Choosing the right Charlotte suburb
Having lived in the big cities, I moved to Charlotte in 2006. I have had the experience of being in various sections of Charlotte, and I can honestly say all are great. For those looking to move to the Charlotte area from another state, or a big city, I can assure you that you will find what you are looking for here in Charlotte. I found a recent study that covered the top 10 suburbs to live in. I wasn’t surprised that 2 of them are Charlotte suburbs. The suburb study is based on criteria including cost of living, education, and amenities. At the top of the list is Westerville, OH, a suburb of Columbus, OH. The rest of the list is comprised of cities in states including Texas, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Tennessee:
1. Westerville, OH
2. Plano, TX
3. Georgetown, TX
4. Round Rock, TX
5. Cedar Park, TX
6. Cupertino, CA
7. Matthews, NC
8. Cornelius, NC
9. Newton, MA
10. Germantown, TN
The study is based off the top 75 suburbs connected to the largest 20 cities in the U.S.
- Amenities (shopping, dining, entertainment, etc.)
- Cost of living (percent above or below national average)
- Crime (percent above or below national average)
- Education (student to teacher ratio compared to national average)
- Employment (income and unemployment compared to national average)
From sources including the U.S. Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics—we were able to see how each city did in the individual criteria (on a scale of 1 to 75, with 1 being best) and also on average to give them an overall score.
DETAILS ON MATTHEWS and CORNELIUS
#7. Matthews, NC
Source: Wikipedia user Jon Platek
The first of two North Carolina suburbs (of Charlotte, NC) the top 10, Matthews, population 27,198, isn’t as safe as the cities we’ve talked about thus far. With 2,952 crimes per 100,000 residents, its crime rate is only 6.6 percent below the national average.
Thankfully for its residents, the city did better in other areas. One of them is cost of living, where it is 3.3 percent below the national average (and only .2 percent above the average for the rest of North Carolina). Median household income is also quite high at $70,742, which is 35.2 percent higher than the national average.
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Modern architecture, private acreage, and resort amenities rarely converge in the Weddington school zone, and 1064 Greylyn Drive delivers all three. Set on 1.58 acres on a quiet cul-de-sac, this contemporary estate offers more than 5,500 square feet under roof, including 4,125 sq ft of heated living area across the main residence and accessory building, 4 bedrooms, 5 full baths, multiple bonus and flex rooms, a resort-style pool, and 4-car garage capacity across two garages. Zoned for top-ranked Antioch Elementary, Weddington Middle, and Weddington High, with quick access to I-485. Since 2022, the property has been transformed through a comprehensive owner investment of exceptional scale and quality, reimagining the home and grounds with a full designer kitchen, the pool and outdoor living environment, the accessory building, and whole-property systems. The result is a 2015-built home that lives like new construction. An oversized black steel pivot door announces the home's design intent from the first step inside, opening to a main level where the brand-new kitchen showcases custom walnut cabinetry, a dramatic waterfall quartz island with matching quartz backsplash, and a new suite of stainless ZLINE appliances. Rich Brazilian walnut hardwoods flow throughout the entire main floor, anchored by a sculptural spiral staircase refinished in matching Brazilian walnut, a warm counterpoint to the home's crisp modern lines. The residence pairs clean contemporary architecture with serious infrastructure: rooftop solar, Tesla charging, security cameras, dual-zone heating and cooling, and a private-entrance suite ideal for in-laws or guests. Three levels of living include a rooftop terrace, loft, and generous flex spaces that adapt to home offices, media, gym, or hobby rooms. An oversized, fully gated circular drive delivers abundant guest parking and four garage bays, with the attached two-car garage joined by two more in the accessory building, and dual LiftMaster smart gates providing secure, WiFi-controlled access. The backyard lives like a private resort. A 20x40 heated pool with 8x8 spa features sheer-descent waterfalls, benches, and a tanning ledge, surrounded by marble hardscape decking, low-maintenance turf, landscape lighting, and a smart louvered pergola, fully fenced with rear irrigation. The showpiece accessory building adds 444 sq ft of finished living with a kitchenette, full bath, laundry, and conditioned loft, alongside an 880 sq ft fully conditioned oversized double garage featuring radiant in-slab heated floors with polyaspartic coating, wiring for a car lift and EV charging, a plumbed pressure washer, hot and cold exterior faucets, hardwired fiber internet, and a deck overlooking the pond. Guest quarters, studio, or the collector's dream garage. Private acreage, modern design, and turnkey systems rarely found together in the Weddington school corridor.
| MLS#: | 4399475 |
| Price: | $2,300,000 |
| Square Footage: | 3680 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 5 |
| Acreage: | 1.58 |
| Year Built: | 2015 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | EXP Realty LLC Ballantyne - 704-778-5007 |
Contact An Agent:
8. Cornelius, NC
Source: City of Cornelius, NC
With 24,866 residents, the second suburb of Charlotte to earn a spot in our top 10, Cornelius, is about on par with the national average in terms of crime; 314 crimes per 10,000 residents annually. Property crime in the city, however, is slightly higher than the national average.
Cornelius is the first city we’ve detailed where the cost of living is actually higher than the average than the rest of the country (by 2.5 percent). Its median household income of $81,532 is 55.8 percent higher than the American average and 85.3 percent more than the average for North Carolina. In terms of education, its class sizes are double the national average; it has a 32-to-1 student-teacher ratio compared to 16-to-1 for the U.S. average.
Cornelius, also has the drawn of Lake Norman. A beautiful lake, boasting million dollar lake homes, condos, and restaurants.
VIEW LISTINGS NOW IN CORNELIUS: OR CREATE YOUR OWN CUSTOM SEARCH
Modern architecture, private acreage, and resort amenities rarely converge in the Weddington school zone, and 1064 Greylyn Drive delivers all three. Set on 1.58 acres on a quiet cul-de-sac, this contemporary estate offers more than 5,500 square feet under roof, including 4,125 sq ft of heated living area across the main residence and accessory building, 4 bedrooms, 5 full baths, multiple bonus and flex rooms, a resort-style pool, and 4-car garage capacity across two garages. Zoned for top-ranked Antioch Elementary, Weddington Middle, and Weddington High, with quick access to I-485. Since 2022, the property has been transformed through a comprehensive owner investment of exceptional scale and quality, reimagining the home and grounds with a full designer kitchen, the pool and outdoor living environment, the accessory building, and whole-property systems. The result is a 2015-built home that lives like new construction. An oversized black steel pivot door announces the home's design intent from the first step inside, opening to a main level where the brand-new kitchen showcases custom walnut cabinetry, a dramatic waterfall quartz island with matching quartz backsplash, and a new suite of stainless ZLINE appliances. Rich Brazilian walnut hardwoods flow throughout the entire main floor, anchored by a sculptural spiral staircase refinished in matching Brazilian walnut, a warm counterpoint to the home's crisp modern lines. The residence pairs clean contemporary architecture with serious infrastructure: rooftop solar, Tesla charging, security cameras, dual-zone heating and cooling, and a private-entrance suite ideal for in-laws or guests. Three levels of living include a rooftop terrace, loft, and generous flex spaces that adapt to home offices, media, gym, or hobby rooms. An oversized, fully gated circular drive delivers abundant guest parking and four garage bays, with the attached two-car garage joined by two more in the accessory building, and dual LiftMaster smart gates providing secure, WiFi-controlled access. The backyard lives like a private resort. A 20x40 heated pool with 8x8 spa features sheer-descent waterfalls, benches, and a tanning ledge, surrounded by marble hardscape decking, low-maintenance turf, landscape lighting, and a smart louvered pergola, fully fenced with rear irrigation. The showpiece accessory building adds 444 sq ft of finished living with a kitchenette, full bath, laundry, and conditioned loft, alongside an 880 sq ft fully conditioned oversized double garage featuring radiant in-slab heated floors with polyaspartic coating, wiring for a car lift and EV charging, a plumbed pressure washer, hot and cold exterior faucets, hardwired fiber internet, and a deck overlooking the pond. Guest quarters, studio, or the collector's dream garage. Private acreage, modern design, and turnkey systems rarely found together in the Weddington school corridor.
| MLS#: | 4399475 |
| Price: | $2,300,000 |
| Square Footage: | 3680 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 5 |
| Acreage: | 1.58 |
| Year Built: | 2015 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | EXP Realty LLC Ballantyne - 704-778-5007 |
Contact An Agent:
Here are the details found on CORNELIUS and MATTHEWS.
CITY RANK AMENITIES EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT $LIVING CRIME RANK
If you would like to search homes in the Cornelius or Matthews area please visit www.daniellewasser.com for
my easy to use Real Estate search in the Charlotte area, and Charlotte suburbs.
Look forward to answering any of your questions!
DANIELLE WASSER
704-604-2999
