Charlotte Travel Forum

Hi, My girlfriend and I are planning to move to charlotte next fall. I've seen around that charlotte has a pretty high crime rate. I need to know what are the good places to live speaking in terms of an apartment, and what are some areas to stay away from. If someone could please let me know it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I'm most familiar with the city itself. I lived in the University City area for two years (northeast section of the city). There are plenty of apartments to choose from in the area, with all of the students flocking to the area. A lot of them are newer, "luxury" developments. There's the usual strip mall selection nearby, and interstate access is usually quick and easy. Unless you or your girlfriend are planning to go to UNCC, though, I wouldn't recommend living there. Crime there has shot up exponentially since I've been in the area.

I would also suggest avoiding the west side of Charlotte. Most of the new development is occurring to the east.

Now, I'm living a little closer to the uptown area in Plaza-Midwood. It's an older neighborhood, one of the first suburbs of Charlotte. There's a grocery store, library, shops, bars and restaurants in walking distance of most homes in the area. In addition, there are actually sidewalks, a rarity in the Queen City. The only downside is that there are more homes in the area than apartments, although there are some really nice-looking condos and duplexes for rent in the area.

You might want to look at uptown, too. There are some gorgeous apartments, old and new, although I think the prices are a little higher. Still, there are a lot of amenities within walking distance. They've really revitalized the area.

The following is a link to a special section the local paper publishes every year about moving to the area:
http://newspaperads.charlotte.com/sections.aspx?sec=15487

Click on the "articles" tab in the left corner, and you'll be able to see articles instead of the ads.

I'm not very familiar with rentals in the rest of the city or in the suburbs, but I hope this helps you as you consider your move. Charlotte is really not a bad or scary place to live.

Hi there. My wife and I are significantly older than I presume you are and we own a house, so can't help with apartments I'm afraid. There is a good bit of crime along Tryon Street (Route 29) in East Charlotte as well, so I think of South Charlotte as a good spot to locate.

And does your "handle" indicate the you are a Cornell grad? If so, be advised that there is an active Cornell Club in Charlotte that could help you hook in socially.

Write if you'd like more info.

Don Poe
Charlotte, NC
donpoejr@carolina.rr.com
(Cornell Ph.D., 1980 - psychology)