Just how much cheaper is it to live in the suburbs than Charlotte? We examined the numbers

Evan Moore
·2 min read

As rent costs in Charlotte continue to rise, some are choosing to move outside the city limits.

The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Charlotte in August was $1,370, while a two-bedroom unit stood at $1,500, both up 17.2% over the last year, according to a report by Apartment List, an online marketplace for rental listings.

While Charlotte’s population rose by nearly 20% over the last decade, the population in Mecklenburg County’s suburbs grew even faster, according to the latest census data.

Pineville, a town in southern Mecklenburg County, grew by 41% from 2010-2020, census data show. Each of the county’s Lake Norman-area towns – Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson – grew by at least 26% during the same time period.

Here’s how the rent prices in Charlotte compare to the suburbs.

The median rent in Mecklenburg County suburbs

The median rent to live in all but one of the suburbs in Mecklenburg County is more expensive than in Charlotte, according to data from Zillow, an online real estate marketplace.

Here is the median rent for one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments in each of Mecklenburg County’s suburbs:

  • Cornelius: One-bedroom: $1,677; Two-bedroom: $1,739

  • Davidson: One-bedroom: $1,551; Two-bedroom: $2,075

  • Huntersville: One-bedroom: $1,537; Two-bedroom: $1,708

  • Matthews: One-bedroom: $1,536; Two-bedroom: $1,692

  • Pineville: One-bedroom: $1,328; Two-bedroom: $1,825

Zillow’s data did not include rent prices for unincorporated areas of Mecklenburg County.

How home prices in Mecklenburg County suburbs compare to Charlotte

Much like the rental prices, it’s more expensive to own a home in Mecklenburg County suburbs than in most Charlotte neighborhoods, Zillow data indicated.

Pineville is the cheapest suburb to live in, with an average home value of $406,740, data from Zillow show. The average home in Davidson – the most expensive suburb – is $655,412.

Outside of Mecklenburg County, Kannapolis, Stanley and Mount Holly are among the cheapest suburbs in the Charlotte area to live in, with homes valued at $365,000, according to data from Zillow.