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My Fiance and I are considering moving to Charlotte after we get married next month. We're looking for a growing economy with good jobs, a community feel, and an area where we will be able to socialize, and meet people our age (we're 25 & 27.)
Some of the questions I have are:
-What is the weather like all year?
-How is the job market?
-Are there lots of options to rent a single family home/ townhouse?
-How are the schools?
-What is crime like?
-What other cities/towns would you recommend living in if working in Charlotte?
-Best areas to go hiking or biking?
My Fiance and I are considering moving to Charlotte after we get married next month. We're looking for a growing economy with good jobs, a community feel, and an area where we will be able to socialize, and meet people our age (we're 25 & 27.)
Some of the questions I have are:
-What is the weather like all year?Typical for the Southeast. Hot humid summers, relatively mild winters.
-How is the job market?Depends. Charlotte is home to many financial institutions, regional and national headquarters, and a surprising number of manufacturers. Lots of retail, construction and real estate jobs too.
-Are there lots of options to rent a single family home/ townhouse?Lots? I don't know. Some? Yes.
-How are the schools?They vary from bad to very, very good.
-What is crime like?Its not awful, but its not particularly low, either, and seems to be trending upward.
-What other cities/towns would you recommend living in if working in Charlotte?Traffic is pretty bad, so I'd suggest living near your job.
-Best areas to go hiking or biking?Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Crowder's Mountain State Park, National Whitewater Center
-What is the weather like all year?: Hot and humid in the summer, very pretty fall with mild temp, typically highs of 40's - 50's in the dead of winter, maybe one or two days with a dusting of snow in winter, there is usually a cold snap for a week, very pretty spring with mild temps, back to hot and humid summer.
-How is the job market?: In June 2017 the unemployment rate was 4.0% in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metro Area. The strength of the labor market depends on your area of expertise, industry, and experience.
-Are there lots of options to rent a single family home/ townhouse?: Plenty, but SFH/ townhomes will come at a premium to an apartment or buying. It is competitive.
-How are the schools?: Very good in parts of the city, very good in some suburbs of the city to very bad in parts of the city and very bad in some suburbs of the city.
-What is crime like?: Very high in some areas and moderate / low in other areas. Regional and neighborhood variances.
-What other cities/towns would you recommend living in if working in Charlotte?: In addition to Charlotte check out Matthews, Belmont, Huntersville, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Concord depending on your budget, what you like to do, and where you find a job.
-Best areas to go hiking or biking?: US Whitewater Center, Crowder Mountain State Park, South Mountain State Park, Charlotte Greenways, Anne Spring Close Greenway, Uwharrie National Forest, Morrow Mountain State Park, Reedy Creek Park for 10 mins to 1.5 hours away. Better hiking in the Blue Ridge 2 hours+ away.
-What is the weather like all year?Typical for the Southeast. Hot humid summers, relatively mild winters.
-How is the job market?Depends. Charlotte is home to many financial institutions, regional and national headquarters, and a surprising number of manufacturers. Lots of retail, construction and real estate jobs too.
-Are there lots of options to rent a single family home/ townhouse?Lots? I don't know. Some? Yes.
-How are the schools?They vary from bad to very, very good.
-What is crime like?Its not awful, but its not particularly low, either, and seems to be trending upward.
-What other cities/towns would you recommend living in if working in Charlotte?Traffic is pretty bad, so I'd suggest living near your job.
-Best areas to go hiking or biking?Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Crowder's Mountain State Park, National Whitewater Center
Excellent post.
I especially agree with the point about living in close proximity to work; Charlotte's traffic patterns aren't great, and when a main thoroughfare experiences a problem (e.g. accident), there are few alternative roadways to take.
-What is the weather like all year?: Hot and humid in the summer, very pretty fall with mild temp, typically highs of 40's - 50's in the dead of winter, maybe one or two days with a dusting of snow in winter, there is usually a cold snap for a week, very pretty spring with mild temps, back to hot and humid summer.
My wife and I have been planning on moving for some time, and we still are. Charlotte is the city that just doesn't go away when we're researching. We really like it, and doubt much will sway our view on this. We like to prepare and plan for big decisions like this.
However, I'd like to get an honest view of the weather up there. Various sites show weather trends certain ways, but I'd like to get the perspective of folks who live there.
We're in Florida now (Tampa area). We find our summers abhorrent. Not just the 3 months (June-August), but for most of April through October. That's a 7 month summer (conservatively). We only get about 10-15 days per year with the high under 70. I'm hoping Charlotte is better in that regard.
I'm happy to see you describe favorable Fall and Spring conditions (favorable for us anyway). We're expecting a sticky summer; I mean it's the South, after all.
My wife and I have been planning on moving for some time, and we still are. Charlotte is the city that just doesn't go away when we're researching. We really like it, and doubt much will sway our view on this. We like to prepare and plan for big decisions like this.
However, I'd like to get an honest view of the weather up there. Various sites show weather trends certain ways, but I'd like to get the perspective of folks who live there.
We're in Florida now (Tampa area). We find our summers abhorrent. Not just the 3 months (June-August), but for most of April through October. That's a 7 month summer (conservatively). We only get about 10-15 days per year with the high under 70. I'm hoping Charlotte is better in that regard.
I'm happy to see you describe favorable Fall and Spring conditions (favorable for us anyway). We're expecting a sticky summer; I mean it's the South, after all.
June - August will be just about as uncomfortable in Charlotte as in Tampa, i.e., similar dew points. The difference will be in April, May, September and October. Those months will, for the most part, be much more comfortable in Charlotte.
My wife and I have been planning on moving for some time, and we still are. Charlotte is the city that just doesn't go away when we're researching. We really like it, and doubt much will sway our view on this. We like to prepare and plan for big decisions like this.
However, I'd like to get an honest view of the weather up there. Various sites show weather trends certain ways, but I'd like to get the perspective of folks who live there.
We're in Florida now (Tampa area). We find our summers abhorrent. Not just the 3 months (June-August), but for most of April through October. That's a 7 month summer (conservatively). We only get about 10-15 days per year with the high under 70. I'm hoping Charlotte is better in that regard.
I'm happy to see you describe favorable Fall and Spring conditions (favorable for us anyway). We're expecting a sticky summer; I mean it's the South, after all.
I agree with BC1960. Our summer is June - August. Sometimes it runs a little longer, other times it runs a little shorter. This summer's heat waves have been relatively short for example and we are already seeing daily highs in the low 80's and high 70's with less humidity.
Unlike Florida, there WILL be a winter. It isn't a Boston or Ohio winter, but compared to Florida it will be cold. Overnight lows some nights in January and February can be 15-25 degrees. The average low in January is 30 degrees and the daily high will average 48-55 degrees. But by March spring is arriving and you can get daily highs of 60-68 degrees and overnight lows of 40. Most of our trees are deciduous in this area and will lose their leaves in the fall.
I disagree with the commenter about comparative summer dewpoints to Tampa. I spent one summer in Bradenton and every day, every single morning to go out the door was to be wrapped in a wet wool cloth. Dew point in the mid to high 70's even over 80 occasionally which is out of my understanding. Outdoor activities were a struggle because of the humidity. More so than Charlotte, unquestionably.
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