Charlotte’s growth has been exponential in the last decade-plus, but there’s been a more recent, notable shift in why people move here, Catharine Pappas, Dickens Mitchener’s VP of Relocation, says.
The latest figures show 117 people move to the Charlotte region daily, according to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. That’s up from 113 a year ago. North Carolina gained a whopping 500,000 newcomers, primarily coming from Virginia, New York and California, the report shows.
For years, people moved to Charlotte because their employer asked them to relocate. Now, people are coming because they want to, Pappas says. “It’s the ‘it city’ for a young person,” she says.
Now, when soon-to-be college grads are deciding where to move, they add Charlotte to the short list, right next to cities like New York, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas and Boston. Some college grads are choosing Charlotte before they’ve even landed a job because of the abundance of opportunity. That wasn’t always the case, Pappas says.
Self-relocation to Charlotte is on the rise with professionals, too. They either ask their companies to work remotely from Charlotte or find a new job once they get here. And retirees who made the move from the North East down to Florida are relocating to Charlotte to be closer to family, according to Pappas.
When someone decides to move voluntarily, agents play an increasingly important role — from listing their old home to finding a temporary rental in Charlotte while house hunting to recommending a handyman, Pappas says.
No matter the generation, people are moving to Charlotte for its green spaces and greenways , growing list of things to do, proximity to the beach and mountains, quality healthcare and an airport that’s easy to access.
“The inflow of educated individuals bolsters the workforce, enriches the cultural landscape, and drives economic growth through increased demand for services and housing,” the CRBA report states. “It also shows the confidence that people have in the region and its ability to be the perfect place to invest their futures and contribute to a thriving community.”
