Moving to Charlotte: The Un-Tourist Guide

Charlotte is a big city with small town charm. But, it can still be tough to make yourself at home unless you have Moving To Charlotte: The Un-Tourist Guide, which tells you everything you need to know to help you settle smoothly into the Queen City.
Charlotte - the hub of a 16-county metropolitan region – is home to about 750,000 residents who come for the good jobs but stay for the great weather, our proximity to mountains and beaches, and the wealth of outdoor activities. Tons of activities and lots of friendly people can’t wait to welcome you.
Our aim with Moving To Charlotte: The Un-Tourist Guide is to help you:
• Find a place to live that fits your lifestyle
• Ferret out the best schools for your children
• Discover the best places to shop for everything from groceries to gowns
• Experience all the outdoor activities available here
• Fit into your new hometown

You’ll Find Exactly What You Need To Know About:
Our four seasons Property taxes
Cost of living Healthcare
Utilities Choosing where to live
Safety Renting vs. buying
Cost and types of housing Shopping centers
State of the real estate market Dining out
Grocery and locally grown foods Sports and fitness
Furniture Childcare
Arts, culture and music Colleges and universities
Nightlife Pre-K through high school choices
Local media Outdoor activities
Associations& community groups The local economy
Making the move Starting a business
Finding a job Charlotte neighborhoods
Charlotte history Phone & web contacts for key resources

We have everything any optimistic, can-do type of person could want in a city: great weather, beautiful neighborhoods, a strong, diversified economy, affordability and friendly people. If I haven’t convinced you by now, just let me leave you with this list of recent superlatives heaped upon our town:
No. 1 Best Employee Engagement Apr. 2013 Forbes of 10 cities
No. 2 Happiest City for Job-Seeking College Graduates May 2013 Career Bliss of U.S. cities
No. 2 Most Desirable Place to Purchase a Home Feb. 2013 Nerdwallet.com of 25 largest cities
No. 5 Fastest Growing Metro 2000-2012 Mar. 2013 U.S. Census of 52 largest metro areas
No. 6 Hot Cities for IT Jobs in 2013 Jan. 2013 Modis, Inc. of 10 cities
No. 7 Spring Break Destination for Families Mar. 2013 Livability.com of 500 cities
No. 8 Best City for Jobs May 2013 Forbes.com of 398 large metro areas
No. 9 Most Job Openings per Capita May 2013 Beyond.com of 50 cities
No. 9 Top Moving Destination Jan. 2013 Penske Truck Rental of all cities
Top 10 Best City for Urban Forests Feb. 2013 American Forests of 50 largest cities
Top 10 Best Cities for Newlyweds June 2013 Rent.com of all cities
Top 10 Big Booming Cities May 2013 CNNmoney.com of all cities
No. 11 Top Boomtown Apr. 2013 Bloomberg of all large metro areas
No. 14 Most Energy-Star Buildings Mar. 2013 Energy Star of 25 metro areas
No. 32 Most STEM Jobs June 2013 Brookings Institute of 100 largest metro areas
No. 35 Best Performing Cities Jan. 2013 Milken Institute of 200 metro areas
No. 50 Best Part-Time Degree Program Mar. 2013 U.S. News and World Report of 325 MBA programs