Guide: Moving to Charlotte

Welcome to Charlotte, a city with long lasting endearing qualities, the most beautiful of which is the diverse reasons why our citizens love to live here.

Charlotte is accommodating for newcomers in many walks of life. You may be coming here for the jobs or ease of living, but you’ll stay because of the people and the city. Southern hospitality and affordability mixed with access to a dynamic metropolitan market is a hard to find sweet spot.

We haven’t met you, but since you’re moving to our favorite city, we like you already and want to help you settle in so you can move on to the good stuff.

Moving to a new city is undoubtedly one of the more stressful events in life. Let’s get you started with a look at some facts, neighborhoods, public transit, life things, and mundane moving details and then top it off with some fun things to do in the Queen City once you’ve unpacked those boxes and certifiably lost your mind.

First Things First, Where Will You Live?

Charlotte is a city of unique neighborhoods and with hundreds of square miles to cover, finding the right neighborhood can feel challenging.

Here’s a list of happening areas within and around Charlotte.

Check out the Axios Charlotte Guide for Buying a Home for more information on average home prices by zip code and demographics. If you’re moving here with a family, be sure to read the Axios Charlotte Guide to Education to help navigate the school options in the area.

Not looking to buy a house yet? No problem. Apartment choices around the city and county abound and construction of new complexes continues to accelerate at an impressive pace.

What You Need to Know About Taxes

• Property located within the city limits of Charlotte is taxed at the rate of $1.2844 per $100 valuation (combined city-county rates).

• Outside city limits but within Mecklenburg County, property is taxed at $1.0094 per $100 assessed valuation. Valuation is based on 100 percent of market value.

• A 4.25 percent state tax plus a 3 percent local tax make up the 7.25 percent Mecklenburg County sales tax. There is an additional tax of 2 percent on prepared food purchases.

Traffic

The average Charlotte commute is 24 minutes, one way. As with all growing cities, Charlotte faces congestion, and areas north and south of Charlotte battle traffic the hardest. Former residents of areas like DC, NY, and Atlanta will confirm that Charlotte traffic is no big deal while others find that traffic on 485, I-77, and I-85 is a recurring nightmare. If public transit isn’t an option for you, and you’re bothered by a stop and go commute, utilizing Jedi strategies in terms of leave times and routes is your best bet.

Public Transit

Charlotte Area Transit System

Charlotte’s public transit system consists of bus, light rail, and most recently, streetcar. Yes, it’s a trolley. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has an extensive transportation system in the Charlotte area. It’s the largest transit system between Atlanta and Washington D.C., and is still growing to meet the area’s persistent growth.

CATS operates over 70 local, express, and regional bus routes. Local fare for the bus system is just $2.20, while fares for express routes are $3 within the county and $4.40 to neighboring counties. Special rates are also available for senior and disabled citizens.

The LYNX Blue Line, Charlotte’s first light rail transit system, extends from 7th Street in Center City Charlotte to I-485 at South Boulevard. Additional lines to Lake Norman, UNC Charlotte and the airport are planned for the future.

The Gold Rush, a free streetcar trolley shuttle service, operates within the uptown area during weekday office hours. While the entire fleet is wheelchair accessible, CATS Special Transportation Services provides additional services for those with certified disabilities.

DMV

North Carolina DMV

• Newcomers must obtain a North Carolina driver’s license within 60 days of establishing a permanent residence.
• The state of North Carolina’s annual motor vehicle registration plate fee is $28 per private passenger vehicle. In addition, motor vehicles “resident” within Mecklenburg County are subject to a property tax based on the assessed value of the vehicle. You’ll receive a bill for property tax when it is time to renew your vehicle’s registration.
• Inspection: All cars must have an annual mechanical inspection and must be inspected within 10 days of purchase of a North Carolina license plate.

Getting Settled In

City of Charlotte Mecklenburg County | http://charmeck.org/ | 311

Electricity

• Duke Energy | www.duke-energy.com  | 800.777.9898
• ElectriCities (parts of Cornelius and Huntersville) | www.electricities.com  | 704.948.0550
• Energy United (parts of Cornelius) | www.energyunited.com  | 704.892.0278
• Union Power Cooperative (serves several area counties) | www.union-power.com  | 800.922.6840

Water and Sewer

• Mecklenburg County | 311 or 704.336.7600

Gas

• Piedmont Natural Gas | www.piedmontng.com  | 800.752.7504
• PSNC Energy (Cornelius and Davidson) | www.psncenergy.com  | 877.776.242

Telephone/Internet/TV

• AT&T | www.att.com  | 888-757-6500
• Pineville Telephone Company | www.pinevilledsl.net  | 704.889.2001
• Time Warner Cable | www.timewarnercable.com  | 877-566-4TWC

• Windstream (Matthews) | www.windstream.com  | 704.847.4828

Schools

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has the 18th largest school system in the nation, serving more than 140,000 students in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. CMS operates 160 schools for grades K-12: 89 elementary, 39 middle, 28 high schools and four alternative schools. Charlotte offers a wide range of public, charter, and private school options. Go to Axios Charlotte’s Guide to Education in Charlotte for more details.

Churches

There are places of worship for every religion in Charlotte, with hundreds of houses of worship including Protestant, Catholic, and Greek Orthodox along with six Jewish temples and three Islamic mosques. Welcome to the City of Churches.

Notable churches in the area:

• Calvary Church (Evangelical, Non-Denominational)
• Christ Church Charlotte (Episcopal)
• Elevation Church (Southern Baptist)
• Forest Hill Church (Non-Denominational)
• Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church (A.M.E.)
• Myers Park Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian)
• Myers Park United Methodist Church (Methodist)
• St. Matthew Catholic Church (Catholic)
• Temple Beth El
• Temple Israel

Health

There are seven acute care hospitals in Charlotte that are part of two systems: Carolinas HealthCare System and Novant Health. Finding good health care in Charlotte is not a challenge and with offices densely scattered around the city, good health care is readily accessible.

Specialty hospitals include behavioral health centers, Carolinas Rehabilitation, Hemby Children’s Hospital, Levine Children’s Hospital, Carolinas Specialty Hospital and Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital.

Charlotte is also fortunate to be home to OrthoCarolina, one of the nation’s leading independent academic orthopedics practices. They have over 130 surgeons in over 25 locations.

Finally, Time to Have Some Fun

One of the biggest challenges of living in Charlotte is doing everything on your list of things to go do or see. This is a good problem to have.

Breweries and distilleries are multiplying at record speed, there are greenways for miles, sporting events every weekend and the list goes on. Speaking of lists, here’s a list of some of our favorite things to do in Charlotte. We could describe each of these activities for you, but we know you’re smart and will check out their websites anyway.

Oh, and by the way, this is just the tip of the iceberg – there are hundreds more events, festivals, farms, and restaurants to see and visit. Welcome to Charlotte, pace yourself.