Charlotte metropolitan area

Last updated
Charlotte metropolitan area
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Uptown Charlotte 2018 taking by DJI Phantom 4 pro.jpg
Charlotte metropolitan area
Map of Charlotte–Concord, NC CSA
Country Flag of United States.svg United States
State Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina
Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina
Core city Flag of Charlotte, North Carolina.svg Charlotte
Principal cities
Area
   Metropolitan Statistical Area 3,198 sq mi (8,280 km2)
  Land3,149 sq mi (8,160 km2)
  Water49 sq mi (130 km2)
Elevation
305–2,560 ft (93–780 m)
Population
 (2023)
   Metro
2,805,115 (22nd)
  Metro density824.1/sq mi (318.2/km2)
   CSA
3,387,115 (19th)
GDP
[1]
  MSA$228.9 billion (2022)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip Codes
280xx,281xx,282xx,286xx,297xx
Area code(s) 704, 803,828,980

The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, containing the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastonia, Concord, Huntersville, and Rock Hill as well as the large suburban area in the counties surrounding Mecklenburg County, which is at the center of the metro area. Located in the Piedmont, it is the largest metropolitan area in the Carolinas, and the fourth largest in the Southeastern United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. [2]

Contents

There are two official metropolitan boundaries for the Charlotte metropolitan area: the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) [3] and the Charlotte–Concord, NC–SC Combined Statistical Area (CSA). [4] The two regions are identical except for the addition to the Charlotte-Concord CSA of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area (MSA) and three micropolitan areas, Marion, Shelby and Albemarle, that are not included in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia MSA. The population of the MSA was 2,595,027 [5] and the population of the CSA was 2,754,842 as of 2020 Census. [6] In 2023, [7] the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued new revised delineations for Combined Statistical Areas that included a 2022 population estimate of 3,333,992 for the new Charlotte–Concord, NC–SC CSA (that now includes the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Marion, Albemarle and Shelby Micropolitan Statistical Areas). The metropolitan area is slightly larger than 3,000 square miles (7,800 km2). The new Combined Statistical Area definition is approximately 8,536 square miles (22,108 square km) in size.

The Charlotte metro area is a major financial center, transportation hub, and entertainment destination. Charlotte is the second largest financial hub in the United States behind New York City, being the headquarters for Bank of America and Truist Financial as well as housing the East Coast headquarters and largest employment hub of Wells Fargo. Other Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the metro area include Brighthouse Financial, Duke Energy, Honeywell, Lowe's, Nucor, Sonic Automotive, Albemarle and CommScope in the Hickory area. The Charlotte metro area is the largest manufacturing region in the Carolinas. The estimated gross metropolitan product (GMP) of the metro area is over $170 billion. [8] Located in Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the seventh-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the city's location at the junction of I-85 and I-77 makes it a highway logistics center. The Charlotte metro is also one of the centers of American auto racing and is home to the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, and Charlotte FC.

The Charlotte metro is home to a number of prominent higher education institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Queens University of Charlotte, Davidson College, Belmont Abbey College, Winthrop University and many more. The larger region is also home to respected institutions such as Gardner-Webb University, Lenoir–Rhyne University, Wingate University, and the Hickory campus of Appalachian State University. The primary community college for the area is Central Piedmont Community College, which has several campuses throughout Charlotte and the surrounding region.

Nicknames and regional identity

The regional area around the city was at one time called Metrolina, a portmanteau of Metropolis and Carolina. The term has fallen out of widespread general use, though it still maintains a presence and is used by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The term does retain a marketing value, and is thus also used by many businesses in the area. Metrolina refers to the region that includes the cities of Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia and Rock Hill. The name Metrolina came into fashion when North Carolina's other two large metropolitan areas took on nicknames—the Triangle for Raleigh/Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill and the Triad for Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point. (The Triad now goes by the name Piedmont Triad to distinguish it from other tri-cities.)

Charlotte's most common nickname is the Queen City, often abbreviated as Q.C., a name derived[ citation needed ] from the city's namesake, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

The term "Charlotte USA" referred to the 16-county region, which includes 12 counties in North Carolina and 4 counties in South Carolina. The term was championed during a marketing campaign by the Charlotte Regional Partnership, a non-profit organization made up of both private- and public-sector members from throughout the Charlotte region. This organization represents one of seven officially designated economic development regions in North Carolina. [9]

Region J of the North Carolina Councils of Government, of which a majority of the Charlotte area municipalities and counties belong, uses the term Centralina in its body's name, Centralina Council of Governments. This term, however, is used only sparingly among locals.

Geography

Historical populations
CensusPop.Note
1950 197,052
1960 272,11138.1%
1970 409,37050.4%
1980 637,21855.7%
1990 1,162,09382.4%
2000 1,499,29329.0%
2010 2,243,96049.7%
2020 2,660,32918.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790–1960 [11] 1900–1990 [12]
1990–2000 [13] 2010 [14] 2020 [15]

Counties

The official Charlotte metropolitan area includes the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia MSA (Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union counties in North Carolina; Chester, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina). The Charlotte CSA includes all the MSA counties along with the following micropolitan areas in North Carolina: Albemarle (Stanly County) and Shelby (Cleveland County). (Census Bureau definition for CSA) [16]

The Charlotte Regional Partnership also identifies three additional counties to what they refer to as the "Charlotte Region"—Alexander and Catawba counties in North Carolina, and Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Catawba and Alexander counties are currently part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area or "the Unifour". Factoring in the Unifour, as well as Chesterfield County, if one considers these regions to be part of the Charlotte area, as many in the area regard them as such, the population according to 2018 Census estimates, increases to 3,190,390. If this population was officially used, the Charlotte Area would become the 20th largest CSA, overtaking the St. Louis, Missouri area, and placing it behind Portland, Oregon.

County [17] 2022 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Mecklenburg County 1,145,3921,115,482+2.68%523.84 sq mi (1,356.7 km2)
York County 294,248282,090+4.31%680.60 sq mi (1,762.7 km2)
Union County 249,070238,267+4.53%631.52 sq mi (1,635.6 km2)
Cabarrus County 235,797225,804+4.43%361.75 sq mi (936.9 km2)
Gaston County 234,215227,943+2.75%356.03 sq mi (922.1 km2)
Iredell County 195,897186,693+4.93%573.83 sq mi (1,486.2 km2)
Rowan County 149,645146,875+1.89%511.37 sq mi (1,324.4 km2)
Lancaster County 104,57796,016+8.92%549.16 sq mi (1,422.3 km2)
Lincoln County 93,09586,810+7.24%297.94 sq mi (771.7 km2)
Chester County 31,93132,294−1.12%580.66 sq mi (1,503.9 km2)
Anson County 22,20222,055+0.67%531.45 sq mi (1,376.4 km2)
Total2,756,0692,660,329+3.60%5,598.15 sq mi (14,499.1 km2)
Additional Counties Included in Combined Statistical Area [17]

County2022 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Catawba County 163,462160,609+1.78%401.40 sq mi (1,039.6 km2)
Cleveland County 100,67099,519+1.16%464.25 sq mi (1,202.4 km2)
Burke County 87,88187,573+0.35%514.24 sq mi (1,331.9 km2)
Caldwell County 80,49280,664−0.21%474.61 sq mi (1,229.2 km2)
Stanly County 64,15362,504+2.64%395.09 sq mi (1,023.3 km2)
McDowell County 44,75344,577+0.39%445.35 sq mi (1,153.5 km2)
Alexander County 36,51236,491+0.06%260.00 sq mi (673.4 km2)
Total for Alexander, Burke,
Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland,
McDowell and Stanly counties
577,923571,937+1.05%2,954.94 sq mi (7,653.3 km2)
Total for entire Charlotte CSA3,333,9923,232,266+3.15%8,556.00 sq mi (22,159.9 km2)

Largest cities and towns

RankCity / town [17] County2022 Estimate2020 CensusChange
1 Charlotte Mecklenburg County 897,720874,579+2.65%
2 Concord Cabarrus County 109,896105,240+4.42%
3 Gastonia Gaston County 82,65380,411+2.79%
4 Rock Hill York County 75,34974,372+1.31%
5 Huntersville Mecklenburg County 63,03561,376+2.70%
6 Kannapolis Cabarrus County / Rowan County 55,44853,114+4.39%
7 Mooresville Iredell County 52,65650,193+4.91%
8 Hickory Catawba County 44,08443,491+1.36%
9 Indian Trail Union County 41,72439,997+4.32%
10 Monroe Union County 36,01834,562+4.21%
11 Salisbury Rowan County 35,80835,540+0.75%
12 Cornelius Mecklenburg County 32,29431,412+2.81%
13 Fort Mill York County 30,94024,521+26.18%
14 Matthews Mecklenburg County / Union County 30,12429,435+2.34%
15 Statesville Iredell County 29,68128,419+4.44%
16 Mint Hill Mecklenburg County / Union County 27,14326,450+2.62%
17 Waxhaw Union County 22,53320,534+9.74%
18 Shelby Cleveland County 21,85521,913−0.26%
19 Harrisburg Cabarrus County 19,82218,967+4.51%
20 Mount Holly Gaston County 18,25517,703+3.12%
21 Lenoir Caldwell County 18,17017,703+2.64%
22 Morganton Burke County 17,60217,473+0.74%
23 Stallings Union County / Mecklenburg County 16,76816,112+4.07%
24 Albemarle Stanly County 16,76616,422+2.09%
25 Davidson Mecklenburg County / Iredell County 15,77115,106+4.40%
26 Belmont Gaston County 15,35315,010+2.29%
27 Weddington Mecklenburg County / Union County 13,71713,181+4.07%
28 Tega Cay York County 13,68912,832+6.68%
29 Newton Catawba County 13,33713,146+1.45%
30 Lincolnton Lincoln County 11,81811,091+6.55%
31 Kings Mountain Cleveland County / Gaston County 11,63811,142+4.45%
32 Pineville Mecklenburg County 10,88610,602+2.68%

Cities and Towns: 5,000 to 10,000 in Population

RankCity / TownCounty2022 Estimate2020 CensusChange
1 Wesley Chapel Union County 9,0408,681+4.14%
2 Lancaster Lancaster County 8,8298,460+4.36%
3 York York County 8,6488,503+1.71%
4 Conover Catawba County 8,5718,424+1.75%
5 Marion McDowell County 7,4927,711−2.84%
6 Clover York County 7,4056,671+11.00%
7 Unionville Union County 6,8756,643+3.49%
8 Marvin Union County 6,6246,358+4.18%
9 Cherryville Gaston County 6,2076,078+2.12%
10 Dallas Gaston County 6,0845,927+2.65%
11 Bessemer City Gaston County 5,5635,428+2.49%
12 Cramerton Gaston County 5,4415,296+2.74%
13 Chester Chester County 5,1875,269−1.56%
14 Long View Catawba County 5,1725,088+1.65%
15 Sawmills Caldwell County 5,0195,027−0.16%

Suburban towns and cities under 5,000 in population

Unincorporated communities

Changes in house prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of the S&P 20-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.

Transportation

Mass transit

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the mass transit agency that operates local, express, bus rapid services that serves Charlotte and its immediate suburban communities in both North and South Carolina. CATS also operates light rail and streetcar lines. CATS is also building a commuter, light rail, streetcar network as a supplement to its established bus transit throughout the region. The LYNX Blue Line runs from Interstate 485, through SouthEnd, Uptown Charlotte, to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Plans are for it to stretch initially to Mooresville, Pineville, and Matthews. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport will be connected to the system by light rail.

Gastonia Transit, Concord Kannapolis Area Transit, My Ride Transit in Rock Hill, Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority in Hickory, Salisbury Transit, and Iredell Area Transit System in Iredell County also provide fixed route bus services within the Greater Charlotte metropolitan region as well.

Roads

The Charlotte region is also served by 2 major interstate highways (I-85 and I-77), and their 2 spurs (I-277, and I-485). I-40 also passes through the center of Iredell County and west through the Greater Hickory area, which is the northern region of the Charlotte Combined Statistical area. Other major freeways include Independence Boulevard (east Charlotte to I-277), a portion of US 321 between Hickory and Gastonia, and Monroe Connector / Bypass, each projected to cost over $1 billion per project.

Other important US highways in the region include: US 74 (east to Wilmington, west to Asheville and Chattanooga), US 52 (through the far eastern part of the region), U.S. Route 321 (through Chester, York, Gastonia, Dallas, Lincolnton and Hickory), US 601 (passing east of Charlotte) and US 70 (through Salisbury, Statesville and Hickory).

Primary state routes include NC/SC 49, NC 16 (which extends north to West Virginia), NC 73, NC 150, NC 18, NC 24, NC 27, SC 9 and SC 5.

Air

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the main airport in the Charlotte area and the 6th busiest in the country by aircraft operations. In April 2007, Charlotte was the fastest growing airport in the US. [18] The airport went on to surpass its sister US Airways hub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as one of the 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic.[ citation needed ] CLT is also supplemented by Concord-Padgett Regional Airport with service provided by Allegiant Air to several destinations. In addition, there are numerous other general aviation airports in the region including the Hickory Regional Airport (which is certified under 14 CFR Part 139 to host airline and unscheduled charter flights), Charlotte–Monroe Executive Airport, Rock Hill/York County Airport, Stanly County Airport, Lancaster County Airport, Mid-Carolina Regional Airport, Shelby–Cleveland County Regional Airport, Gastonia Municipal Airport, Lincolnton–Lincoln County Regional Airport, Foothills Regional Airport, Anson County Airport, Chester Catawba Regional Airport, Rutherford County Airport and the Statesville Regional Airport.

Higher education

Four-year institutions

North Carolina
South Carolina

Two-year institutions

North Carolina
South Carolina

Defunct institutions

Healthcare

Attractions

Nature and geography

The foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains begin along the western edge of the region; the descent (the Fall Line) to the coastal plain begins along the eastern edge. Amid this varied topography, the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden and several state parks (Morrow Mountain, Crowders Mountain, South Mountains, Lake Norman, Landsford Canal, Andrew Jackson) offer recreational possibilities, along with the Uwharrie National Forest just east and northeast of Albemarle, and the Sumter National Forest at the southwest corner of the area. Kings Mountain National Military Park is partially located in York County and in Cherokee County near Blacksburg, South Carolina.

Cultural attractions

Fury 325 at Carowinds Carowinds-Fury325Entry.JPG
Fury 325 at Carowinds

Attractions in Charlotte include the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Cultural, Carowinds theme park, Discovery Place, Spirit Square, NASCAR Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Actor's Theatre of Charlotte, Carolina Actors Studio Theatre, Theatre Charlotte, the Charlotte Museum of History, Levine Museum of the New South, the McGill Rose Garden, and the Wing Haven Gardens. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte are expanding the art venues in Charlotte.

Other places of interest in the surrounding area include the Schiele Museum (in Gastonia), Charlotte Motor Speedway (in Concord), the Carolina Raptor Center (in Huntersville), Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (in Belmont), Latta Plantation (in Huntersville), Brattonsville Historic District (in McConnells), the North Carolina Transportation Museum (in Spencer), Fort Dobbs historical site (in Statesville), Catawba County Firefighters Museum (in Conover), the Arts & Science Center of Catawba Valley/Millholland Planetarium (in Hickory) the Museum of York County (in Rock Hill), James K. Polk historical site (in Pineville), the Catawba Cultural Center (in York County), the Museum of the Waxhaws (in Waxhaw), Glencairn Gardens (in Rock Hill), and the Reed Gold Mine (in Locust).

Entertainment

The PNC Music Pavilion is located in the University City area of Charlotte. The performing arts amphitheatre has hosted many popular music concerts. The U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) is the world's premier outdoor recreation and environmental education center. Alongside mountain-biking and running trails, a climbing center, and challenge course, the park's unique feature is a multiple-channel, customized whitewater river for rafting and canoe/kayak enthusiasts of all abilities.

The USNWC is only 10 minutes from downtown Charlotte and provides roughly 400 acres (1.6 km2) of woodlands along the scenic Catawba River. Olympic-caliber athletes, weekend warriors and casual observers share this world-class sports and training center.

Inspired by the successful Penrith Whitewater Stadium built for the 2000 Olympics and the stadium built for the 2004 Athens Games, the USNWC is the world's largest multi-channel recirculating whitewater river. The USOC has designated the USNWC an official Olympic Training Site.

Shopping

SouthPark Mall is one of the Southern United States' most upscale malls, including stores such as Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Hermès, Neiman Marcus, and American Girl. SouthPark mall is also the largest mall in the Carolinas and one of the most-profitable malls in the United States.

Other large regional-scale Shopping malls include Northlake Mall, Carolina Place Mall, Concord Mills, Charlotte Premium Outlets, Phillips Place (across from SouthPark), RiverGate, Westfield Eastridge, Rock Hill Galleria, Plaza Fiesta, Carolina Mall, Monroe Crossing Mall, Signal Hill Mall, and Valley Hills Mall.

Concord Mills is unique in that it does not feature the typical anchor stores found at other malls; it focuses more on attracting outlet store tenants. The mall is visited by over 15 million annually.

Alongside enclosed malls and strip centers are several other shopping districts. Several downtowns can claim an abundance of shopping options, along with restaurants and other entertainment, and a few other specific districts have emerged: Central Avenue, especially in the Plaza-Midwood area; the NoDa area of North Charlotte; and the Arboretum in southeast Charlotte (geographically, south), to offer a handful of examples. Several of these areas are at the center of the area's growing immigrant business communities.

Sports

Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC Mexico vs Iceland Panorama (4463906303).jpg
Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC

In addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway, there are plenty of other sports venues, including Truist Field (home of the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox), Bank of America Stadium (home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers and MLS's Charlotte FC), Spectrum Center (home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets) and Bojangles' Coliseum (home of American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers). The Charlotte Eagles of the United Soccer Leagues and the Hickory FC of the National Premier Soccer League call the area home, and the Hickory Crawdads are a High-A Minor-League Baseball team and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are a Low-A Minor-League Baseball team located in this region.

Economy

Bank of America Corporate Center, the world headquarters for Bank of America Boa cc.jpg
Bank of America Corporate Center, the world headquarters for Bank of America
20 largest employers in the Charlotte metropolitan area (Q2 2019)
NameIndustryBased inNumber of employees
1. Atrium Health Health Care and Social Assistance Charlotte 35,700
2. Wells Fargo Finance and Insurance San Francisco 26,000
3. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Educational Services Mecklenburg County 18,495
4. Walmart Retail Trade Bentonville, Arkansas 16,100
5. Bank of America Finance and Insurance Charlotte 15,000
6. Novant Health Health Care and Social Assistance Winston-Salem, NC 12,172
7. American Airlines Transportation and Warehousing Dallas, Texas 11,000
8. Lowe's Retail Trade Mooresville, North Carolina 9,233
9. Food Lion Retail Trade Salisbury, North Carolina 8,465
10. Harris Teeter Retail Trade Matthews, North Carolina 8,239
11. Duke Energy Utilities Charlotte 7,700
12. Government of North Carolina Public Administration Raleigh, North Carolina 7,600
13. Compass Group Manufacturing Chertsey, England, UK 7,500
14. City of CharlottePublic Administration Charlotte 6,800
15. Mecklenburg County GovernmentPublic Administration Mecklenburg County 5,512
16. Union County Public Schools Educational Services Union County 5,427
17. U.S. Federal Government Public Administration Washington, D.C. 5,300
18. YMCA of Greater CharlotteArts, Entertainment and Recreation Charlotte 4,436
19. CaroMont HealthHealthcare Gastonia, North Carolina 4,223
20. AT&T Inc. Utilities Dallas, Texas 4,100

[19] [20]

Companies with headquarters in the region include Bank of America, Belk, BellSouth Telecommunications, Bojangles', The Compass Group, Carolina Beverage Corporation Inc. (makers of Sun Drop and Cheerwine), Duke Energy, Family Dollar, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Lance, Inc, LendingTree, Lowe's, Meineke Car Care Centers, Muzak, Nucor, Chiquita Brands International Transbotics, Royal & SunAlliance (USA), SPX Corporation, Time Warner Cable (a business unit of Fortune 500 company Time Warner), and Wells Fargo.

Charlotte has gained fame as the second largest banking and finance center in the U.S., and the area's orientation towards emerging industries is seen in the success of the University Research Park (the 7th largest research park in the country) and the redevelopment of part of the Pillowtex site in Kannapolis as a biotech research facility featuring the participation of University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and North Carolina State University.

Reflections Studios in Charlotte played an important role in the emergent late-20th-century American musical underground – R.E.M., Pylon, Let's Active, Don Dixon and Charlotte's Fetchin Bones (among many others) all recorded influential and acclaimed albums there. Charlotte-based Ripete and Surfside Records maintain important catalogs of regional soul and beach music, and the area has also played a role in the history of gospel, bluegrass and country music. The Milestone, one of the first punk clubs in the South, is located in west Charlotte, and in the past hosted legendary appearances from the likes of R.E.M., Black Flag, Nirvana, The Minutemen, D.O.A., Bad Brains, Charlotte's Antiseen, and many others.

Notable residents

Notable people from the Charlotte metro area include:

Government

A majority of the municipalities and counties in the North Carolina parts of the Charlotte metropolitan area belong to the Centralina Council of Governments. Cleveland County belongs to the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission and Alexander and Catawba counties belong to the Western Piedmont Council of Governments.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte, North Carolina</span> Largest city in North Carolina, United States

Charlotte is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 15th-most populous city in the United States, the seventh-most populous city in the South, and the second-most populous city in the Southeast behind Jacksonville, Florida. The city is the cultural, economic, and transportation center of the Charlotte metropolitan area, whose estimated 2023 population of 2,805,115 ranked 22nd in the United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an eighteen-county market region or combined statistical area with an estimated 2023 population of 3,387,115.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mecklenburg County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Mecklenburg County is a county located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,115,482, making it the second-most populous county in North Carolina, and the first county in the Carolinas to surpass one million in population. Its county seat is Charlotte, the state's largest municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaston County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catawba County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Catawba County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 160,610. Its county seat is Newton, and its largest community is Hickory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabarrus County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Cabarrus County is a county located in the south-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 225,804, making it the 9th-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat is Concord, which was incorporated in 1803. Cabarrus County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concord, North Carolina</span> City in North Carolina, United States

Concord is the county seat and most populous city in Cabarrus County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 105,240. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second-most populous city in the Charlotte metropolitan area and is the 10th-most populous city in North Carolina and 287th-most populous city in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gastonia, North Carolina</span> City in North Carolina, United States

Gastonia is the most populous city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 80,411 in the 2020 census, up from 71,741 in 2010. Gastonia is the 13th-most populous city in North Carolina. It is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hickory, North Carolina</span> City in North Carolina, United States

Hickory is a city in North Carolina primarily located in Catawba County and is the 25th most populous city in North Carolina. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Charlotte. Hickory's population in the 2022 United States Census Bureau estimate was 44,084. Hickory is the main city of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 368,347 in the 2022 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maiden, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Research Triangle</span> Geographic region of North Carolina, U.S.

The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, the region is home to three major research universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, respectively. The "Triangle" name originated in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park located between the three anchor cities, which is the largest research park in the United States and home to numerous high tech companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catawba River</span> River in North Carolina and South Carolina, United States

The Catawba River is a major river located in the Southeastern United States. It originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into the Piedmont, where it has been impounded through a series of reservoirs for flood control and generation of hydroelectricity. The river is named after the Catawba tribe of Native Americans, which lives on its banks. In their language, they call themselves "yeh is-WAH h’reh", meaning "people of the river."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upstate South Carolina</span> CSA in South Carolina, United States

The Upstate, historically known as the Upcountry, is a region of the U.S. state of South Carolina, comprising the northwesternmost area of the state. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerce-rich I-85 corridor in the northwest corner of South Carolina. This definition coincided with the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area, as first defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2015. In 2023, the OMB issued its most updated definition of the CSA that coincides again with the 10-county region.

Central North Carolina, also known as the Piedmont, is a region of North Carolina. It is located between the Mountains to the west and the Coastal Plain to the east. It is the most populous region of the state, containing Charlotte, the state capital of Raleigh, and Greensboro. These cities form the Piedmont Crescent region, much of which parallels I-85. The geography of the Piedmont primarily consists of rolling hills. Historically the region has been known for furniture and textile manufacturing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan Statistical Area in North Carolina, United States

The Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties, Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, Alexander. It is located in the Catawba Valley region of western North Carolina. Local residents often refer to the area as The Unifour, although this name is largely unknown outside of the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piedmont Atlantic megaregion</span> Megaregion of the southeastern USA

The Piedmont Atlantic megaregion is a neologism created by the Regional Plan Association for an area of the Southeastern United States that contains parts of the states of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The region includes the Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Memphis, Nashville, Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), Upstate South Carolina (Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson), and Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point metropolitan areas. The megaregion generally follows the Interstate 85/20 corridor. According to Georgia Tech, the Piedmont Atlantic represents over 12 percent of the total United States population and covers over 243,000 square miles (630,000 km2) of land.

Novant Health is a four-state integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals across the Southeast. Its network consists of more than 2,000 physicians and 40,000 employees at more than 850 locations, including 19 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. The organization was formed on 1 July 1997 by the merger of Carolina Medicorp of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Presbyterian Health Services of Charlotte, North Carolina. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health serves more than 7 million patients annually. In 2019, Novant Health was ranked #38 in Forbes' annual ranking of America's Best Employers for Diversity, #3 in Diversity MBA Magazine's annual ranking of Best Places to Work for Women & Diverse Managers, and #6 in North Carolina in Forbes' annual ranking of America's Best Employers by State.

This article is intended to give an overview of transportation in North Carolina.

References

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35°14′N80°50′W / 35.23°N 80.84°W / 35.23; -80.84