Research shows 100+ people move to Charlotte area daily

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – The Charlotte region is experiencing a population boom.

New research by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance shows about 113 people moved to the area every day between 2021 and 2022.

“So, it really is a well-rounded lifestyle that people can have here,” said Charlotte Regional Business Alliance principal researcher Antony Burton.

While the age of the incomers varies, Burton said a large chunk of people coming to Charlotte is a younger generation who tend to be educated and wealthy.

Most people moving here are from larger cities like New York and Miami.

“For the Charlotte region, who can say, ‘We have all of these people coming. We expect this to continue in the future,'” he said. “That gives companies confidence that they are going to find their workforce both now and into the future.”

With growth comes growing pains.

The surge in population is not just impacting Charlotte. Incomers are also flowing into smaller towns like Belmont, which has increased its population by around 50% in 10 years.

“We are seeing a lot of younger people move here, but only just in general to the reason, but also for employment in the county,” said Donny Hicks, director of Gaston County Economic Development Commission.

Hicks says the county is dealing with a housing shortage and transportation challenges.

In the coming years, the county plans to build around 17,000 homes, widen highways, and replace and modernize bridges.

“It hasn’t pressured us so bad that we are not able to handle it,” Hicks said. “If that were to increase at a faster rate than we see now, it could be a bigger issue.”

“This growth is great for a lot of different reasons,” Burton elaborated. “But it is really important that we invest as a community in the infrastructure to support it because, without it, it’s going to cause a lot of frustration.”