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 lakeside luxury at its finest in this architecturally crafted Custom Home, featuring pristine shoreline and panoramic open-water views. Thoughtfully designed for both comfort and style, this residence offers a seamless blend of modern sophistication and natural beauty. An open floor plan with 10-foot ceilings and engineered white oak floors throughout creates a bright, airy flow, perfectly complemented by oversized windows and stacked sliding doors that blur the line between indoor and outdoor living. The Gourmet Kitchen is a chef’s dream, showcasing Hi-end Monogram appliances, Walk-In Scullery/Pantry w/ additional dishwasher & sink, an oversized island with panel-ready finishes, undermount lighting, and custom cabinetry that continues throughout the home for a cohesive, elegant aesthetic. The Primary suite, located on the main level, impresses with a vaulted ceiling, dual-zone climate control, and open water views. The Primary ensuite bath features separate oversized vanities with quartz countertops and premium fixtures, oversized walk in shower w/ dual shower heads and frameless glass, with a connection straight to the walk in closet and laundry. Waterfront views from the Great Room create a seamless transition to the outdoor living area. The open-concept Great Room is centered around a custom built fireplace w/ designer cast stone surround, Built-in media wall with integrated sound system, and expansive stacked sliding glass doors opening to the covered patio. Each Bedroom is a private retreat, featuring a walk-in closet and ensuite custom bathrooms, and an oversized loft/bonus for ultimate comfort and convenience upstairs. Interior living space offers Custom Lighting, Sonos whole-home audio and Eero Network system for seamless connectivity, oversized stacked sliders and windows framing a stunning water view, and custom Cabinetry and detailed Millwork throughout. Covered outdoor living space includes Isokern ventless fireplace, In-ceiling heaters, Integrated AV system, Outdoor Kitchen featuring Bull appliances and Quartzite countertops Additional home highlights include a whole-home AV package, offering seamless smart home integration and immersive entertainment throughout, High-Efficiency HVAC and Insulation package, Premium window and door systems for energy performance & sound reduction, Designer hardware and finishes throughout every space, and a large dropzone adjacent to the garage entrance. From its thoughtful craftsmanship to its breathtaking views, this home redefines waterfront living — blending timeless design, modern innovation, and effortless luxury in every detail. Lot is impervious exempt and a pool can be put in by buyers (Potential Pool Plan is in mls attachments) and the pool plan is in place with gas and electrical utilities pre-installed in the home already.
| MLS#: | 4318718 |
| Price: | $3,499,500 |
| Square Footage: | 3928 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 4.1 |
| Acreage: | 0.23 |
| Year Built: | 2025 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | Keller Williams Lake Norman - christy@christywalker.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 lakeside luxury at its finest in this architecturally crafted Custom Home, featuring pristine shoreline and panoramic open-water views. Thoughtfully designed for both comfort and style, this residence offers a seamless blend of modern sophistication and natural beauty. An open floor plan with 10-foot ceilings and engineered white oak floors throughout creates a bright, airy flow, perfectly complemented by oversized windows and stacked sliding doors that blur the line between indoor and outdoor living. The Gourmet Kitchen is a chef’s dream, showcasing Hi-end Monogram appliances, Walk-In Scullery/Pantry w/ additional dishwasher & sink, an oversized island with panel-ready finishes, undermount lighting, and custom cabinetry that continues throughout the home for a cohesive, elegant aesthetic. The Primary suite, located on the main level, impresses with a vaulted ceiling, dual-zone climate control, and open water views. The Primary ensuite bath features separate oversized vanities with quartz countertops and premium fixtures, oversized walk in shower w/ dual shower heads and frameless glass, with a connection straight to the walk in closet and laundry. Waterfront views from the Great Room create a seamless transition to the outdoor living area. The open-concept Great Room is centered around a custom built fireplace w/ designer cast stone surround, Built-in media wall with integrated sound system, and expansive stacked sliding glass doors opening to the covered patio. Each Bedroom is a private retreat, featuring a walk-in closet and ensuite custom bathrooms, and an oversized loft/bonus for ultimate comfort and convenience upstairs. Interior living space offers Custom Lighting, Sonos whole-home audio and Eero Network system for seamless connectivity, oversized stacked sliders and windows framing a stunning water view, and custom Cabinetry and detailed Millwork throughout. Covered outdoor living space includes Isokern ventless fireplace, In-ceiling heaters, Integrated AV system, Outdoor Kitchen featuring Bull appliances and Quartzite countertops Additional home highlights include a whole-home AV package, offering seamless smart home integration and immersive entertainment throughout, High-Efficiency HVAC and Insulation package, Premium window and door systems for energy performance & sound reduction, Designer hardware and finishes throughout every space, and a large dropzone adjacent to the garage entrance. From its thoughtful craftsmanship to its breathtaking views, this home redefines waterfront living — blending timeless design, modern innovation, and effortless luxury in every detail. Lot is impervious exempt and a pool can be put in by buyers (Potential Pool Plan is in mls attachments) and the pool plan is in place with gas and electrical utilities pre-installed in the home already.
| MLS#: | 4318718 |
| Price: | $3,499,500 |
| Square Footage: | 3928 |
| Bedrooms: | 4 |
| Bathrooms: | 4.1 |
| Acreage: | 0.23 |
| Year Built: | 2025 |
| Type: | Single Family Residence |
| Listing courtesy of: | Keller Williams Lake Norman - christy@christywalker.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
