Mecklenburg County, North Carolina


Mecklenburg County is a county located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,115,482, making it the [List of counties in North Carolina|second-most populous County (United States)|county in North Carolina], and the first county in the Carolinas to surpass one million in population. Its county seat is Charlotte, the state's largest municipality.
Mecklenburg County is the central county of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. On September 12, 2013, it was estimated the county surpassed one million residents.
Like its seat, the county is named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom, whose name is derived from the region of Mecklenburg in Germany. It was named for Mecklenburg Castle in the village of Dorf Mecklenburg.
WWW charmeck.nc.us

History

Mecklenburg County was formed by English colonists in 1762 from the western part of Anson County, both in the Piedmont section of the state. It was named in commemoration of the marriage of King George III to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, for whom the county seat Charlotte is named. Due to unsure boundaries, a large part of south and western Mecklenburg County extended into areas that would later form part of the state of South Carolina. In 1768, most of this area was designated Tryon County, North Carolina.
Determining the final boundaries of these "western" areas between North and South Carolina was a decades-long process. As population increased in the area following the American Revolutionary War, in 1792 the northeastern part of Mecklenburg County was taken by the North Carolina legislature for Cabarrus County. Finally, in 1842 the southeastern part of Mecklenburg County was combined with the western part of Anson County to form Union County.
The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was allegedly signed on May 20, 1775, and if the document is genuine, Mecklenburg County was the first part of the Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from Great Britain. The "Mecklenburg Resolves" were adopted on May 31, 1775. Mecklenburg continues to celebrate the declaration each year in May, the date of which is included on the flag of North Carolina.
The first gold rush in the United States, the Carolina Gold Rush, began after a 12-year-old boy named Conrad Reed discovered a gold nugget in a stream in neighboring Cabarrus County. Many miners and merchants began settling in the county during that time. The first United States branch mint was established in 1837 in Charlotte and continued operations until 1913. The original building was moved from its original site and redeveloped as a museum.
In 1917, during World War I, Camp Greene was established west of Charlotte as an army training camp. In 1919, after the end of WWI, it was decommissioned. Around the 1930s and 1940s, the population began to rapidly increase. During this time, Carolinas Medical Center and Charlotte College were built. Lake Norman was also completed in 1964, after a five-year construction period.
In the mid-20th century, the county continued to see rapid growth. Many new government buildings were constructed, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport was expanded in 1954. By 1960, a quarter million people were living in the county, with the population reaching half a million by 1990. A proposal to form a consolidated city-county government with Charlotte was considered, but voted down by residents in 1971. The metropolitan statistical area now includes 11 counties in both North Carolina and South Carolina, and had an estimated combined population of 2,805,115 in 2023.
In mid-2020, the county was the site of the 2020 Colonial Pipeline oil spill, wherein about of gasoline leaked from the Colonial Pipeline in the Oehler Nature Preserve near Huntersville. It is one of the largest gasoline spills in U.S. history, and cleanup efforts are expected to last for several years.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

State and local protected areas/sites

Nature preserves in Charlotte:

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 1,115,482. The median age was 35.1 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 11.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 46.7% White, 29.6% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.7% from some other race, and 7.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 15.2% of the population.
99.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.8% lived in rural areas.
There were 448,814 households in the county, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.3% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 478,966 housing units, of which 6.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 54.4% were owner-occupied and 45.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.

2024 ACS

Recent data from the 2024 ACS 1-year estimates show that Mecklenburg County's population total is now 1,206,285, with 486,412 households. The percent of females in the population is 51.7%, and the percent of males is 48.3%, with a ±0.1% margin of error.
Mecklenburg County has a larger female population than male population, as is the case worldwide, and, similarly to global trends, the gap between the male and female populations is decreasing. According to the 2020 ACS 5-year estimates, the female population was 568,717, and the male population was 526,453. This means the populations differ by 42,264. In 2024, the female population is estimated at 623,680, and the male population is estimated at 583,605. This means the populations differ by 40,075, a significantly smaller difference than in 2020. Though the 2020 estimates have a margin of error of ±119, and the 2024 estimates have a margin of error of ±283, the margins are not significant enough to undermine the general trend observed in the difference between the female and male populations.
Mecklenburg county has a significantly different racial profile than North Carolina on average. The ACS estimated 44.4% of Mecklenburg county identified as White, 29.3% Black or African American, 9.4% ‘Some Other Race’, 6.6% Asian, and 0.8% American Indian or Alaskan Native.
Whereas the ACS estimated all of North Carolina identified as 60.8% White, 19.8% Black or African American, 5.6% ‘Some Other Race’, 3.6% Asian, 1.2% American Indian and Alaskan Native, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 695,454 people, 273,416 households, and 174,986 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 292,780 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 64.02% White, 27.87% Black or African American, 0.35% American Indian/Alaska Native, 3.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.01% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 6.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 273,416 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.00% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, 25.10% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.70% was from 18 to 24, 36.40% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,579, and the median income for a family was $60,608. Males had a median income of $40,934 versus $30,100 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,352. About 6.60% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Mecklenburg County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.
The county is governed by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. The BOCC is a nine-member board made up of representatives elected from six single-member districts, and three at-large representatives elected by the entire county. This electoral structure favors at-large candidates who appeal to the majority population of the county. Each District has a population of approximately 165,000 individuals. All seats are partisan and are for 2-year terms. The current chair of the Mecklenburg BOCC is Mark Jerrell. The current vice chair is Leigh Altman.
Members of the Mecklenburg County Commission are required by North Carolina State law to choose a chair and vice-chair once a year. Historically, the individual elected was the 'top-vote-getter', typically one of three at-large members. In 2014 this unofficial rule was changed by the Board to allow any member to serve as Chair or vice-chair as long as they received support from 4 members plus their own vote.
The nine members of the Board of County Commissioners are:
  • George Dunlap
  • Elaine Powell
  • Yvette Townsend-Ingram
  • Leigh Altman
  • Arthur Griffin
  • Vilma Leake
  • Mark Jerrell
  • Laura Meier
  • Susan Rodriguez-McDowell

Politics

Mecklenburg County was one of the first parts of North Carolina to break away from a Solid South voting pattern. It was a Republican-leaning swing county for most of the second half of the 20th century, supporting the GOP all but three times from 1952 to 2000. However, the county has strongly trended Democratic in the 21st century, particularly in federal and statewide elections. The expansion of the financial and business communities since the late 20th century attracted many newcomers from other areas of the country, with more diverse voting patterns. The more ethnically diverse core and northern sections of Charlotte trend Democratic, while wealthier and whiter suburban areas to the south of the city lean more Republican.
In 2004, John Kerry became only the fourth Democrat to carry Mecklenburg County since Harry Truman in 1948, and the third to win it with a majority since Franklin Roosevelt's last campaign in 1944. In 2008, the county swung dramatically to support Barack Obama, who won 60.8 percent of the county's vote, at the time the strongest showing for a Democrat in the county since Roosevelt's landslides. Obama's 100,100-vote margin in the county helped him become the first Democrat to carry North Carolina since 1976. At the same time, John McCain became the first Republican to win less than 40 percent of the county's vote since 1948.
Obama won the county almost as easily in 2012 despite losing statewide. The county swung even further in favor of Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Kamala Harris in 2024, with all three beating Obama's 2008 total. However, Republicans continue to retain some strength in local races.

Courts and policing

Mecklenburg County is in District 26 of the North Carolina Judicial Branch. Mecklenburg County Courthouse is at 832 East Fourth Street in
Charlotte. Since 2017, the District Attorney has been Spencer B. Merriweather III.
The post of 'High Sheriff' of Mecklenburg County dates back to 1763 and is mandated in the constitution of North Carolina. The county sheriff is elected for a four year term and heads the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. As of 2018, the sheriff is Garry L. McFadden, who has featured in a number of true crime documentaries.

Economy

The major industries of Mecklenburg County are banking, manufacturing, and professional services, especially those supporting banking and medicine. Mecklenburg County is home to ten Fortune 1000 companies.
NameIndustry2019 RevenueRank
1.Bank of AmericaBanking$110.6 billion25
2.NucorMetals$25.1 billion120
3.Duke EnergyUtilities$24.1 billion126
4.Sonic AutomotiveAutomotive retailing$10.0 billion316
5.Brighthouse FinancialInsurance$9.0 billion342
6.Sealed AirConglomerate$4.7 billion555
7.Coca-Cola ConsolidatedFood Processing$4.7 billion563
8.JELD-WEN HoldingBuilding Products$4.3 billion590
9.AlbemarleChemicals$3.4 billion702
10.SPXElectronics$2.1 billion962

Wachovia, a former Fortune 500 company, had its headquarters in Charlotte until it was acquired by Wells Fargo for $15.1 billion. Wells Fargo maintains the majority of the former company's operations in Charlotte.
Goodrich Corporation, a former Fortune 500 company, had its headquarters in Charlotte until it was acquired by United Technologies Corporation for $18.4 billion. Charlotte is now the headquarters for UTC Aerospace Systems.
NameIndustryNumber of employees
1. Atrium HealthHealth Care and Social Assistance35,700
2. Charlotte-Mecklenburg SchoolsEducational Services18,495
3. Bank of AmericaFinance and Insurance15,000
4. American AirlinesTransportation and Warehousing11,000
5. Harris TeeterRetail Trade8,239
6. Duke EnergyUtilities7,900
7. City of CharlottePublic Administration6,800
8. Mecklenburg County GovernmentPublic Administration5,512
9. YMCA of Greater CharlotteArts, Entertainment and Recreation4,436
10. CarowindsArts, Entertainment and Recreation4,100
11. University of North Carolina at CharlotteEducational Services4,000
11. United States Postal ServiceTransportation and Warehousing4,000
11. TIAAFinance and Insurance4,000
14. LPL FinancialFinance and Insurance2,850
15. Central Piedmont Community CollegeEducational Services2,700
16. BelkRetail Trade2,300
17. DMSITransportation and Warehousing2,175
18. IBMProfessional Services2,100
19. Robert Half InternationalAdministrative and Support Services2,000
19. Allstate InsuranceFinance and Insurance2,000

Transportation

Air

The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.

Intercity rail

With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta, and the large volumes of freight moving in and out of the county via truck.
Mecklenburg County is served daily by three Amtrak routes.
The Crescent train connects Charlotte with New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlottesville, and Greensboro to the north, and Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans to the southwest.
The Carolinian train connects Charlotte with New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Durham and Greensboro.
The Piedmont train connects Charlotte with Raleigh, Durham and Greensboro.
The Amtrak station is located at 1914 North Tryon Street. A new centralized multimodal train station, Gateway Station, has been planned for the city. It is expected to house the future LYNX Purple Line, the new Greyhound bus station, and the Crescent line that passes through Uptown Charlotte.
Mecklenburg County is the proposed southern terminus for the initial segment of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor operating between Charlotte and Washington, D.C. Currently in conceptual design, the SEHSR would eventually run from Washington, D.C. to Macon, Georgia.

Light rail and mass transit

Light rail service in Mecklenburg County is provided by LYNX Rapid Transit Services. Currently, the Lynx Blue Line runs from University of North Carolina at Charlotte, through Uptown Charlotte, to Pineville; build-out is expected to be complete by 2034. The CityLynx Gold Line, a streetcar line runs from Sunnyside Avenue, in Plaza-Midwood, through Uptown Charlotte, stopping at the Charlotte Transportation Center and future Charlotte Gateway Station, before continuing to French Street in Biddleville (Charlotte neighborhood), near the campus of Johnson C. Smith University.
Charlotte Area Transit System bus service serves all of Mecklenburg County, including Charlotte, and the municipalities of Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, Pineville, and Mint Hill.
The Lynx Silver Line is a proposed east-west light rail line that would connect the outlying cities and towns of Belmont, Matthews, Stallings and Indian Trail to Uptown Charlotte and the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Originally setup as two separate projects known as the Southeast Corridor and West Corridor, they were merged in 2019 by the Metropolitan Transit Commission. The tentative opening date in 2037.

Freight

Mecklenburg's manufacturing base, its central location on the Eastern Seaboard, and the intersection of two major interstates in the county have made it a hub for the trucking industry. Also located in the county is the Inland Port of Charlotte, which is a major rail corridor for CSX rail lines.

Major highways

*

Education

School system

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools serves the entire county; however, the State of North Carolina also has approved a number of charter schools in Mecklenburg County.

Colleges and universities

Current

Former

Libraries

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is the public library that serves residents of Mecklenburg County. Library cards from any branch can be used at all locations and to access digital resources. The library has an extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books, eBooks and audiobooks, and . The Archives and Special Collections department houses archival collections related to Mecklenburg County, materials related to state and local government and culture, genealogy, and manages the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.
The Billy Graham Library contains the papers and memorabilia related to the career of the well-known 20th century evangelist, Billy Graham. It is open for tours, but does not allow materials to be checked out.

Healthcare

Two major healthcare providers exist within Mecklenburg County, Atrium Health, and Novant Health. The two healthcare systems combined offer 14 emergency departments throughout Mecklenburg County, including a psychiatric emergency department and two children's emergency departments. Two hospitals in the region offer trauma services with one level I trauma center and one level II. Atrium Health, legally Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, is the public hospital authority of the county.
The residents of Mecklenburg County are provided emergency medical service by MEDIC, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency. All emergency ambulance service is provided by MEDIC. No other emergency transport companies are allowed to operate within Mecklenburg County. In the fiscal year 2024, MEDIC responded to 157,121 calls for service and transported 113,768 patients. While MEDIC is a division of Mecklenburg County Government, a board guides and directs MEDIC that consists of members affiliated with Atrium Health, Novant Health and a swing vote provided by the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. Atrium and Novant are the two major medical institutions in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Arts and culture

Museums and libraries

Sports and entertainment

Music and performing arts venues

Amusement parks

Other attractions

Communities

Mecklenburg County contains seven municipalities including the City of Charlotte and the towns of Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville ; and the towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville. A small portion of Stallings is also in Mecklenburg County, though most of that town is in Union County. Extraterritorial jurisdictions within the county are annexed by municipalities as soon as they reach sufficient concentrations.

City

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

By the requirements of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, Mecklenburg County was divided into 15 townships. However, one township, Sharon, was later annexed to the Charlotte township and ceased to exist. The townships, which are both numbered and named, are as follows:
  • Township 1, Charlotte
  • Township 2, Berryhill
  • Township 3, Steele Creek
  • Township 4, Sharon
  • Township 5, Providence
  • Township 6, Clear Creek
  • Township 7, Crab Orchard
  • Township 8, Mallard Creek
  • Township 9, Deweese
  • Township 10, Lemley
  • Township 11, Long Creek
  • Township 12, Paw Creek
  • Township 13, Morning Star
  • Township 14, Pineville
  • Township 15, Huntersville

Notable people