Charlotte Area's Population to Approach 3 Million by 2030

Just 15 years from now, in 2030, the population of the Charlotte, NC, metro area will rival that of the Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL, area.

A LawnStarter analysis of projections for North Carolina and South Carolina shows that the 2030 population of the 10-county Charlotte metro area will nudge toward 3 million, up nearly 24 percent from the 2014 headcount.

If the projected 2030 population of 2,943,334 were applied to the present day, Charlotte would be the 18th largest metro area in the U.S., pushing Tampa-St. Petersburg to the No. 19 spot. Based on 2014 population estimates, the Charlotte region now sits at No. 22 among the country’s biggest metro areas.

Our analysis indicates that Mecklenburg County, NC, is projected to lead the 10-county pack with a 2014-30 growth rate of 33.9 percent, followed by York County, SC, at 30.7 percent and Cabarrus County, NC, at 23.4 percent.

From 2014 to 2030, the Charlotte area is expected to add more than 563,000 residents, according to our analysis. That would be like plopping the current population of Albuquerque, NM, into the Charlotte area.

Chuck McShane, director of research at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, says the region’s economic engine is propelling the population growth.

“Charlotte has been a magnet for job growth in recent years, attracting many major headquarters relocations. This has brought many people to the area, which in turn spurs more businesses to support these newcomers,” McShane says.

On top of that, the Charlotte area boasts a lower-than-average cost of living, along with attractive housing options such as urban apartments and suburban homes, he says.

“People like it here,” McShane says, “and the word has gotten out.”

County	2014 Population	2030 Population	Increase/Decrease
Cabarrus	192,103	236,992	23.37%
Chester	32,337	32,400	0.19%
Gaston	211,127	228,637	8.29%
Lancaster	83,160	95,300	14.60%
Iredell	166,675	196,282	17.76%
Lincoln	79,829	85,818	7.50%
Mecklenburg	1,012,539	1,355,271	33.85%
Rowan	138,630	138,404	-0.16%
Union	218,568	253,530	16.00%
York	245,346	320,700	30.71%
Total	2,380,314	2,943,334	23.65%

Sources:

http://demography.cpc.unc.edu/2013/10/14/population-growth-population-aging-in-north-carolina-counties/

http://www.sccommunityprofiles.org/census/proj_c2010.html

http://quickfacts.census.gov/