Moving to Charlotte: Pros and Cons
When asking a Queen City resident what it feels like to live in Charlotte, North Carolina, you may get regaled with the tales of a small-town feel with a big-city skyline, a reasonable cost of living, four beautiful seasons, and fabulous East Coast nature. However, if you plan to uproot your life by moving to Charlotte, you need more ground information than a sentence of niceties. Let us with A Plus Moving Team clarify the positive sides of living here and pinpoint all possible hardships you must be ready to encounter.
Pro: Strong Job Market
Charlotte boasts of a solid job market. As of June 2023, the unemployment rate in the city was only 3.4, which is even less than the national average. Charlotte is one of the largest banking cities in the States, given the fact that Bank of America is headquartered here. This ensures plenty of job opportunities in the sphere of finance. Social assistance, healthcare, insurance, and retail trade are other booming industries.
The North Carolina job market is estimated to add 300 thousand new jobs during five upcoming years, most of which are targeted to Raleigh and Charlotte. Among the most remarkable employers in the city are Lowe’s, American Airlines, Novant Health, Duke Energy, Atrium Health, Wells Fargo, Honeywell, and others.
Con: Limited Public Transit and Bad Drivers
Although Charlotte has a pretty well-schemed bus and train line, it’s a driving city. See yourself. Tickets on the LYNX rail system are affordable, yet the stops are limited to the downtown. There are over 70 stops for the CATS bus line throughout Charlotte, but they are effective only if you have an exact change. All this brings about the necessity of having your own car, especially if you move to any of the city’s suburbs like Belmont, Davidson, or Fort Mill.
Unfortunately, Charlotte is ill-reputed among locals as the only town where being a horrible driver is the norm. Quite nice and considerate citizens typically become oblivious when put behind the wheel. According to CDOT (Charlotte Department of Transportation), the most common reason for car wrecks is distracted driving around 5 P.M., while pedestrians are mostly hit by cars around midnight.
Pro: Competitive Cost of Living
The average cost of living in Charlotte is two to five percent lower than the average in the country (according to bestplaces.net and payscale.com), primarily due to reasonable prices for utility and housing. However, whether you will notice some extra savings at the end of the month or not depends on where you move to Charlotte from. For instance, if the monthly rent of a one-bedroom flat in Manhattan will cost you around $4,500, you will pay around $1,500 for an apartment of the same size and with the same amenities in Charlotte. This makes the city a viable option if you’re craving a metropolitan area yet don’t want to break the bank.
Con: Lack of Rich Cultural Roots
If you prefer cities rich in culture, history, and personality, you may find living in Charlotte tiresome. Native Charlotteans are in the minority, and this is already a city of transplants. It lacks deep cultural roots, and no local traditions are held anymore. The city is mainly known for professional sports teams, its booming banking industry, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame! But when it comes to cultural establishments, you get only a few attractions representing modern art.
Pro: Good Education
Charlotte is located near the “Research Triangle,” an NC stable referring to three nearby universities, including:
- NC State University in Raleigh;
- Duke University in Durham;
- University of NC in Chapel Hill.
The city is also rated a B+ (considerably higher than most other larger cities in the States) by Niche as a home to high-rated schools. The top-ranking schools here are:
- Ardrey Kell High School;
- Charlotte Engineering Early College;
- Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy.
So, if you prioritize quality education for your kids, Charlotte is definitely a worthwhile city to move into.
Con: Higher Taxes
Irrespective of how much money you make a month in Charlotte, you’ve got to pay a flat tax worth 4.75% of your household income. Then you face sales taxes – an extra 7.25% in sales taxes at minimum with the state, country, and city rates combined (according to Charlotte Tax Jurisdiction Breakdown for 2023, Avalara.com). In comparison, by moving North Carolina’s West border to Tennessee, you can eliminate the state income tax and pay only the flat Country sales tax rate of 2%.
Charlotte as Your New Home
Charlotte offers much to newcomers, primarily via more affordable living, a productive job market, quality education, nice weather, and fine dining establishments. On the other hand, the taxes are higher, the traffic congestion is poor, and rich cultural roots are missing. All these facts make the city a worthwhile area to move to as long as you have the right moving agency to rely on.