HomeNorth CarolinaMecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has a population of 1,154,681 across 524 square miles, up 8.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $186.11 bn in 2024, 36,472 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,533 7(a) approvals worth $1.04 bn.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Mecklenburg County
How many people live in Mecklenburg County
- Population1,154,681
- Households466,527
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$87,005
- Median age35.5
- Median gross rent$1,627 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$406,800
- Home value to household income4.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher49.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over784,974
- Population under 18263,733
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over137,905
- Share 65 and over11.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64753,043
- Civilian labor force660,759
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over74.2 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties2nd of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents41st
Mecklenburg County is the 2nd largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 4.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 11.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Mecklenburg County
Is Mecklenburg County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.14 percent
- Census 2020 base population1,115,535
- Births, 202415,077
- Deaths, 20247,103
- Natural change, 20247,974
- Net domestic migration, 20242,382
- Net international migration, 202419,699
- Total net migration, 202422,081
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20247,703
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents232nd
The county has grown 8.14 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Mecklenburg County
Where people moving to Mecklenburg County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving42,263
- People arriving, from those returns67,560
- Adjusted gross income arriving$3.66 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$86,702
- Largest single originMecklenburg County Non-migrants (407,335 households)
- Largest single destination (407,335 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County Non-migrants | 407,335 | 798,799 | $51.80 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 4,511 | 7,091 | $346.0 m |
| Cabarrus County | 2,173 | 3,778 | $156.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 2,066 | 3,223 | $147.6 m |
| Union County | 1,893 | 3,285 | $196.9 m |
| York County | 1,388 | 2,261 | $98.0 m |
| Gaston County | 1,346 | 2,288 | $76.6 m |
| Wake County | 1,171 | 1,622 | $85.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Mecklenburg County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Mecklenburg County
What the Mecklenburg County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$186.11 bn
- County GDP, 2023$173.97 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.0 percent
- GDP change over five years46.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among North Carolina counties1st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents20th
- GDP per resident$161,182
Output grew 7.0 percent in the latest year and 46.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Mecklenburg County
Who employs people in Mecklenburg County
- Covered employment, annual average788,436
- Establishments reporting53,030
- Average annual pay$88,111
- Average weekly wage$1,694
- Sector 52, employment87,476
- Sector 52, average annual pay$163,484
- Sector 54, employment70,770
- Sector 54, average annual pay$119,282
- Sector 72, employment68,068
- Sector 72, average annual pay$31,596
- Sector 62, employment65,902
- Sector 62, average annual pay$71,036
- Sector 44-45, employment64,565
- Sector 56, employment61,781
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 52 | 87,476 | 3,544 | $163,484 |
| Sector 54 | 70,770 | 10,220 | $119,282 |
| Sector 72 | 68,068 | 3,611 | $31,596 |
| Sector 62 | 65,902 | 4,605 | $71,036 |
| Sector 44-45 | 64,565 | 4,052 | $44,679 |
| Sector 56 | 61,781 | 3,987 | $60,719 |
| Sector 48-49 | 51,522 | 1,732 | $72,585 |
| Sector 23 | 40,961 | 4,083 | $87,028 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 87,476 jobs, 11.1 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mecklenburg County
What businesses operate in Mecklenburg County
- Establishments, all industries36,472
- Employment at those establishments732,418
- Annual payroll$57.25 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Mecklenburg County
What is being built in Mecklenburg County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202411,969
- Declared construction value permitted$2.63 bn
- Single family units authorised6,496
- Multifamily units authorised5,473
- Multifamily share of units45.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$219,333
- Units authorised per 1,000 households25.7
Multifamily is 45.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mecklenburg County
How much SBA lending happens in Mecklenburg County
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,533
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.04 bn
- Average 7(a) approval$679,990
- Median 7(a) approval$325,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,851,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)20,046
- Jobs per approval13.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active133
- Distinct industries receiving approvals318
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms204
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1,187
- Franchise loans349
- Franchise share of approvals22.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (66)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (133)
- 504 approvals recorded303
- 504 gross approval dollars$280.2 m
- Average 504 approval$924,772
- Median 504 approval$596,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.6
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (215)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals83.5 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$1.32 bn
The average approval of $679,990 sits well above the median of $325,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 13.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mecklenburg County
Do SBA loans in Mecklenburg County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded270
- Paid in full249
- Charged off21
- Charge off rate on resolved loans7.8 percent
- Status: Paid in full249
- Status: Exempt from disclosure960
- Status: Cancelled202
- Status: Charged off21
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed101
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | 12 | 1 | 8.3% |
| 713940 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 11 | 0 | 0.0% |
Of the 270 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.8 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, Full-Service Restaurants carries the highest charge off rate at 8.3 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mecklenburg County
Which parts of Mecklenburg County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending18
- Charlotte, approvals1,213
- HUNTERSVILLE, approvals91
- CORNELIUS, approvals84
- MATTHEWS, approvals48
- PINEVILLE, approvals38
- MINT HILL, approvals25
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 1,213 | $819,759,200 |
| HUNTERSVILLE | 91 | $56,308,900 |
| CORNELIUS | 84 | $56,759,400 |
| MATTHEWS | 48 | $37,392,600 |
| PINEVILLE | 38 | $36,026,700 |
| MINT HILL | 25 | $11,286,300 |
| DAVIDSON | 20 | $13,427,900 |
| CONCORD | 2 | $1,026,500 |
Charlotte accounts for 1,213 approvals against 91 in HUNTERSVILLE. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mecklenburg County
How big is Mecklenburg County
- Land area524 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties38th of 100
- Width, east to west28.7 mi
- Height, north to south34.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land2,204
- Establishments per square mile69.60
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Mecklenburg County
What hazards affect Mecklenburg County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 2
- Communities carrying a CRS class4
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 2, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Mecklenburg County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Mecklenburg County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population1,154,681
- Households466,527
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$87,005
- Median age35.5
Common questions
Mecklenburg County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?
1,154,681, in 466,527 households, ranking 2nd of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mecklenburg County growing?
The population has grown 8.14 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 15,077 births against 7,103 deaths, with net migration of 22,081. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mecklenburg County?
$87,005. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $406,800, which is 4.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,627 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Mecklenburg County?
36,472 establishments, employing 732,418 people with an annual payroll of $57.25 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Mecklenburg County?
Average annual pay is $88,111, or $1,694 a week, across 788,436 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mecklenburg County?
1,533 7(a) approvals totalling $1.04 bn since FY2020, across 133 lenders, with a median approval of $325,000, plus 303 504 approvals worth $280.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Mecklenburg County get paid back?
Of the 270 loans that have reached a final outcome, 249 were paid in full and 21 charged off, a charge off rate of 7.8 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Mecklenburg County?
11,969 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.63 bn. Multifamily was 45.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mecklenburg County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Mecklenburg County come from?
The largest single origin is Mecklenburg County Non-migrants, with 407,335 households. Arriving households report an average income of $86,702 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mecklenburg County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Mecklenburg County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.