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Considering Uptown, South End, and/or or Midtown as a potential place for your business?

Charlotte Center City Partners’ economic development team provides locally rooted insight and data to any business or investor interested in Center City Charlotte.

Curious to learn how the consistent influx of aspiring talent joining a mix of economic, social, and cultural opportunities is enhancing quality of life, fostering business innovation, and creating a vibrant nexus in Charlotte Center City?

Below are the most up-to-date insights from our 2024 State of the Center City report.

Talent

Young, diverse, and talented professionals are choosing Center City to get centered on their careers.

  • 69% of Center City residents have a bachelor’s degree, and 27% have a graduate degree or higher.
  • UNC Charlotte is the #1 producer of Computer Science graduates in NC, SC, and VA as well as African American, Hispanic, and female computer science graduates in NC.
  • Charlotte ranks in the Top 10 for growth of Millennial and Gen-Z tech workers, according to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent Report.

Talent insights are updated on a bi-annual basis. Updated insights coming soon.

Development

Center City continues its development energy with investors centered on the conviction that both the quality of the space and place delivers a competitive advantage.

Development insights were updated on December 31, 2023. Updated insights coming January 2024. 

Work

Sector leading employers continue to invest in Center City to help retain and attract office-centric and hybrid associates as they prepare for growth.

Working from Uptown and South End 

The frequency of people working* from Uptown and South End as of 2023 is approximately 78% of pre-pandemic levels 

Hybrid work arrangements were part of Uptown and South End prior to the pandemic with approximately 60% being office-centric and 40% hybrid. Work arrangements as of 2023 are closer to 53% office-centric and 47% hybrid work 

The frequency of people working* from Uptown as of 2023 is approximately 71% of pre-pandemic levels.

The frequency of people working* from South End as of 2023 is approximately 117% of pre-pandemic levels. 

* Defined as people primarily working from the office and in a hybrid arrangement

Work insights were last updated on December 31, 2023. Updated insights coming January 2024.

Living

Center City is a collection of beloved neighborhoods filled with a variety of housing choices that are stitched together with short walks, quick bike rides, and transit hops.

Living insights are updated on a bi-annual basis. Updated insights coming February 2024.

Hospitality

The increasing number of midweek and weekend visitors coming to experience Uptown and South End’s thriving sports, arts, culture, and culinary scenes is bolstering Charlotte’s attractiveness as a memorable destination.

Center City continues to be a memorable destination

Top 10 days for the highest number of Uptown visits in 2023 are primarily related to the events at Bank of America Stadium. 

Hospitality insights are updated on a monthly basis. Updated insights coming February 2024.

Experience

In Center City, the public, private, and philanthropic sectors collaborate to provide an array of authentic experiences for residents, workers, and visitors. 

33

New Uptown businesses opened in 2023 

29

New South End businesses opened in 2023

OpenTable shows data for seated diners from online, phone, and walk-in reservations. The OpenTable dashboard is currently undergoing webpage changes. We will update the reservations chart as soon as the changes are complete and new data is available. 

Small business opening insights were updated on December 31, 2023. Updated insights coming January 2024. 


James LaBar
Senior Vice President of Economic Development
jlabar@charlottecentercity.org | 503-724-0054