Why Charlotte?

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PEOPLE LIKE TO LIVE IN CHARLOTTE. Our experience with relocating companies demonstrates repeatedly that they are successful in recruiting highly talented individuals from all regions of the U.S. and abroad. Once they are here, most transferees do not want to leave, and here are just a few of the reasons why:

•  With a population of over 1.8 million, metropolitan Charlotte offers all of the advantages and amenities of a major urban area.

•  Charlotte’s composite cost of living, at 94.0 percent of the national average, is lower than all but nine other major metro U.S. cities.  A key component of that figure is housing, which in Charlotte is 79.9 percent of the national average. Housing costs are low primarily because Charlotte’s construction costs are 80 percent of the national average.

•  North Carolina’s per capita state and local tax collection ranks 16th lowest in the U.S., and Charlotte’s prudent and equitable taxes reflect that ranking. Compared with the largest cities of each state, Charlotte has the 10th lowest residential property tax.

•  Utility costs in Charlotte are reliable and reasonable, ranking 13th lowest of the top 40 metro markets in this country.

•  Charlotte is strategically located in the U.S. and is only a two-hour plane ride from 60 percent of the U.S. population. The highest mountains in eastern North America are a short 2-hour drive away, while some of the best Atlantic coast beaches can be reached by car in only 3 to 3.5 hours.

•  Charlotte-Douglas International Airport provides superior air service with nonstop daily service to 170 different cities, including international service to Dublin, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, London, Montreal, Toronto, Mexico City, Rome, Rio de Janeiro and 21 different Caribbean destinations.

•  For relocating spouses and partners, job opportunities in Charlotte are greater than in most other U.S. cities. Charlotte boasts 3,464 companies with over $1 million in revenue, 273 Fortune 500 operations, 1,250 companies that employ 100 or more, eight Fortune 500 headquarters and several other large corporate headquarters. During 2010, an especially challenging year, 912 different companies in Mecklenburg County alone announced the creation 10,781 new jobs. It is no surprise that over the past decade, Charlotte experienced the fifth highest in-migration of young educated workers in the nation.

•  Charlotte’s economy is also highly diversified. No single industry sector, including financial services, has a dominant share of the employment market. All major industry groupings are represented. While Charlotte is not immune from swings in the economy, this diverse mix provides greater stability than is found in many other urban markets.

•  Charlotte also offers a highly developed and sophisticated international business environment. There are currently 948 foreign-owned companies in the metro area, and their presence spawns a large number of international business and cultural organizations. Expatriates will find many of their countrymen in Charlotte and a valuable support network their presence creates.

•  Charlotte is firmly established as one of the country’s most recognized and respected regional health care centers. Its cutting edge facilities offer top-notch care, and a very wide network of eldercare facilities supports relocating professionals with family members in need of such services.

•  Charlotte offers a nationally acclaimed level of higher education. The 35 colleges and universities within the region serve over 179,000 students. In-state tuition starts at $4,250 per year in the highly regarded North Carolina state university system. Residency status requires that individuals live in the state at least one year.

•  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), the consolidated public school system in Mecklenburg County, continually ranks as one of the best urban systems in the country. Thirty seven CMS schools were recently named schools of excellence. The top 10 percent of CMS students routinely outscore their counterparts (the top 10 percent of students nationally) on the SAT by a significant margin.

•  Charlotte neighborhoods and residences have distinct personalities and offer diverse housing options. At any given time, more than 10,000 homes are available to choose from.

•  Charlotte’s thriving arts community enhances an already rich and stimulating quality of life. Symphony, dance, theater, opera, art museums and a wide range of other venues are supported by the Arts & Science Council, which conducts one of the highest per capita annual campaigns of its type in the country. A large number of arts venues are located downtown within walking distance of each other and Charlotte’s light rail line.

•  If sports are your pleasure, Charlotte has it all: NFL, NBA, NASCAR, PGA, AAA Baseball and NHL/AHL affiliates, not to mention collegiate sports and recreational options as well.

•  Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in Charlotte: canoeing and kayaking at the U.S. National Whitewater Center; boating and fishing on Lakes Norman, Mountain Island and Wylie; golfing on courses that are accessible from all residential and business areas; skiing in the Appalachian mountains, camping, horseback riding, hiking and more.

•  Nothing could be finer than Charlotte’s North Carolina weather. Four distinct seasons with balanced summers and winters prevail. Extreme conditions are rare, allowing year-round use of the city’s 17,600 acres of parks, 33 miles of greenways and 36 public and private golf courses. More courses are available in outlying counties. Only half of winter days fall below the freezing point, and sub-zero temperatures have been recorded in Charlotte only five times since 1878. Spring and fall seasons are protracted and extremely pleasant, and weather rarely interrupts outdoor activities.