamic. Recent analysis by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance® looks at how the region is growing and diversifying; how that growth compares to other major metros; where that growth is coming from; and how we expect to grow in the future. Some of the key takeaways are:

  • The Charlotte Region grew by 16.3 percent over the past decade, outpacing North Carolina (9.5%), South Carolina (10.7%), and the nation (7.4%).
  • The Charlotte Region became more diverse over the past decade, with the fastest growth among those who identified as Some Other Race (209%), Multiracial (192%), and Asian (83%).
  • Eight of the top 10 fastest growing major metros over the past decade were in Texas, Florida, or the Carolinas. The Charlotte MSA saw the 9th fastest growth during the past decade, and grew even faster towards the end of the decade. From 2019-2020, the Charlotte MSA grew the 5th fastest among major metros behind only Austin, Phoenix, Raleigh, and Las Vegas.
  • Most of the population growth in the Charlotte Region is from in-migration. 104 people move into the Charlotte Region every day, with the largest contingent coming from New York City.
  • Those moving into the Charlotte Region from within the United States tend to be more educated, younger, and wealthier than the residents already living in the region.
  • Those moving into the Charlotte Region from foreign countries tend to skew to the extremes for educational attainment. Over 50% are either highly educated or do not have a high school degree compared to 22% of Charlotte Region residents.
  • The Charlotte Region is expected to grow by 50% by 2050, from about 3 million to 4.5 million. That growth is expected to concentrate in urban and suburban counties. The fastest growth is expected in York County, SC and Lancaster County, SC, which are expected to roughly double in size over the next 30 years.

The Charlotte Region’s growth is one of the primary reasons why so many people and businesses are drawn to moving here. That growth is expected to continue and it will be important to invest in infrastructure of all kinds to remain competitive as a region and support our residents and businesses.

Read the full report on Population and Demographics Changes for 2021 click here.

Written by: Burton, Antony, Principal Researcher, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, “How the Charlotte Region is Changing”, Principal Researcher @ 12:00:00 pm, https://charlotteregion.com/blog/2021/09/30/research-data/how-the-charlotte-region-is-changing/