SafekipediaCharlotte, North Carolina
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Charlotte is the biggest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. With a population of 874,579 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S. and the second-most populous city in the Southeast after Jacksonville, Florida. Many people live in the area around Charlotte, which has about 2.88 million residents.
Charlotte has grown very fast. Between 2004 and 2014, many new people moved there. It is also a big place for banking, with companies like Bank of America, Honeywell, Truist Financial, and Wells Fargo having offices in the city.
The city has many fun things to see and do. It is home to three professional sports teams: the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, and Charlotte FC of MLS. There are also museums, theaters, and parks, including the Carowinds amusement park.
Charlotte has a warm climate and plenty of green spaces. It is near several lakes, such as Lake Norman, and is known for being one of the greenest cities in North America.
History
The Catawba Indians were the first known people to live in the Charlotte area. Spanish explorers met them there in 1567.
Charlotte began as a small settlement in the mid-1700s. Thomas Spratt and his family were among the first European families to settle there. The city was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1768.
Charlotte grew slowly at first. A major discovery of gold nearby in 1799 started the first gold rush in the United States. The city became a center for cotton and railroads after the Civil War.
Charlotte became North Carolina's largest city in 1910. The banking industry grew strongly there in the late 20th century. The city faced challenges such as Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which caused major damage and long power outages.
Geography
Charlotte, North Carolina, covers a total area of 312 square miles, with 310 square miles of land and 2 square miles of water. It is the 26th-largest city in the United States by area and sits at an elevation of 751 feet. Charlotte is mostly in Mecklenburg County and is surrounded by several nearby towns and cities, including Concord, Rock Hill, Greensboro, Fayetteville, and Raleigh, the state capital.
Charlotte has many different neighborhoods, each with its own character. Biddleville is an important historic area for the city's African American community. Plaza Midwood is known for its diverse population. NoDa is a growing arts and entertainment area. SouthPark is a popular spot for shopping and dining. The city also has many parks and green spaces, such as Latta Park, Bryant Park, and Park Road Park, which offer many activities for families to enjoy.
Demographics
In the 2020 census, there were 874,579 people living in Charlotte. In 2019, there were about 885,708 people living within the city and over one million in the surrounding county. The larger area around Charlotte had an estimated population of over three million in 2023.
Charlotte's population has changed over time. In 1970, most people were of one background, but by 2020, the city had many different groups of people. In 2020, the median household income was $48,670, and about 10.6% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Religion
Charlotte has many places of worship. It is the birthplace of a well-known religious leader and has been a center for certain Christian groups. As of 2018, over half of the people in Charlotte practiced a religion regularly.
The largest religion in Charlotte is Christianity. The most common Christian groups are Baptists, Roman Catholics, Methodists, and Presbyterians. Other Christian groups include Pentecostals, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Latter-Day Saints, and others.
Judaism is the second largest religion, followed by Eastern religions and Islam. Charlotte has the largest Jewish community in the Carolinas, with synagogues and a community center located in Shalom Park.
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 122 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,065 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,265 | 112.7% | |
| 1870 | 4,473 | 97.5% | |
| 1880 | 7,094 | 58.6% | |
| 1890 | 11,557 | 62.9% | |
| 1900 | 18,091 | 56.5% | |
| 1910 | 34,014 | 88.0% | |
| 1920 | 46,338 | 36.2% | |
| 1930 | 82,675 | 78.4% | |
| 1940 | 100,899 | 22.0% | |
| 1950 | 134,042 | 32.8% | |
| 1960 | 201,564 | 50.4% | |
| 1970 | 241,420 | 19.8% | |
| 1980 | 315,474 | 30.7% | |
| 1990 | 395,934 | 25.5% | |
| 2000 | 540,828 | 36.6% | |
| 2010 | 731,424 | 35.2% | |
| 2020 | 874,579 | 19.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 943,475 | 7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1800–1900 2010–2020 | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 297,845 | 329,545 | 347,363 | 55.07% | 45.06% | 39.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 175,661 | 252,007 | 284,206 | 32.48% | 34.45% | 32.50% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1,589 | 2,250 | 2,177 | 0.29% | 0.31% | 0.25% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 18,264 | 36,115 | 61,420 | 3.38% | 4.94% | 7.02% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 238 | 436 | 427 | 0.04% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 885 | 1,960 | 5,632 | 0.16% | 0.27% | 0.64% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 6,546 | 13,423 | 30,650 | 1.21% | 1.84% | 3.50% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 39,800 | 95,688 | 142,704 | 7.36% | 13.08% | 16.32% |
| Total | 540,828 | 731,424 | 874,579 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Economy
See also: List of companies in Charlotte
Charlotte is a very important city for banking in the United States, second only to New York City.
Bank of America, one of the biggest banks in the country, has its main office in Charlotte. The city is also home to Truist Financial, another major bank.
Charlotte is also where many other big banks have important offices. For example, Wells Fargo, which is based in San Francisco, California, has its East Coast headquarters in Charlotte. Many big banks have employees and offices in Charlotte, making it a busy place for finance and banking.
Charlotte is also home to many other large companies. Some of these include Microsoft, Centene Corporation, and Honeywell. The city has seen many companies move their headquarters or open big offices there in recent years.
Charlotte is also important for the motorsports industry. It has the only Formula One team in the U.S., Haas F1, and many offices for NASCAR. The NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Motor Speedway are also located nearby.
The city is growing quickly, with many new homes, restaurants, and businesses opening up, especially in the downtown and Midtown areas.
Charlotte was listed as the 20th largest city in the US, and the 60th fastest growing city in the US between 2000 and 2008.
| # | Name | Industry | Number of employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atrium Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 35,700 |
| 2 | Wells Fargo | Finance and Insurance | 24,000 |
| 3 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Educational Services | 18,495 |
| 4 | Wal-Mart | Retail Trade | 17,100 |
| 5 | Bank of America | Finance and Insurance | 15,000 |
| 6 | Novant Health | Health Care | 11,698 |
| 7 | American Airlines | Transportation | 11,000 |
| 8 | Food Lion | Retail Trade | 7,900 |
| 9 | Harris Teeter | Retail Trade | 8,239 |
| 10 | Duke Energy | Utilities | 7,900 |
| 11 | Lowe's | Retail Trade | 7,801 |
| 12 | North Carolina State Government | Public Administration | 7,600 |
| 13 | Daimler Trucks North America | Manufacturing | 6,800 |
| 14 | City of Charlotte | Public Administration | 6,800 |
| 15 | Mecklenburg County | Public Administration | 5,512 |
| 16 | Union County Public Schools | Educational Services | 5,427 |
| 17 | US Government | Public Administration | 5,300 |
| 18 | YMCA of Greater Charlotte | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 4,436 |
| 19 | Adecco Staffing, USA | Administration and Support Services | 4,200 |
| 20 | Carowinds | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 4,100 |
Arts and culture
Museums
- ArtPop Street Gallery
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
- Billy Graham Library
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire Education Center and Museum
- Charlotte Museum of History
- Charlotte Nature Museum in Freedom Park
- Discovery Place
- Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture
- Historic Rosedale Plantation
- Levine Museum of the New South
- The Light Factory Photo Arts Center
- McColl Center for Art + Innovation
- Mint Museum
- Museum of Illusions Charlotte
- NASCAR Hall of Fame
- Second Ward Alumni House Museum
- Sullenberger Aviation Museum
- The Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA)
Performing arts
- Amos' Southend Music Hall
- Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte
- Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
- Charlotte Ballet
- Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
- Carolina Theatre
- ConCarolinas
- ImaginOn
- AvidxChange Music Factory
- Truliant Amphitheater
- Opera Carolina
- The Robot Johnson Show
- Citizens of the Universe
- Children's Theatre of Charlotte
- Theatre Charlotte
- JazzArts Charlotte
- The Milestone, music venue
Festivals and events
The Charlotte region holds many special events each year. The Carolina Renaissance Festival happens on weekends in October and November. It includes many stages for entertainment, a large marketplace, a circus, crafts, a jousting competition, and a feast.
The Yiasou Greek Festival started in 1978 and has become one of Charlotte’s biggest cultural celebrations. It shows Greek culture, food, music, dancing, and art.
Taste of Charlotte is a three-day event with food from local restaurants, live music, and activities for children. It takes place on Tryon Street.
Moo and Brew Fest is an annual festival in April for craft beer and burgers, with music from different artists.
Breakaway Music Festival features hip hop and electronic music at the NC Music Factory.
Heroes Convention is a big comic book event held each June. It started in 1982 and is one of the oldest comic book events in the United States.
Charlotte Pride is an event held each August. In 2019, it drew 200,000 people to Uptown Charlotte. The parade became Charlotte’s biggest parade in 2017.
Charlotte Turkey Trot is a running event held every Thanksgiving, and it is the largest running event in North Carolina.
Charlotte also has the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market where local farmers sell their produce.
There are three big arts and culture festivals: BOOM Charlotte in Camp North End, the Charlotte International Arts Festival in Ballantyne, and Charlotte SHOUT! in Uptown.
Zoos and aquariums
Charlotte is the largest city in the United States without a zoo. There is a plan to build a zoo on 250 acres of land, but it will take several more years. Two other zoos, the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and the North Carolina Zoological Park, are about 70 miles away.
Charlotte has the Sea Life Charlotte-Concord Aquarium in Concord. It opened in 2014 and is part of the Concord Mills mall.
Libraries
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has over 1.5 million books, CDs, and DVDs at 15 locations in Charlotte and nearby towns. All locations offer free internet and WiFi.
The library began with the Charlotte Literary and Library Association, founded in 1891. The first public library, the Carnegie Library, opened in 1903 thanks to a donation from Andrew Carnegie. It also started a library for African-American residents in 1905, which later closed but its legacy continues today.
Sports
Main article: Sports in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is a great city for sports! It is home to several professional teams. The Carolina Panthers play football in the NFL, and the Charlotte Hornets play basketball in the NBA. There is also Charlotte FC for soccer in MLS, and the Carolina Chaos for lacrosse.
The Panthers and Charlotte FC play at Bank of America Stadium, while the Hornets play at the Spectrum Center. The city has also hosted big events like the NBA All-Star Game and the ACC Championship Game.
Charlotte has many colleges with strong sports programs too, including the Charlotte 49ers and the Queens Royals. The city is a lively place for sports fans all year round.
Government
Charlotte has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and the Charlotte City Council are elected every two years. The mayor can reject decisions made by the council, but the council can override this decision with a vote. The Council chooses a city manager to handle daily operations.
Elections in Charlotte are held with political parties. Vi Lyles, a Democrat, has been the mayor since 2017. The Charlotte City Council has 11 members, with Democrats currently holding most seats. The council makes decisions, but these can sometimes be changed by state laws. Charlotte is part of several federal and state voting districts. The city hosted important national political events, including the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Plans to host the 2020 Republican National Convention were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education
Charlotte has a big public school system called Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. It is the second largest in North Carolina and teaches about 144,000 students across many schools. The city also has many private schools, such as British School of Charlotte and Charlotte Catholic High School.
Charlotte is home to several colleges and universities. The largest is University of North Carolina at Charlotte, located in University City. Other schools include Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, and Queens University of Charlotte. There are also many colleges in nearby areas, such as Davidson College and Wingate University. These schools offer many different programs for students to study.
Media
Main article: Media in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte has one major daily newspaper, The Charlotte Observer. It has the most readers in both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Charlotte is a big spot for radio, ranking 24th in the nation. Large companies like iHeartMedia and Urban One have stations there, along with smaller ones. The local National Public Radio news station is WFAE News, which creates many podcasts and radio shows.
Charlotte is also a significant place for television, being the 22nd largest market in the U.S. and the largest in North Carolina. Major TV stations include CBS affiliate WBTV 3, ABC affiliate WSOC-TV 9, NBC affiliate WCNC-TV 36, independent station WCCB 18, and PBS member station WTVI 42. The ESPN-controlled SEC Network and Raycom Sports are both based in Charlotte.
Other TV stations serving the area include Fox affiliate WJZY 46 in Belmont, UNC-TV/PBS member station WUNG-TV 58 in Concord, independent station WAXN-TV 64 in Kannapolis, and two stations in Rock Hill, South Carolina: CW station WMYT-TV 55 and PBS member station WNSC-TV 30. INSP is located in nearby Indian Land.
In 2020, CNN opened a news office in Charlotte.
Cable TV service in Charlotte is provided by Spectrum, which shows a special version of Raleigh-based Spectrum News North Carolina.
Infrastructure
City services
Charlotte has many important services to help its people stay safe and healthy. Emergency medical services are provided by Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC). In 2022, MEDIC answered over 160,000 calls and helped more than 107,000 patients. The agency has over 600 workers, including paramedics and support staff.
The city also has several hospitals, such as Atrium Health Mercy, Carolinas Medical Center, and Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, to care for people who are sick or injured.
The Charlotte Fire Department works to put out fires, help in emergencies, and teach people about fire safety. They have 1,164 workers and 43 fire stations all around the city.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department keeps the city safe. They have about 1,700 police officers, 550 civilian workers, and many volunteers who help with safety efforts.
Charlotte also has a system for collecting and cleaning waste. There are five plants that clean water and treat waste to keep the city healthy.
Transportation
Charlotte has many ways for people to get around. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) runs buses, light rail, and streetcars. In 2020, CATS had two main rail lines: the Blue Line and the CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar. There are also many bus routes that connect different parts of the city.
The city is easy to reach by car, with major highways like I-85 and I-77 passing through. Charlotte also has a large airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which is a busy hub for American Airlines and offers flights to many places around the world.
Charlotte has train service through Amtrak, with three routes stopping in the city. There are also bus services like Greyhound and Megabus that connect Charlotte to other cities. The city is building a new downtown station called Gateway Station to make it easier for people to travel.
Notable people
Further information: List of people from Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina, has been home to many famous people throughout history. While the full list is long, it includes individuals who have made impacts in various fields such as arts, sports, and more. For a complete look at notable individuals from the city, you can visit the list linked above.
Sister cities
Charlotte has several sister cities around the world. These include:
- Arequipa in Peru, since 1962
- Krefeld in Germany, since 1985
- Baoding in China, since 1987
- Limoges in France, since 1992
- Wrocław in Poland, since 1993
- Kumasi in Ghana, since 1995
There was also a sister city relationship with Voronezh in Russia from 1991 to 2022.
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