Charlotte: Innovation meets Momentum
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 Charlotte Center City’s transformation is creating a more balanced and resilient urban core, offering the Southeast’s most complete blend of urban living options, destination assets, and center of commerce?
The 2025 State of the Center City is the most comprehensive data set focused on the city’s central activity district, providing research-driven insights on current and future trends as well as planned developments in Center City Charlotte.
Below are the most up-to-date insights from our 2025 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.
Q2 2024 Under Construction & Announced
Development insights were updated in Q4 2024. Updated insights coming April 2025.
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 May 2025 is approximately 86% of pre-pandemic levels.
The frequency of people working* from Uptown as of May 2025 is approximately 76% of pre-pandemic levels.
The frequency of people working* from South End as of May 2025 is approximately 161% of pre-pandemic levels.
Inbound commuters make up the largest segment of Center City employment (89%) and RTO for those workers as of April 2025 in Center City is 84%.
- Uptown: 75%
- South End: 157%
Center City resident workers: 103% RTO (added more resident workers since the pandemic)
* Defined as people primarily working from the office and in a hybrid arrangement
Work insights were last updated on June 10, 2025. Updated insights coming July 2025.
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 soon.
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 between January–May 2025 are primarily related to the events at Bank of America Stadium and Spectrum Center.
Hospitality insights are updated monthly. Updated insights coming July 2025.
Experience
In Center City, the public, private, and philanthropic sectors collaborate to provide an array of authentic experiences for residents, workers, and visitors.
8
New Uptown businesses announced in Q1 2025
- Additionally, 6 businesses announced openings planned for 2025
7
New South End businesses announced in Q1 2025
- Additionally, 5 businesses announced openings planned for 2025
OpenTable shows data for seated diners from online, phone, and walk-in reservations. More people are enjoying Center City's robust culinary scene with Charlotte tracking toward pre-pandemic levels as of May 2025.
Small business opening insights were updated on June 10, 2025. Updated insights coming July 2025.
James LaBar
Senior Vice President of Economic Development
jlabar@charlottecentercity.org | 503-724-0054