Metro area profile · North Carolina
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 2,938,830
- +10.1% since 2020
- Households
- 1,076,260
- Median household income
- $83,304
- +31.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $356,400
- Jobs located here
- 1,400,944
- Highest market score
- 74
- Coffee shops and cafes, #30 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 2,938,830 people live in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, in 1,076,260 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +10.1%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area is $83,304 a year, 3% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 31.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 130, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (87).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area are for coffee shops and cafes (74), laundromats (74) and gas stations (74). The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area ranks #30 of 387 scored metro areas for coffee shops and cafes.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area takes in 11 counties: Mecklenburg County, NC; York County, SC; Union County, NC; Cabarrus County, NC; and 7 more. For its number of households, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for house cleaning businesses (50% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for laundromats (37% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops and cafes | 74 | #30 of 387 | 937 | 8.7 | $4.7M | 127 | 596 |
| Laundromats | 74 | #42 of 364 | 108 | 1.0 | $20.4M | 163 | 79 |
| Gas stations | 74 | #44 of 387 | 1,140 | 10.6 | $2.8M | 118 | 889 |
| Pizza | 73 | #45 of 387 | 739 | 6.9 | $6M | 118 | 2,134 |
| Insurance agencies | 72 | #69 of 387 | 1,592 | 14.8 | $1.7M | 137 | 1,129 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 71 | #68 of 385 | 575 | 5.3 | $3M | 102 | 1,103 |
| Pest control | 70 | #47 of 345 | 166 | 1.5 | $10.3M | 101 | 143 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 70 | #62 of 387 | 10,543 | 98.0 | $419K | 113 | 4,940 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 70 | #71 of 387 | 1,416 | 13.2 | $3.1M | 102 | 2,134 |
| Electricians | 68 | #57 of 383 | 257 | 2.4 | $13.1M | 109 | 768 |
| Veterinarians | 68 | #72 of 384 | 398 | 3.7 | $2.7M | 98 | 281 |
| Convenience stores | 68 | #73 of 387 | 882 | 8.2 | $7.7M | 98 | 217 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 67 | #78 of 387 | 1,903 | 17.7 | $3.6M | 105 | 684 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 66 | #38 of 197 | 56 | 0.5 | $23M | 94 | 53 |
| Pet stores | 66 | #78 of 382 | 217 | 2.0 | $4.9M | 108 | 97 |
| Home repair trades | 65 | #74 of 387 | 1,429 | 13.3 | $2.4M | 97 | 1,961 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 65 | #81 of 387 | 5,831 | 54.2 | $758K | 114 | 2,176 |
| Pet businesses | 65 | #84 of 387 | 1,228 | 11.4 | $863K | 98 | 649 |
| Child care and preschools | 65 | #87 of 387 | 570 | 5.3 | $1M | 101 | 633 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 65 | #97 of 387 | 1,092 | 10.1 | $1.6M | 94 | 2,000 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 64 | #79 of 387 | 721 | 6.7 | $4.7M | 98 | 960 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 64 | #85 of 387 | 990 | 9.2 | $4.5M | 108 | 669 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #97 of 381 | 451 | 4.2 | $7.5M | 88 | 233 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 59 | #129 of 386 | 453 | 4.2 | $2.3M | 92 | 271 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 59 | #135 of 387 | 2,378 | 22.1 | $926K | 105 | 1,102 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 59 | #142 of 387 | 1,734 | 16.1 | $1.3M | 100 | 879 |
| Funeral homes | 58 | #132 of 377 | 184 | 1.7 | $707K | 104 | 101 |
| Physical therapy | 58 | #139 of 386 | 578 | 5.4 | $2.2M | 93 | 370 |
| Grocery stores | 58 | #140 of 387 | 716 | 6.7 | $9.5M | 102 | 467 |
| Car washes and detailing | 56 | #156 of 387 | 420 | 3.9 | $2.4M | 97 | 193 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 54 | #135 of 290 | 94 | 0.9 | $10.9M | 79 | 90 |
| Property management | 54 | #152 of 374 | 315 | 2.9 | Index only | 99 | 642 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 54 | #161 of 386 | 423 | 3.9 | $3.1M | 97 | 184 |
| Home inspectors | 53 | #111 of 243 | 78 | 0.7 | Index only | 85 | 98 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 53 | #182 of 381 | 334 | 3.1 | $3.1M | 100 | 282 |
| Auto repair shops | 53 | #185 of 387 | 2,468 | 22.9 | $415K | 93 | 1,106 |
| House cleaning | 52 | #167 of 375 | 351 | 3.3 | $4.9M | 76 | 754 |
| Auto repair and car care | 51 | #201 of 387 | 4,137 | 38.4 | $248K | 92 | 1,623 |
| Chiropractors | 49 | #199 of 386 | 586 | 5.4 | $2.2M | 92 | 357 |
| Tire shops | 49 | #219 of 386 | 501 | 4.7 | $2M | 82 | 191 |
| Nail salons | 48 | #214 of 387 | 779 | 7.2 | $1.3M | 80 | 211 |
| Barbershops | 47 | #225 of 387 | 637 | 5.9 | $1.6M | 87 | 82 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 46 | #238 of 387 | 998 | 9.3 | $1.3M | 73 | 1,543 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 45 | #233 of 387 | 10,838 | 100.7 | $119K | 78 | 3,630 |
| Gyms | 45 | #246 of 387 | 849 | 7.9 | $1.1M | 84 | 466 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 43 | #261 of 387 | 1,695 | 15.7 | $545K | 82 | 811 |
| Dry cleaners | 42 | #179 of 272 | 181 | 1.7 | $12.2M | 78 | 144 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 42 | #243 of 347 | 255 | 2.4 | $3.6M | 89 | 466 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 42 | #268 of 387 | 591 | 5.5 | $1.6M | 77 | 345 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #275 of 387 | 1,472 | 13.7 | $877K | 89 | 1,123 |
| Spas and skin care | 40 | #290 of 387 | 1,496 | 13.9 | $697K | 80 | 312 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 40 | #300 of 387 | 6,323 | 58.7 | $165K | 78 | 1,359 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 39 | #292 of 387 | 3,741 | 34.8 | Index only | 85 | 2,400 |
| Real estate | 39 | #294 of 387 | 4,825 | 44.8 | Index only | 83 | 3,767 |
| Hair salons | 39 | #307 of 387 | 3,280 | 30.5 | $318K | 74 | 735 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 38 | #286 of 373 | 691 | 6.4 | Index only | 64 | 275 |
Household spending in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $1B | $952 | 99 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $3.2B | $2,984 | 115 |
| Food away from home | $4.4B | $4,108 | 101 |
| Groceries | $6.8B | $6,319 | 100 |
| Personal care products and services | $1B | $969 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $575.3M | $535 | 92 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $923.4M | $858 | 87 |
| Medical and dental services | $1.3B | $1,199 | 93 |
| Pets | $1.1B | $985 | 108 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $2.2B | $2,046 | 100 |
| Vehicle insurance | $2.7B | $2,541 | 130 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $3.4B | $3,122 | 103 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $1.7B | $1,595 | 113 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $17.3B | $16,104 | 97 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 2,938,830+10.1% since 2020
- Households
- 1,076,260
- Median age
- 39.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 66%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 5,598 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 495
- Median household income
- $83,304+31.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $117,495
- Median home value
- $356,400
- Jobs located here
- 1,400,944
- Daytime population
- 2,846,416Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area 11
- Mecklenburg County, NC1,154,681 people
- York County, SC293,673 people
- Union County, NC250,958 people
- Cabarrus County, NC236,133 people
- Gaston County, NC234,881 people
- Iredell County, NC196,544 people
- Rowan County, NC149,875 people
- Lancaster County, SC104,475 people
- Lincoln County, NC92,716 people
- Chester County, SC32,182 people
- Anson County, NC22,289 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
- Rocky Mount, NC metro area144,952 people
Questions
How fast is the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area at 2,938,830 people in 2025, up 10.1% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 1,076,260 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 31.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area spend?
Households in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area spend about $17.3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $6.8B on groceries and $4.4B on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 130, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (87).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, coffee shops and cafes (74), laundromats (74) and gas stations (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For coffee shops and cafes, that ranks #30 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area is $83,304, 3% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 10.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $356,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for house cleaning businesses (50% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for laundromats (37% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area?
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Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.