Exploring Metropolitan Charlotte: The Town of Matthews

 

For those who are considering a move to the metropolitan Charlotte, NC, area—and for those who already live here—we thought a brief discussion of surrounding towns and areas, as well as areas and communities within the City of Charlotte, might be useful.  For those who don’t already know, the City of Charlotte is ranked as the 15^th largest city in the United States, covers a large geographical area, and it continues to see rapid growth.  It was ranked the fastest growing American city between 2004 and 2014.  It is also the home to major corporate employers, particularly in the banking and finance sectors of the economy.  Bank of America has its national headquarters in Charlotte, and Wells Fargo headquarters its eastern regional operations in the city, for example.  But Charlotte is also surrounded by unique towns and communities that each have their own attributes and character.  The Town of Matthews is one such community.

 

Matthews is located in the southeast corner of Mecklenburg County, on the southern border of the City of Charlotte.  It is characterized by neat suburban homes—many that can be pricey for the Charlotte area—ample parks and recreation, well-performing public and private schools, and a quaint historic downtown area consisting of streets lined with small shops, restaurants and businesses that combine to create a “home town” feel, all within a 15 minute drive of all that Charlotte’s Uptown city center has to offer.

 

 

Matthews has its own economy and employers.  It is corporate headquarters to Family Dollar Stores and the Harris Teeter supermarket chain, for example.  But despite its relative size and proximity to Charlotte, Matthews retains a clean, safe, “small town” feel.  Continuing development is well managed and characterized by the retention of green, wooded areas and ample parks, recreation and sports facilities, bicycle trails and nature walks. Cost of living is reasonable and standard of living is relatively high.  Median household income is approximately $78,000/year and median family income is approximately $89,000/year. 

 

With its moderate temperate climate, well-performing schools, clean and safe neighborhoods, ample shopping, recreation and entertainment, and its close proximity to the 15^th largest city in the United States, Matthews provides a unique mix of modern cosmopolitan resources with a small town feel and atmosphere.  It’s a great place in which to raise a family, without having to sacrifice strong employment and career opportunities or a high standard of living at a reasonable cost.