Charlotte moves ahead of another city for population total. When will it hit 1M?
Cities and towns across the Charlotte region continue to add people, especially along the South Carolina border, new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released Thursday show.
Charlotte, meanwhile, continues its climb toward a rare population milestone reserved for the nation’s biggest cities as home to 1 million or more people. It’s population as of last year was 943,476, making it the 14th largest city in the country, surpassing Columbus, Ohio.
What’s more, Charlotte has grown by an average of 17,197 people per year since 2020. If that rate holds, Charlotte would top the 1 million-resident mark by 2028. Only 11 cities nationwide have reached that milestone.
The annual estimates project how many people lived in communities as of last summer. Here’s a comparison of the 35 largest cities and towns across a nine-county, two-state metro area:
Charlotte remains a population giant
Back in 2020, Charlotte ranked 17th largest for cities, before passing Indianapolis, San Francisco and Columbus.
The 68,789 more people who call Charlotte home since 2020 are enough to sell out the Spectrum Center almost four times over.
“Everywhere I go something is being built,” said Charlotte resident Joe Creed. “Drive down South Boulevard and they’re building huge condominium projects. Go to South End and there’s cranes everywhere.”
Among cities larger than Charlotte, only Fort Worth in fast-growing Texas has had a higher growth rate since 2020. Charlotte’s growth rate stood at 7.9% compared to 9.7% for Fort Worth.
Five cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Jose, California) lost residents in that span. No city larger than Charlotte had a higher one-year growth rate last year.
Charlotte metro population continues to climb
The Charlotte region’s largest cities and towns are home to nearly 1.8 million people. That’s up more than 42,000 in a year and 149,000 people since 2000, for growth rates of 2.3% and 8.6% respectively.
Across the nine-county region, about 66% of people live in one of those cities or towns.
Charlotte’s population increased by nearly 8% since 2020.
After Charlotte, the next largest spots are Concord (112,395 people), Gastonia (85,535), Rock Hill (75,798), Huntersville (67,087), Kannapolis (60,521) and Mooresville (52,884). The region’s six largest cities and towns have combined to grow by nearly 93,000 people since 2020, or a 7.6% growth rate.
All 35 area cities and towns have grown since 2020 by more than 3%, except Rock Hill at nearly 2%. Each one saw single-year growth last year, except Mooresville, which dropped by nearly 2%.
Fort Mill still riding its growth wave
Fort Mill continues its torrid growth rate, with the South Carolina town at an estimated 36,244 residents.
The nearly 48% population growth since 2020 is more than triple the rate of any other city or town in the region.
Fort Mill ranks No. 15 nationally in that span for communities with 20,000 or more people, and has the third highest rate of any such place outside of Texas. Fort Mill is No. 91 among all cities and towns nationwide in growth since 2020.
The suburban community between Charlotte and Rock Hill leads the region in one-year growth, too.
Fort Mill narrowly edged York, with both growing nearly 8% in a year. The region average was 2.2% growth last year. Fort Mill was No. 25 nationally in growth rate for places with 20,000 or more people, and No. 173 for communities of all sizes.
Fort Mill passed Bluffton last year to become No. 15 on South Carolina’s list of largest cities and towns. Fort Mill moved from No. 14 in the Charlotte region in 2020 to No. 10 last year, slotted between Monroe and Cornelius.
“I think Fort Mill is still a really prime spot out of the satellite areas for Charlotte,” said Connor Newsome, who moved there two years ago for the schools but still commutes to his native Charlotte. “I think it’s one of the bright spots still.”
Southern cities and towns growing
Much of the top growth in the Charlotte region is occurring near the state line. Six of the top seven communities by growth rate since 2020 are Fort Mill, Monroe (15.7%), York (15.7%), Waxhaw (12.8%), Clover (12.6%) and Tega Cay (11.8%). Combined, they had almost 108,000 people in 2020. Now they have more than 131,000.
The number of new people in those communities is roughly the same number of people who live in Waxhaw.
Kannapolis (13.8%) is No. 4 on that list. Lincolnton (11.4%) and Statesville (11.4%) are No. 8 and 9, respectively, followed by more southern communities in Lancaster (10.2%), Marvin (9.5%) and Indian Trail (9.4%).
One-year growth tells a similar story. Fort Mill, York and Monroe lead the region with more than 5% growth each. After Statesville to the north of Charlotte at nearly 5%, Lancaster is next with nearly 3%.
Milestone growth in the Charlotte region
Several Charlotte-area cities and towns passed population milestones in the latest estimates, or approached them. Kannapolis grew beyond the 60,000 mark, to 60,521. Monroe topped 40,000 residents, with 40,054. Harrisburg surpassed 20,000 people, with 20,335.
If the pace of growth continues, more communities will level up too. Charlotte would pass 950,000 residents this year. York and Wesley Chapel would each top 10,000 people.
Nine communities have climbed at least two spots on their state lists of largest cities and towns since 2020. Lincolnton grew to No. 79 in North Carolina, up five spots. Waxhaw (No. 44), Harrisburg (No. 50), Belmont (No. 68) and Pineville (No. 83) moved up three spots each. Davidson went up two places to No. 67.
In South Carolina, Fort Mill jumped five spots to No. 15. Tega Cay (No. 33) and York (No. 43) moved up two positions each.
Some communities lost spots in the North Carolina rankings.
Salisbury and Bessemer City dropped three places. Cornelius, Statesville, Cherryville and Cramerton dropped two each. South Carolina cities and towns all held their spots or rose on those rankings.
Charlotte Observer reporter Desiree Mathurin contributed to this report
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Charlotte moves ahead of another city for population total. When will it hit 1M?."
