Charlotte area outpaced most US metros for 5-year growth, nears 3 million people
The Charlotte metro area continues to attract thousands of people to the region each year. And the total number puts the area in the top 10 nationally, new Census Bureau estimates released Thursday found.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan statistical area’s population growth was seventh highest across the nation’s metros in a five-year period, the Census Bureau said. There are 387 MSAs.
From April 2020 to July 2025, the Charlotte region added more than 278,700 people on both sides of the Carolinas border, for a total of 2.9 million people last year.
The number of newcomers continues to cement the region’s place among other major metro areas, including Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta and Austin, Texas.
Metropolitan statistical areas consist of a county or counties where one urban area has a population of at least 50,000, according to the Census Bureau. The Charlotte metro area includes Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina, along with Chester, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina.
While the total number of people coming to the region is greater than most other places, the rate of growth for the Charlotte region also ranks in the upper levels.
From 2020 to 2025, the region saw a 10.5% growth rate. That puts Charlotte in 35th place nationally.
Single-year growth for the Charlotte metro area
Looking at the numbers from July 2024 to July 2025, total growth also remains high for the Charlotte metro area.
The region added over 54,100 people, the fifth-highest total nationally. Charlotte is only behind the metro areas for Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Phoenix, respectively.
The numbers weren’t surprising to Michael Cline, North Carolina’s state demographer with the Office of State Budget and Management.
“Charlotte is consistently one of the top five for numeric and percentage growth among the top 50 cities,” Cline said.
Growth slows for international migration to the Charlotte area
What was somewhat unexpected to Cline, looking at the year-to-year numbers, was the decrease in international migration for the metro area and the low increase of migration from other parts of the region and U.S.
From 2024 to 2025, almost 18,240 international residents moved to the Charlotte area. That’s down over 8,900 people from 2023 to 2024.
It’s a trend happening across the U.S., especially at the county level.
About nine out of 10 U.S. counties saw lower international migration between 2024 and 2025. The one county that didn’t see a decreased didn’t see an increase either, according to the census. The data comes amid President Donald Trump’s targeted immigration enforcement.
As for people who moved from other parts of the region or the U.S. to the Charlotte metro area, the region saw a 0.1% net increase from 2023-2024 to 2024 and last year, a 27-person difference. Overall, over 24,400 people moved to the Charlotte metro domestically.
North Carolina saw an increase in domestic migration because of COVID-fueled work from home policies, Cline said. People realized if they could work anywhere, why not North Carolina.
But domestic migration, Cline said, is also driven by the economy. We’ll have to wait for next year’s numbers to see if the slowdown continues, Cline added.
Charlotte area growth and other NC, SC metro areas
There are 25 metropolitan areas across the Carolinas. And seven of those metro areas hit the top 50 nationally for growth on a numbers scale.
The Raleigh-Cary metro area is closest to the Charlotte region, ranking 13th in total growth. Between April 2020 to July 2025, that Triangle area saw a population increase of over 181,700.
The Greenville-Anderson-Greer metro area in South Carolina ranked 30th, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach hit 36th place, Spartanburg was 46th and rounding out the region is Columbia in 49th place.
Only eight Carolina metro areas hit double-digit growth rates between 2020 to last year. And Charlotte isn’t No. 1. In fact, out of the eight metro areas, it landed in eight place for its growth rate.
Myrtle Beach saw the biggest growth rate, at nearly 22%. Wilmington was second at almost 17%.
Looking at year-to-year growth rates, Charlotte ranked sixth in the Carolinas almost 2%.
But on a national scale, four Carolina metro areas hit the top 10 for growth rate: Myrtle Beach, Spartanburg, Wilmington and Raleigh-Cary.
Nationally, the Charlotte area ranked 22 out of 387 for single year growth.
On the downside, and Possibly due to Hurricane Helene, the Asheville metro area saw a -0.1% population change from 2024 to last year.
“This is the first look at the impacts of Helene,” Cline said. “Buncombe County actually saw its first population loss since 2020.”
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
