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
Experience Modern Luxury in a relaxed, suburban setting here at 203 Sugar Maple Dr, in popular Twin Lakes. Custom built and completed in October 2025, this home is designed for contemporary living with ultimate comfort and style. The interior design of Sugar Maple complements the unique exterior, with a palette of neutral hues and diverse textures to create a one of a kind masterpiece. A two story great room features an open floor plan and an abundance of windows that flood the first floor with natural light allowing every detail to truly shine. A gourmet kitchen designed for culinary enthusiasts, featuring a spacious island, high-end Wolf appliances, large butler's pantry and a luxurious Sub-Zero wine refrigerator. Don't miss the sauna tucked away on the main floor, complete with a SaunaLogic smart sauna control system. On the second floor, the primary bedroom serves as a serene oasis, featuring a convenient morning bar, flex space, en-suite bathroom with garden tub, walk in shower and an expansive closet designed for optimum organization. Cook your steaks, light a fire, relax and enjoy a Carolina evening on your screened back porch. Limitless design potential in the back yard invites you to create your own personal sanctuary. Located in Union county, close to zoned schools, Waverly/Blakeney shopping centers and quick access to 485. Come take a look and make this extraordinary work of art yours today!!
| MLS#: | 4315156 |
| Price: | $3,050,000 |
| Square Footage: | 4716 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 5 |
| Acreage: | 0.07 |
| Year Built: | 2025 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | Henderson Ventures INC - joannawarren84@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
Experience Modern Luxury in a relaxed, suburban setting here at 203 Sugar Maple Dr, in popular Twin Lakes. Custom built and completed in October 2025, this home is designed for contemporary living with ultimate comfort and style. The interior design of Sugar Maple complements the unique exterior, with a palette of neutral hues and diverse textures to create a one of a kind masterpiece. A two story great room features an open floor plan and an abundance of windows that flood the first floor with natural light allowing every detail to truly shine. A gourmet kitchen designed for culinary enthusiasts, featuring a spacious island, high-end Wolf appliances, large butler's pantry and a luxurious Sub-Zero wine refrigerator. Don't miss the sauna tucked away on the main floor, complete with a SaunaLogic smart sauna control system. On the second floor, the primary bedroom serves as a serene oasis, featuring a convenient morning bar, flex space, en-suite bathroom with garden tub, walk in shower and an expansive closet designed for optimum organization. Cook your steaks, light a fire, relax and enjoy a Carolina evening on your screened back porch. Limitless design potential in the back yard invites you to create your own personal sanctuary. Located in Union county, close to zoned schools, Waverly/Blakeney shopping centers and quick access to 485. Come take a look and make this extraordinary work of art yours today!!
| MLS#: | 4315156 |
| Price: | $3,050,000 |
| Square Footage: | 4716 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 5 |
| Acreage: | 0.07 |
| Year Built: | 2025 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | Henderson Ventures INC - joannawarren84@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
