The 14 counties served by the Charlotte Urban Institute comprise a diverse and complex region — one that has seen dramatic economic and physical change in recent decades. Yet, it has retained a deep connection to a rich cultural and natural heritage.
As one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States, the Charlotte region embodies both the promises and challenges of an emerging economic center.
Outside the urban core, the subtle beauty of the region’s varied landscape of farms, forests and small towns is a physical reminder of the delicate relationship between human progress and the stewardship of the Carolina Piedmont’s natural resources. From the Native Americans, whose early trading paths formed the literal and figurative crossroads of the region, in what today is Uptown Charlotte, to the early 20th-century capitalists who harnessed the region’s rivers for industrialization, the balance between economic growth, environmental responsibility, and our residents’ quality of life has always been in flux.
A sparkling skyline and an abundance of new cultural attractions reflect the growing affluence of an urban area that transformed economically, almost over night. Such rapid change moves the Institute to ask important questions about how our neighbors fare, and where they thrive, across the region. Some questions we ask are: How is economic prosperity and its drivers distributed across the 14 counties? How are we, together, balancing competing interests? In what ways, and which areas, are we strong as a region? Where do we demonstrate resilience and innovation?
Additionally, we ask: Who are we leaving behind and are there people and places hungry for investment and opportunity? How are we being intentional about cultural and natural preservation?
Counties
Note: Below, you will find a listing of the 14 unique counties we serve. We are currently updating the profile for each of these areas and invite you to come back soon to learn more about them.
