Can Charlotte Grow Without Coming Apart?
CHARLOTTE — The Queen City now stands on the edge of a numerical milestone, one that only 11 other American cities have crossed: a population of 1 million. According to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Charlotte added 17,197 residents last year, bringing its official population to 943,476. At that pace, Charlotte will top 1 million residents by 2028 — assuming the roads, schools, and housing stock hold.
Charlotte’s growth makes it the 14th largest city in the U.S., overtaking Columbus, Ohio. In just four years, the city has leapfrogged Indianapolis, San Francisco, and Columbus, adding nearly 69,000 residents since 2020 — roughly the population of Huntersville and Matthews combined.
Real Estate, Cranes, and Commutes
Everywhere in Charlotte, the signs of expansion are literal: apartment high-rises in South End, road construction along South Boulevard, and houses being slapped together faster than local school boards can count rezoning proposals.
Joe Creed, a Charlotte resident who’s lived here since 1999, summed it up: “Drive two miles in any direction and you’ll see another ‘luxury’ condo with nowhere to park.”
Among the few cities larger than Charlotte, only Fort Worth, Texas, is growing faster. Fort Worth clocked a 9.7% population increase since 2020. Charlotte isn’t far behind at 7.9%. New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago all lost residents during that same stretch.
The Regional Picture: Urban Sprawl with a Southern Accent
The broader nine-county Charlotte metro area — spanning parts of North and South Carolina — now includes nearly 1.8 million people. The cities of Concord, Rock Hill, Huntersville, Kannapolis, and Mooresville make up the next tier of metro growth, each surpassing 50,000 residents.
Notably, Concord hit 112,395. Fort Mill, just south of the state line, reached 36,244 residents — a staggering 48% increase since 2020. That’s not a typo.
Fort Mill, South Carolina: Charlotte’s Overachieving Sibling
Fort Mill’s population growth puts it at No. 15 among U.S. cities over 20,000 in size, and third nationally outside Texas. It’s not just school choice and suburban charm pulling new residents — it’s taxes, traffic (or lack thereof), and proximity to Charlotte jobs.
“Fort Mill is still one of the bright spots,” said Connor Newsome, who commutes to Charlotte but moved south of the border for what he called “sanity.”
The town’s growth since 2020 eclipses every other city in the region, with Monroe, York, and Waxhaw chasing behind at a distant second.
Demographic Shuffles and Regional Shakeups
Census rankings reflect the churn. Kannapolis crossed 60,000. Monroe topped 40,000. Harrisburg broke the 20,000 mark. Lincolnton climbed five spots in North Carolina’s rankings. Fort Mill leapt five places in South Carolina’s.
But not everyone is on the rise. Salisbury, Statesville, and Cornelius slipped in the state rankings. Mooresville lost residents year-over-year, the only town in the region to do so.
If Charlotte’s current growth rate continues, it will not only reach 950,000 by 2026 — it will force a reckoning over zoning, infrastructure, and whether the city can expand without bursting.
Growth Without Brakes
Charlotte’s 7.9% growth rate may read like a stat, but on the ground it looks like overbooked schools, sprawling subdivisions, and traffic on roads that were outdated in 2003.
Planners may still call it smart growth. Residents just call it congestion.
This caffeine-fueled update is made possible by Einstein Bros. Bagels at South Boulevard, where you can debate regional population shifts over a toasted everything bagel with honey almond shmear. Stop by for breakfast, stay for the WiFi. Ask for Phillip. Or better yet, don’t. He’s probably busy keeping the Ballantyne and South End locations humming.
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About the Author
Jack Beckett is senior writer at The Charlotte Mercury. He covers urban planning, growth, and how many more cranes can be crammed into South End before it becomes legally classified as a transformer. He drinks too much coffee from Einstein Bros. on South Boulevard and once tried to cover a zoning meeting with three bagels and no notes. Follow him, or yell at him, @QueenCityExp on X.
We’re here for your neighborhood’s best bagel, worst traffic plan, and most curious population milestone. Send tips, corrections, or population estimates for your HOA’s WhatsApp group to @QueenCityExp on Twix.
