Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte (/ˈʃɑːrlət/ SHAR-lət) 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. Metrolina is part of an eighteen-county market region or combined statistical area with an estimated 2023 population of 3,387,115.
Charlotte | |
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Uptown Charlotte skyline UNC Charlotte NASCAR Hall of Fame U.S. National Whitewater Center | |
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Seal Logo | |
| Nicknames: The Queen City, The QC, CLT, The Hornet's Nest | |
| Motto(s): | |
Interactive maps of Charlotte | |
| Coordinates: 35°13′38″N 80°50′35″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Mecklenburg |
| Settled | 1755 |
| Incorporated | December 3, 1768 |
| Named for | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Body | Charlotte City Council |
| • Mayor | Vi Lyles (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 312.00 sq mi (808.08 km2) |
| • Land | 310.02 sq mi (802.94 km2) |
| • Water | 1.98 sq mi (5.14 km2) 0.63% |
| Elevation | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 874,579 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 897,720 |
| • Rank | 40th in North America 15th in the United States 1st in North Carolina |
| • Density | 2,821.06/sq mi (1,089.22/km2) |
| • Urban | 1,379,873 (US: 37th) |
| • Urban density | 2,098.3/sq mi (810.2/km2) |
| • Metro | 2,805,115 (US: 22nd) |
| Demonym | Charlottean |
| GDP | |
| • Charlotte (MSA) | $228.9 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 282XX |
| Area codes | 704, 980 |
| FIPS code | 37-12000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404032 |
| Website | charlottenc |
Between 2004 and 2014, Charlotte was among the country's fastest-growing metropolitan areas, with 888,000 new residents. Based on U.S. census data from 2005 to 2015, Charlotte tops the U.S. in millennial population growth. It is the third-fastest-growing major city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans".
Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters of Bank of America, Truist Financial, and the East Coast headquarters of Wells Fargo, which along with other financial institutions has made it the second-largest banking center in the United States.
Charlotte's notable attractions include three professional sports teams, the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, and Charlotte FC of MLS. The city is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Opera Carolina, the Charlotte Symphony, the Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Charlotte has a humid subtropical climate. It is located several miles east of the Catawba River and southeast of Lake Norman, the largest human-made lake in North Carolina. Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller human-made lakes located near the city.