10 rankings that remind Charlotte that we’re No 2.

We’re No. 2!” isn’t always the best rallying cry, but recently, it seems to suit Charlotte well.  These rankings make us feel like Dr. Evil’s No. 2 (played by Rob Lowe who now is known as the No. 1 DirectTV ad person). View the No. 2 rankings below.

No. 2 among the fastest growing big cities. The Queen City grew 40 percent in the last decade or so, according to newly analyzed U.S. Census data. That puts Charlotte behind Fort Worth, Texas and gives the city 757,300 residents and counting.

No. 2 banking center: You’ve probably heard this one thrown around a lot. By virtue of having Bank of America’s headquarters on Tryon Street, Charlotte is home to more bank assets than any other city … except New York. The city had a stronger claim when Wachovia was around, and San Francisco could one day eclipse the Queen City.

No. 2 airport hub: You know how pretty much every flight out of Charlotte is on U.S. Airways (is it American Airlines yet?) That’s because the company operates a hub at Charlotte Douglas. We’re No. 2 to Dallas/Fort Worth.

No. 2 U.S. appliance manufacturer: OK, admittedly this one is kind of off the wall, but it’s true. This distinction comes by virtue of Charlotte being the North American headquarters of Electrolux, which recently bought General Electric’s appliance business. We come in second to Whirlpool here.

And the 2nd place finishes continue:

No. 2 top metro areas for families to live (behind Minneapolis).

No 2. best cities for recent college graduates (Denver).

No 2. in “value cities“ (Omaha).

No 2. city for new factories opened in the 1990s (Dallas).

No 2. “manliest city“ (Nashville).

And some of us still can’t get over the Panthers’ no 2. finish in the 2004 Super Bowl.

Oh, Charlotte. At least you’ll never be second in our hearts.

Photo: Jeff Siner / Charlotte Observer

This story was originally published December 10, 2014 at 12:57 AM with the headline "10 rankings that remind Charlotte that we’re No 2.."