Charlotte's identity crisis is making young people consider moving
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It hurts us to write this: Young childless adults in Charlotte think more about leaving than they do in other cities.
Why it matters: When lots of people are considering a move, it can hint at deeper issues with jobs or affordability. But those are Charlotte's strengths, compared to other places, which begs the question: Why do you hate us?
By the numbers: We weren't the worst in the analysis of "perceptions," conducted by Gensler. Baltimore tops the list, with about 62% of young adults saying they're "likely" or "very likely" to leave town.
How it works: Between July and November 2024, Gensler surveyed about 2,200 residents aged 18-34 with no children across 27 major U.S. cities.
- The question was open-ended, with no particular time frame on when respondents were thinking about moving or where to.
What they're saying: Mike Bellaty, 37 (who is slightly outside the survey age but is unmarried and doesn't have kids), tells Axios he's moving back to New York in about a week, after about a year here.
- "I found difficulty finding my tribe in Charlotte," he said. "It's a big town filled with small-town people, and it seems like there's an identity crisis."
- Bellaty sees ways in which the city may have suppressed its ability to develop its sense of self. For example, NoDa lost some of its street vendors, many of whom offered unique or handmade items, after the city cracked down on sellers. "That was what made NoDa cool," he adds.
What they found: Gensler's researchers thought the factors that attract people to cities in the first place — such as economic opportunity, safety and healthcare — would be the same that kept them there. But that wasn't the case.
- "What gets people to stay is less tangible, much more intangible," Sofia Song, global leader of cities research at Gensler's Research Institute, tells Axios.
- "It's about emotional connection. It's about being engaged in your city, feeling pride in your city, as well as having this growing sense of belonging."
Yes, but: Although there's a long argument over whether Charlotte has "culture" (just look up countless Reddit threads), it's regularly ranked as one of the U.S. places where the most people are moving, according to multiple growth statistics.
- Mecklenburg and Wake counties are both among the top five urban areas with growth in their "under 5" population, signaling that young people are starting families here, according to the Economic Innovation Group.
- "Young adults without kids tend to be more mobile in general, so it doesn't surprise me that many are considering moving," says Chuck McShane, a local data expert with CoStar. "On the other hand, Charlotte has been successful at retaining young adults with children within the region."
- Mecklenburg County historically gains more residents than it loses, with net in-migration peaking in the late 20s age group, according to 2010s data from the Applied Population Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Migration drops off as people age, though it's still net positive, state demographer Michael Cline points out, "likely as folks move to surrounding counties as they partner up and have children."
The other side: Michael DeMatteo, 25, is a native New Yorker who moved to Charlotte from Nashville in November to expand his family's real estate asset management firm, expecting to capitalize on the city's growth, talent pool and position as the nation's No. 2 banking hub.
- "Outside of work, I've really enjoyed the energy of the city," he tells Axios. "The restaurant scene, how friendly people are and the overall pace of life. It's definitely a city (where) you can build solid roots."
Zoom out: San Diego (about 27%), Boston (28%) and Chicago (36%) have comparatively small shares of young adults with an eye toward the exit.
- However, northern states, as well as California and Illinois, are big losers of residents to North Carolina, data shows.
- "Of course, nobody wants to leave (San Diego) and the laid-back, outdoor lifestyle it offers," Axios San Diego's Kate Murph says. "It's just a matter of whether you can afford to stay."
- In Gensler's same report, Charlotte is the sixth U.S. city for most newcomers — those living here for five years or less.
- Researchers found a correlation between cities with the highest percentage of new residents and their affordability.
The bottom line: For most, the thought of leaving Charlotte for greener grasses may just be that — a thought.