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.
VIEW LISTINGS NOW IN MATTHEWS OR CREATE YOUR OWN CUSTOM SEARCH
PREMIUM, WATERFRONT, NEW CONSTRUCTION Stunner by award winning Linnane Homes! Experience elevated waterfront living in this breathtaking new construction masterpiece by award-winning Linnane Homes, located in Twin Lakes—Weddington’s most coveted luxury community. Introducing the stunning Manchester Plan, thoughtfully designed for both elegant everyday living and unforgettable entertaining. This expansive open-concept layout features a main-level Primary Suite and Guest Suite, a dramatic two-story Family Room, and a chef-inspired gourmet kitchen complete with a large statement island and Scullery pantry—a true showstopper. Upstairs, you’ll find three spacious bedrooms, along with Recreation and Bonus Rooms, offering incredible flexibility for media, fitness, or hosting guests. Step outside to a covered veranda, a three-car garage, and a premium waterfront, pool-ready homesite, creating endless possibilities for outdoor luxury and relaxation. Twin Lakes delivers a resort-style lifestyle with scenic walking trails, a waterfront gazebo, championship pickleball courts, and a community dock—perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. Buyers enjoy exclusive access to Linnane Homes’ in-house design team and state-of-the-art design studio, allowing you to personalize every detail of your dream home before construction begins. Average build time is approximately 10 months, and buyers have the option to make all design selections. MLS photos represent a previously built Linnane home. Some features, upgrades, and pool shown may not be included in this build. This is a rare waterfront opportunity from the Custom Builder of the Year—Linnane Homes. Twin Lakes offerings like this are extremely limited, and this home will not last. ?? Be sure to ask about Linnane Homes’ 7+ additional new construction opportunities available within Twin Lakes. Hurry—luxury, waterfront new construction like this is truly one of a kind.
| MLS#: | 4335212 |
| Price: | $2,350,000 |
| Square Footage: | 5103 |
| Bedrooms: | 5 |
| Bathrooms: | 5.1 |
| Acreage: | 0.63 |
| Year Built: | 2026 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | RE/MAX Executive - SoldwithRoger@gmail.com |
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
PREMIUM, WATERFRONT, NEW CONSTRUCTION Stunner by award winning Linnane Homes! Experience elevated waterfront living in this breathtaking new construction masterpiece by award-winning Linnane Homes, located in Twin Lakes—Weddington’s most coveted luxury community. Introducing the stunning Manchester Plan, thoughtfully designed for both elegant everyday living and unforgettable entertaining. This expansive open-concept layout features a main-level Primary Suite and Guest Suite, a dramatic two-story Family Room, and a chef-inspired gourmet kitchen complete with a large statement island and Scullery pantry—a true showstopper. Upstairs, you’ll find three spacious bedrooms, along with Recreation and Bonus Rooms, offering incredible flexibility for media, fitness, or hosting guests. Step outside to a covered veranda, a three-car garage, and a premium waterfront, pool-ready homesite, creating endless possibilities for outdoor luxury and relaxation. Twin Lakes delivers a resort-style lifestyle with scenic walking trails, a waterfront gazebo, championship pickleball courts, and a community dock—perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. Buyers enjoy exclusive access to Linnane Homes’ in-house design team and state-of-the-art design studio, allowing you to personalize every detail of your dream home before construction begins. Average build time is approximately 10 months, and buyers have the option to make all design selections. MLS photos represent a previously built Linnane home. Some features, upgrades, and pool shown may not be included in this build. This is a rare waterfront opportunity from the Custom Builder of the Year—Linnane Homes. Twin Lakes offerings like this are extremely limited, and this home will not last. ?? Be sure to ask about Linnane Homes’ 7+ additional new construction opportunities available within Twin Lakes. Hurry—luxury, waterfront new construction like this is truly one of a kind.
| MLS#: | 4335212 |
| Price: | $2,350,000 |
| Square Footage: | 5103 |
| Bedrooms: | 5 |
| Bathrooms: | 5.1 |
| Acreage: | 0.63 |
| Year Built: | 2026 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | RE/MAX Executive - SoldwithRoger@gmail.com |
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
