Charlotte accounts for four-fifths of Mecklenburg County. It is the epitome of a "New South" city, combining a sense of history with a thirst for progress. Community leaders strive to encourage economic growth while maintaining the high quality of life.

Mecklenburg County comprises Real Estate Areas 99 and 1 - 9. Single-family homes in the county average $238,000; condominiums and town homes, $152,000. (Note that these areas exclude the higher priced lakefront properties on Lake Norman, Mountain Isle Lake and Lake Wylie in Mecklenburg.)

The seat of Mecklenburg County, Charlotte is the most populous city of the state, with nearly 633,000 residents. It's the 21st largest city in the country. Total population for Mecklenburg is 830,000 with 1.5 million in the Charlotte MSA. Other towns in Mecklenburg are: Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius to the north and Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville to the south.

Charlotte was founded in 1768 and named in honor of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of England's King George III. It's nicknamed the Queen City. Textiles gained prominence after the Civil War, and Charlotte grew up around the railway lines that brought raw materials into the city and took finished products away. The railcars also helped establish the Charlotte suburbs. Since WW II, Charlotte has taken advantage of the interstate highway system. With easy access to interstates 40, 77 and 85, it has become the major trucking center of the South.

Charlotte is now also the country's second-largest banking center. In the 1990s, North Carolina National Bank and Atlanta's C&S Sovran merged to form Charlotte-based NationsBank. Soon after its merger with San Francisco's BankAmerica Corp. in 1998, NationsBank was renamed Bank of America. Bank of America is now the largest bank in the country, and Charlotte-based Wachovia is not too far behind.

Charlotte's quality of life is second to none. The Charlotte region is No. 1 in per capita giving to the arts and sciences, with rich cultural opportunities, a mild year-round climate, a wide range of housing options, quality education and award-winning medical facilities. Charlotte also offers NFL football, NBA basketball, the PGA's Wachovia Championship and major NASCAR events.

At the heart of the city is Uptown, now primarily a business district. Dilworth, Elizabeth, Myers Park, Plaza-Midwood and Eastover—"the streetcar suburbs"—were part of Charlotte's first significant expansion south and east of Uptown. The area highlights restored "front-porch" neighborhoods, eateries and shops, particularly along East and South boulevards in Dilworth. South End, a trendy area of warehouses-turned-retail/restaurants and a new trolley line, is a big draw. Shops and quaint restaurants thrive on Central Avenue in Plaza-Midwood and East Seventh Street in Elizabeth. Parts of Dilworth and Plaza-Midwood are designated historic districts. Myers Park and Eastover were the city's first "high-end suburbs" and are still the best places to run into well-heeled Charlotte natives.

Today, Charlotte is taking off in all directions. To the north, Huntersville, Davidson, Cornelius and the Lake Norman area are welcoming families every day. To the northeast, the University City is experiencing business and residential growth. To the south, Ballantyne has spark development beyond the Interstate-485 outer belt.

Uptown - Area 99

Defined by the I-277 freeway loop, Uptown is what was the original city; however, almost nothing old remains, except the 1790's street grid and the names of the 19th-century political wards. Uptown is largely shiny, new and bank-oriented. Upscale condominiums, apartments and some single-family houses have sprouted up in the area. For example, the First Ward boasts the new First Ward Place, a 350-unit complex uniting residents of various income levels. Third Ward, the area closest to the southwest quadrant's Ericsson Stadium, is home to hundreds of new town homes, condominiums and apartments. The Fourth Ward's restored Victorian homes are some of the finest inner-city residences you'll find. There is no such thing as Second Ward housing. The homes in this southeast quadrant were razed in the 1960s. At the end of March 2005, 71 of the 72 properties Uptown properties for sale were condominiums or town homes. Prices range from $130,000 to $1.7 million with the average two-bedroom, two-bath condominium going for $431,000.

North (Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville) - Area 1

Bordered by I-77 to the west and Cabarrus County to the east, this portion of Mecklenburg runs from the Uptown area north to Iredell County. Part of the growth is this area is due to the technology "triangle" that has sprung up as high-tech companies built offices along West W.T. Harris Boulevard, between Interstate 85 and Interstate 77. Wachovia Bank has corporate offices here. The past two decades have seen an explosion of luxury and middle-class housing in the three historic towns of Davidson; Cornelius; and Huntersville. Davidson, with the college of the same name, has fiercely resisted commercial development. The area also has three upscale golf course communities: Highland Creek, Northstone and River Run. Single-family homes average $200,000; condominiums and town homes, $116,000.

Northeast (NoDa, Plaza-Midwood and University City) - Area 2

Charlotte's link to the South's textile past, North Charlotte is dotted with old cotton mills, warehouses, rail lines and trucking depots. The "main streets" for the old mill villages are still around. Here, you'll find the NoDa (for North Davidson) artists' district. The main thoroughfare is North Davidson Street, which runs north out of downtown. Along this street you'll find a historic textile mill, warehouses and rail lines. North Davidson Street between 30th and 36th Streets is now filled with galleries, shops and restaurants.

Plaza-Midwood, hugging Central Avenue northwest of the city, is currently in the middle of a spirited rebirth. Homeowners are taking on "fixer-uppers," restoring bungalows to their previous beauty. The area's stores and restaurants are eclectic, with hidden bargains especially in the antiques shops. Reedy Creek Park, Mecklenburg County's largest nature preserve, is also located in this area, offering a bit of peace and quiet near the hustle and bustle.

Take Central Avenue past Plaza-Midwood and you'll run into Charlotte's most diverse community. Within a matter of blocks you'll find dozens of ethnic markets and restaurants—Mexican, Korean, Indian, Vietnamese and more. Housing is affordable and shopping is plentiful along the avenue's many strip malls or at the Eastland Mall. Independence Boulevard (Highway 74) has long stood as one of the city's main retail corridors. Along Shamrock Drive, you'll find an important part of Charlotte's history, the home site of Hezekiah Alexander, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The newly expanded and modernized Charlotte Museum of History provides a grand entrance to the site and a reproduction of Alexander's 1770s home.

This area also includes University City, so named because it is the home of The University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Today, University City is spreading and new subdivisions and shopping centers are opening all the time, thanks to U.S. Highways 29 and N.C. 49. The single-family homes average $143,000; condominiums and town homes, $87,900.

East (Elizabeth and Mint Hill) - Area 3

East of Uptown is Elizabeth, with features similar to Dilworth: grid-style streets, restored front-porch bungalows and sidewalks for wandering. Here, you'll find the beautiful Independence Park and Seventh Street shops and restaurants. Central Piedmont Community College is located on the westernmost side of Elizabeth.

Farther to the east are a portion of Matthews and all of Mint Hill. Mint Hill is a haven for families looking for upscale residential homes. The town retains a largely rural feel, and home sites have large lots, many of which lie in golf course communities. Single-family homes average $168,000; condominiums and town homes, $113,900.

Southeast (Eastover and Matthews) - Area 4

Matthews was named in 1874 in honor of an official of the Central Carolina Railroad. The railway still goes through the Matthews, whose historic downtown—complete with old-time hardware store—retains a cozy, small-town feel. Outside the downtown area, however, residential growth has increased to the point where the post office had to be expanded, and the high-rise Presbyterian Hospital-Matthews was constructed. Nearby Eastover is another old residential area and home of the Mint Museum of Art. The average list price for single family homes is $330,800 and for condominiums/town homes is $180,900.

South (Dilworth, Myers Park and Ballantyne) - Area 5

Dilworth homeowners are busy renovating their turn-of-the-century bungalows, while enjoying the unique restaurants, shops and the urban green space of Freedom Park. Between Dilworth and Elizabeth lies Myers Park. With its larger lots and houses, Myers Park is home to many Old Charlotte families. The streets may get confusing. You'll hear many newcomers gripe about the intersection of Queens Road and Queens Road, but Freedom Park and the drive under canopies of trees are spectacular.

Not quite 30 years ago, this area south of the Park Road Shopping Center was mostly farmland. But the arrival of South Park mall changed all that, bringing with it shopping and residential dollars. Newcomers who sought more land than available in the older Charlotte neighborhoods were able to build larger houses at lower cost.

More high-end development is wrapped up in the enormous Ballantyne development, which includes a country club, apartments, shopping centers, office buildings and sizeable homes. Some of the finest golf course communities are in this area: Myers Park, Quail Hollow, Raintree, Piper Glen, Ballantyne and Providence Country Clubs. Single-family homes average $597,000; condominiums and town homes, $235,000.

South End (Pineville) - Area 6

The South End is just west of Dilworth. Pineville, the home of James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States, has a picturesque historic downtown, yet most shoppers are drawn to the Carolina Place Mall and surrounding big-box stores. Because the town itself is small, residential options are not as plentiful as in other areas. Single-family homes average $206,000; condominiums and town homes $156,000.

Southwest - Area 7

Bordered by Charlotte/Douglas International Airport on the north, I-77 to the east, the Catawba River and Lake Wylie to the west and South Carolina to the south, the southwestern chunk of Mecklenberg County is beginning to attract developers. Much of Lake Wylie's residential development was on its South Carolina side, but it is now spreading to Mecklenburg's lakefront. Development is expected to increase in the coming years now that the Interstate 485 "outer loop" has been completed to I-85. Here, you'll also find McDowell Park Nature Center, a campground, a 1,000-acre park and nature preserve; as well as Paramount's Carowinds theme park. Single-family homes average $176,000; condominiums and town homes, $112,000.

West - Area 8

West Charlotte is the best place to see the juxtaposition of old and new. There still are landowners who trace their family roots to pre-Revolutionary land grants from George III, and pockets of old forests. Here, you will also find much of the area's heavy industry. Around Mount Holly-Huntersville Road, middle-income subdivisions have cropped up. As Charlotte has grown to the south and east, neighborhoods on the west side of the city have grown less quickly. Part of the reason is the expansion of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, which is easily accessible from West Boulevard, but which also has brought increased traffic and airport noise. Affordable land has caused homeowners to take a fresh look at the west side. Single-family homes average $113,000; condominiums and town homes, $73,000.

Northwest - Area 9

The communities around Lake Norman—approximately 15-20 miles north of downtown—have blossomed, thanks to a combination of Lake Norman, beautiful settings and easy access to the city via Interstate 77. Huntersville, an old railroad depot, has expanded with commuters, suburban shopping centers and subdivisions. Single-family homes average $171,500; condominiums and town homes, $115,300.