About Charlotte - the Queen City

Charlotte is one of the 25 largest cities in the U.S. and the largest city in North Carolina. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte and its resident county are named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of British King George III during the time of the city's founding.

Nearly 800,000 people live and work in the Charlotte community and the city provides services to much of this population. The city’s focus areas are housing and neighborhood development, community safety, transportation, economic development and the environment.

Charlotte consistently ranks as one of the top growing cities and is home to more than 10 Fortune 1000 companies, including household names such as Bank of America, Lowe's and Duke Energy. Charlotte is also home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers, the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, MLS' Charlotte FC, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

Other amenities that make Charlotte a great place to live and work include numerous higher learning organizations, cultural centers and healthcare facilities.

Check out some of the best reasons to be in the Queen City. Did you know? Charlotte...

  • Ranks 1st among top 10 cities with the best employee engagement (Forbes)
  • Ranks 2nd among 25 largest cities for most desirable place to purchase a home (Nerdwallet.com)
  • Ranks 2nd in the best areas for job-seeking college graduates (Careerbliss.com)
  • Is the 5th fastest growing metro from 2000 to 2012 of the 52 largest metro areas (US Census)
  • Ranks 6th among top 10 hot cities for IT jobs in 2013 (Modis, Inc.)
  • Ranks 7th among the top spring break destinations for families (Livability.com)
  • Is one of the top 10 cities for newlyweds to live and work (Rent.com)
  • Ranks 8th among the top 10 big booming cities (CNNmoney.com)
  • Ranks 9th among top 50 cities with the most job openings per capita (Beyond.com)
  • Is among the top 20 best cities for businesses and careers (Forbes.com)
  • Ranks 9th among the top moving destinations of all cities (Penske Truck Rental)
  • Is the 17th largest city in the U.S. in total population
  • Is a top 10 city for urban forests (American Forests)
  • Has been named “Tree City” for 33 consecutive years by the National Arbor Day foundation
  • Is home of ImaginOn, the top ranked children’s library in the country (Livability.com)

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