Kansas City vs. Charlotte (ranking, live, best, cost)
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There is a lot of exurbia in metro Charlotte, but it's not all new exurbia. Charlotte is an older mill town surrounded mostly by smaller mill towns. About 10-20 years ago, those smaller mill towns like Gastonia, Rock Hill, Lancaster, Concord, etc., as well as Statesville which was an old tobacco town, were regarded as satellite cities but they are basically considered larger, older exurbs at this point.
I'm not sure how KC's urbanized area is set up, but the 1.5 million figure for Charlotte shortchanges it a bit as the largest of those older towns I mentioned earlier have their own urbanized areas that aren't included with Charlotte's but should be, namely Concord (237K), Gastonia (185K), and Rock Hill (117K), which pushes the urbanized area population closer to 2M. Here's a 2010 map of the urbanized region which is already outdated but gives you an idea of the region's population distribution:
It appears that Charlotte lies at the center of an overall more populated region that has become more interconnected over time than KC.
I'm always surprised how populated NC is. You draw a 100 mile circle around KC and you capture a few small cities like Lawrence and Topeka and St Joe, but other than it's very very rural and you really don't add much. DO the same for Charlotte and you double the population.
I'm always surprised how populated NC is. You draw a 100 mile circle around KC and you capture a few small cities like Lawrence and Topeka and St Joe, but other than it's very very rural and you really don't add much. DO the same for Charlotte and you double the population.
Yep, and that also includes larger population centers in SC.
I almost moved to KC, so I've got a pretty good amount of info on the city.
Location: Charlotte
Amenities: Kansas City
Vibe: Kansas City
Look: Kansas City
Future Potential: Charlotte
Transit: Charlotte
Reputation: Charlotte
Suburbs: Charlotte
Shopping: Charlotte
Schools: Kansas City
Colleges/Univ.: Charlotte
Weather: Charlotte
That's a lot of Charlotte, but both are phenomenal cities and they both seem great. Personally, I don't think I would be able to decide between the two.
Even though bbq in general is sort of a rural cultural thing, KC bbq is more about urban bbq, especially on KCMO's African American east side.
Charlotte does not feel like a metro of 2.7 million. I'm not sure how it gets to that number. Must be a lot exurban type areas there. It does not feel as large as even KC to me. It has a large skyline, but the city still feels like a lower density southern metro.
Looking at the urbanized areas of the metros, KC is still larger with 1.6 million vs 1.5 million in Charlotte so that might explain why KC still feels larger to me.
KC still wins as a legacy city with a better and more established cultural scene (museums etc), but Charlotte has blown past KC in many areas such as transportation/transit and downtown corporate investment. KC can't get companies to move back downtown while Charlotte has built many new office towers in the past 20 years.
I like KC's location. I mean, I actually miss being able to access the entire country with no more than a 3 hour flight or having the option to drive to much of the country. I love living in the northeast corridor now, but man, KC is a great place to live if you want to see the entire country on a regular basis.
Charlotte is pretty cool, I enjoy visiting, but KC's vast mix of architecture, attractions etc give it the edge for me over Charlotte and I'm trying really hard to not be bias since I'm from KC.
I kinda agree with you here, KCMO. I now am in Charlotte but lived in Tampa for a while (and still visit a lot) and its similar in that Tampa does not at all feel like 3+ million. But like you pointed out, it has to do with the way southern cities are laid out; lower density and post-war development patterns.
To me, Charlotte metro feel about 2 million when I am only passing through the CBD, city and immediate areas to it, but it feels every bit of 2.7 million when I'm driving throughout the city and around the entire metro area.
I kinda agree with you here, KCMO. I now am in Charlotte but lived in Tampa for a while (and still visit a lot) and its similar in that Tampa does not at all feel like 3+ million. But like you pointed out, it has to do with the way southern cities are laid out; lower density and post-war development patterns.
To me, Charlotte metro feel about 2 million when I am only passing through the CBD, city and immediate areas to it, but it feels every bit of 2.7 million when I'm driving throughout the city and around the entire metro area.
Hey Timothy.
It's funny I actually feel the opposite. To me when you drive throughout the city(especially the core) you feel like you are in a metro of 3 million. To me when u get outside of Mecklenburg County is when it feels smaller...
It's funny I actually feel the opposite. To me when you drive throughout the city(especially the core) you feel like you are in a metro of 3 million. To me when u get outside of Mecklenburg County is when it feels smaller...
Hi QC, I guess I feel that way because of the sprawly nature of the metro outside of the urban core. The central core does feel at least a city that anchors 2 million people but, taken as a whole, becuase the metro is so spread out, the density seems a little low from what one might expect after seeing the immediate city core. I feel the same about Atlanta's 6 million metro.
It's funny I actually feel the opposite. To me when you drive throughout the city(especially the core) you feel like you are in a metro of 3 million. To me when u get outside of Mecklenburg County is when it feels smaller...
Traveling from Charlotte outward towards various surrounding counties gives you the 3M feel IMO. Over the past year and a half, I've traveled throughout parts of metro Charlotte that I haven't in quite a while or for the very first time which made it quite apparent that the metro has grown significantly in nearly all directions. The stretch that was the most eye-opening was up through Lake Norman and on up to Mooresville/Statesville. If you were to start at the southern tip of I-77 where development starts in the metro, which is far southern Rock Hill/York County, driving up to the northern end of Statesville would take upwards of two hours. And along I-85, you're already talking about a continuously urbanized corridor from Salisbury to Kings Mountain.
Traveling from Charlotte outward towards various surrounding counties gives you the 3M feel IMO. Over the past year and a half, I've traveled throughout parts of metro Charlotte that I haven't in quite a while or for the very first time which made it quite apparent that the metro has grown significantly in nearly all directions. The stretch that was the most eye-opening was up through Lake Norman and on up to Mooresville/Statesville. If you were to start at the southern tip of I-77 where development starts in the metro, which is far southern Rock Hill/York County, driving up to the northern end of Statesville would take upwards of two hours. And along I-85, you're already talking about a continuously urbanized corridor from Salisbury to Kings Mountain.
Yes that area has REALLY grown. I worked in Statesville from April 2019 until this past November. It's amazing thr development and traffic that way. I had no choice but to take the toll lanes everyday.
Both cities have advantages over each other. It’s all about what you’re interested in also.
City Look:
Kansas City is an older city with a more urban core and historical look.
Charlotte is a more newer modern develop city with less older development. Charlotte’s skyline is urban also but sprawlingly urban. A skyscraper then several mid-risers and then another skyscraper and then several mid-risers and then another skyscraper. Charlotte has a big city small town feel.
Area population:
Charlotte has a larger metro population than Kansas City.
Kansas City has a cultural and art scene. Kansas City is known for its barbecue.
Charlotte is still trying to find its culture but Charlotte is the second largest banking center in the US after New York.
Downtown Kansas City has clubs and bars.
Uptown Charlotte has clubs and roof top bars.
Location:
Kansas City is centrally located in the United States. The mountains are nearby and the river flows through the city.
Charlotte is not far from the mountains nor the coast. Charlotte Douglas International is a major hub airport with direct flights.
Weather:
Kansas City does get snow, cold, dry and windy during winters and hot and muggy during summers.
Charlotte does get snow sometimes and cold during winters. Charlotte does get hot during summers. Rain comes regularly.
Education:
Both cities got plenty of good colleges already!
Shopping:
Charlotte has more to offer in boutique stores at the SouthPark Mall, like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Tiffany and Company, Hugo Boss, David Yurman, Neiman Marcus with Chanel pop up, Nordstrom, etc. Charlotte also has Restoration Hardware, Arahus, Crate and Barrel, West Elm and an IKEA.
The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City has nice architecture but really Charlotte offers those same stores and restaurants all around the city like The Cheesscake Factory, PF Chang’s, Capital Grille.......etc.
Potential:
Charlotte will always be a growing city. More companies keep moving to the Charlotte area and the skyline keeps expanding. I believe it will become a world-class city eventually. The skyline will be more urban and expansive with more mid and high risers. As of now, Charlotte reminds me of a much smaller or younger version of Atlanta or Dallas.
^^ Fair enough post.
If Charlotte's on its way to becoming the next Dallas or Atlanta, it only makes Kansas City sound that much more appealing, no offense.
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