Charlotte Region Data and Insights
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How the Charlotte Region Stacks Up
Compare key regional highlights to other U.S. metro areas.
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| CLT REGION | Denver | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 1,718,247 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 19% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 3,023,285 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 2% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 2% |
| CLT REGION | Denver | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | N/A |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $83,358 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.51 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $94,080 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.10 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $88,875 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.17 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $143,164 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.66 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $156,874 |
| CLT REGION | Denver | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 115.0 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 27.3 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 40 |
| CLT REGION | Denver | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 15 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 218 |
| CLT REGION | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 2,498,272 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 28% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 5,137,427 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 3% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 3% |
| CLT REGION | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | N/A |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $81,718 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.77 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $97,076 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.12 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $63,949 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ” | 1.66 | 1.52 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $104,628 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 0.85 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $126,885 |
| CLT REGION | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 108.6 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 26.5 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 67 |
| CLT REGION | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 18 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 146 |
| CLT REGION | Minneapolis | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 2,035,187 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 6% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 3,735,784 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 2% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 1% |
| CLT REGION | Minneapolis | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 1.15 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $84,232 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 1.26 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $89,755 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 0.89 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $70,404 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.33 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $143,405 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 0.76 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $120,581 |
| CLT REGION | Minneapolis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 103.8 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 24.5 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 94 |
| CLT REGION | Minneapolis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 18 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 163 |
| CLT REGION | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 1,147,728 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 11% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 2,207,319 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 3% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 3% |
| CLT REGION | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 1.00 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $72,754 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.84 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $76,763 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.57 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $67,142 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ” | 1.66 | 1.17 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $109,271 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 0.77 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $172,226 | $106,407 |
| CLT REGION | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 95.4 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 23.9 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 61 |
| CLT REGION | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 18 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 47 |
| CLT REGION | Tampa | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 1,520,660 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 20% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 3,427,603 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 6% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 6% |
| CLT REGION | Tampa | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 1.04 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $83,881 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.62 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $78,997 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 0.73 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $59,080 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.64 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $119,184 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 0.89 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $106,349 |
| CLT REGION | Tampa | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 103.6 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 28.1 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 35 |
| CLT REGION | Tampa | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 16 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 81 |
| CLT REGION | Jacksonville | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 815,624 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 24% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 1,787,359 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 12% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 10% |
| CLT REGION | Jacksonville | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | N/A |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $86,993 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.56 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $84,516 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.64 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $66,125 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.68 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $106,811 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 0.85 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $130,194 |
| CLT REGION | Jacksonville | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 104.4 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 26.2 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 56 |
| CLT REGION | Jacksonville | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 12 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 44 |
| CLT REGION | Atlanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 3,064,651 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 20% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 6,437,061 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 5% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 5% |
| CLT REGION | Atlanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 0.83 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $94,472 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.76 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $79,338 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.51 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $74,758 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.15 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $129,310 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.62 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $148,450 |
| CLT REGION | Atlanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 96.5 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 31.2 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 30 |
| CLT REGION | Atlanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 15 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 237 |
| CLT REGION | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 1,181,397 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 30% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 2,170,299 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 9% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 8% |
| CLT REGION | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 0.92 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $97,843 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.96 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $79,351 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.49 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $62,294 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.03 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $125,990 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.34 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $125,054 |
| CLT REGION | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 96.0 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 27.9 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 50 |
| CLT REGION | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 13 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 102 |
| CLT REGION | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 1,365,014 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 41% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 2,595,842 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 14% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 12% |
| CLT REGION | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 0.72 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $89,788 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.70 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $130,935 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 0.58 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $59,849 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.05 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $134,687 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.82 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $164,848 |
| CLT REGION | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 97.1 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 27.3 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 9 |
| CLT REGION | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 13.49 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 97 |
| CLT REGION | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 4,263,596 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 25% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 8,382,822 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 9% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 9% |
| CLT REGION | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ | 0.64 | 0.77 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $87,014 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.93 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $96,787 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 1.46 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $75,258 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 1.52 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $127,648 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.06 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $140,933 |
| CLT REGION | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 99.2 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 28.0 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 95 |
| CLT REGION | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 13.36 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 257 |
| CLT REGION | Washington D.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 1,562,702 | 3,414,171 |
| Total Employment Growth Rate (Last 10 Years) | 24% | 6% |
| Total Population | 3,240,930 | 6,350,829 |
| Last 10 year Growth Rate (since 2015) | 15% | 2% |
| Projected Growth Rate (2024-2030) | 8% | 2% |
| CLT REGION | Washington D.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences: Annual Employment LQ” | 0.64 | 2.69 |
| Life Sciences: Media Wage | $84,611 | $105,598 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Annual Employment LQ | 1.21 | 0.21 |
| Advanced Manufacturing: Media Wage | $86,499 | $108,634 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Annual Employment LQ | 1.28 | 0.53 |
| Logistics & Distribution: Media Wage | $80,642 | $71,913 |
| Financial Services: Annual Employment LQ | 1.66 | 0.61 |
| Financial Services: Media Wage | $172,226 | $168,978 |
| IT/Tech: Annual Employment LQ | 1.00 | 1.15 |
| IT/Tech: Media Wage | $137,600 | $175,170 |
| CLT REGION | Washington D.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Of Living Index | 98.4 | 117.3 |
| Commute Time (Minutes) | 26.7 | 33.0 |
| U.S. News & World Report: Best Places to Live (2024-25) | 5 | 44 |
| CLT REGION | Washington D.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Energy (¢/kWh) | 12.99 | 16 |
| Direct Flights | 187 | 107 |
ECONOMIC DATA
In Q2 2026, the Charlotte Region recorded $751 million in announced capital investment, up from $434.6 million in Q1. Eleven of the quarter’s 15 project announcements were in the manufacturing and distribution industries.
$281.3 Billion
Gross Regional Product (outranking half of U.S. states)
3.2M
population of the region
1.7M
total jobs
4.1%
unemployment rate (February 2026)
135
people move to the region daily
Demographic & Industry Data
A diverse, dynamic talent pool can push business to the next level.
135
people move to the Charlotte Region every day
12%
growth in 20-34 year old population since 2020
32%
growth in foreign-born population since 2020
22%
higher concentration of production occupations than national average
25%
growth in business and financial operations occupations since 2020
21%
growth in professional, scientific, and technical services industry since 2020
14%
labor force growth since
2020
Area Highlights
Activities, amenities, and a superior quality of life are the key to talent attraction and retention.
24.2 min
average commute time
226
days of sunshine annually
11
major and minor league sports teams
3%
below national average cost of living
Economic Development News
Get a bird’s eye view of the announcements and advancements shaping regional growth.
Research Publications
Take a deep dive into the trends and insights that inform business decision making in Charlotte and beyond.
Small Business Landscape Analysis
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Exploring Economies Market Comparison
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Charlotte Region 2025-2050 Growth Projections
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Foreign Direct Investment in the region
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Commercial Real Estate
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Moving the Needle | Life Sciences in the Charlotte Region
Download
Coining the Future
Download
Racial Equity
Download
Charlotte Region Population Study
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