Why Charlotte is the WORST Compared to Raleigh!! 

Having recently visited both cities while considering them as retirement destinations, Charlotte was the hands-down winner for us. Sorry, Ellen. Based on all of your videos, we wanted to love Raleigh, but just didn't. Probably a great place to live but not one I would choose on my own. Charlotte, on the other hand...the uptown is gorgeous. The light rail system is convenient. Even as congested as it is supposed to be, Charlotte was very easy to get around. More arts, culture and entertainment possibilities than Raleigh. The civic planning is very obvious and they are clearly doing a lot of things right to plan for the future.

Charlotte, because housing is more affordable to date. That probably will change, though. Also, I like the existence of professional sports teams in Charlotte.

THIS WAS GREAT! debating where i want to move next and NC and these two cities were on the list. i'm going to go out and do a recon visit to make up my mind but this was a great intro! thank u!

I'm originally from Miami, now live in Apex (Raleigh suburb) To me, Charlotte is too crowded and traffic is very similar to Miami. Basically horrible. The only thing I like about Charlotte is the proximity to the mountains, but then how often do you really visit the mountains?

I've lived in both and while I didn't dislike Raleigh at all, Charlotte is definitely the winner for me. Raleigh seems very soulless, it's a mass of suburbia with very little culture or diversity. All the positives you gave Raleigh, I agree with most of them, but you left out that Charlotte has the same things and due to it's size has even more of them and they're more diverse. The "vacation spots" are really for out of towners, locals may visit but the city has so much more to offer we don't really visit them. Also, you spent a lot of time uptown it seems, which you are right is very corporate, though that is changing some. But the neighborhoods are where the city shines. South End, Plaza Midwood, NoDa, and others are the places you would visit as a local. Also, some of the suburbs like Davidson are great to visit. The traffic is not great but in my time in both cities I never really felt it was that much different. The great thing about Charlotte is you have the density and transit to not be tied to a car. I have a car but maybe drive it twice a week. The Triangle definitely wins on colleges and college sports for sure, and I'm a big hockey fan so the Hurricanes being there is awesome, but I do love my Checkers. But for the most part, Charlotte has everything Raleigh has, but also a lot more. Raleigh really only seems appealing to middle/upper class white families, it doesn't have much to offer for young people or anyone else.

Coming from CA and this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

I moved to Charlotte in the mid 90s to go to college and stayed. I used to like being downtown and the surrounding "hip" areas but now I dont like even going closing to downtown. I avoid it unless I have to go for work. I now live on the edge of charlotte and huntersville close to 485. I like it because shops and restaurants are close by and I don't have to go in traffic and can use backrounds if the interstate is busy. I dont use the "attractions" (Carowinds, etc...) now that I am older. I am a mountain person and I like going to Boone and Ashe County especially in the summer when its hot and humid. I see myself retiring in the mountains. I had a house there for a few years.. Stayed during the pandemic and loved it. But had to sell it due to my parents needing my help as they are getting older. I need a remote job so I can move back to the mountains!

I’m sorry but I’m team Charlotte now. Charlotte is huge like my hometown (Nashville, Tennessee) and has lots of culture. Raleigh doesn’t have an identity or culture. Charlotte is very diverse with great restaurants and a lot of things to do and the people are very pleasant in Charlotte than in Raleigh. Raleigh to me is very segregated and I feel isolated from people and really really hard to make friends here. I have lots of friends in Charlotte and that’s funny because I live in Raleigh. Nobody is really traveling to Raleigh for a vacation whereas Charlotte people come from all over the world to visit. CLT is night and day better than RDU. More concerts and bands come to Charlotte and not many come to Raleigh. I know all of this because I worked in Charlotte while still living in Raleigh. Charlotte has a very friendly social scene and Raleigh does not.

Both cities are great! I still prefer Raleigh because of its people and the greenery throughout the entire triangle. But I agree, Raleigh’s downtown feels not like a downtown

Charlotte has less of a small town mindset and is more welcoming to transplants. Many natives of the Raleigh suburbs haven’t quite grasped their town with one stoplight and cornfields wasn’t going to stay that way forever and aren’t thankful for the opportunities they have around them.

I like Charlotte far more than Raleigh. While Uptown certainly is corporate (with the exception of residential 4th Ward), did you visit the NoDa, Plaza Midwood, Elizabeth, Montford, and Dilworth neighborhoods surrounding Uptown? That is where you will find the greenery, parks, live music, artsy, local, cultural feel you may have missed if you only visited Uptown. Did you visit Freedom Park? An incredible 100 acre park off East Blvd, just south of center city that hosts festivals year round. You would also probably love an area like Ballantyne south of the city. Charlotte traffic is pretty manageable if you don't have to take I-77 during peak hours. Most of the traffic is on the major interstates, which we don't have to take as often as you do in Raleigh. People in Raleigh who have never experienced Charlotte have a big misunderstanding of the city. Would recommend visiting with a Charlotte native who can show you Charlotte the right way.

I’m actually trying to decide between Charlotte and Denver (Colorado). So many great things about both

Thinking about moving to NC from Dallas. The summer is unbearable here. I heard NC gets humid in the summer. Which of the 2 cities are the least humid and overall have the nicest summer?

I'm from Greensboro (AKA Greensboring) originally and have been in Charlotte since '99. Raleigh is boring AF (in my opinion) and the traffic is terrible. No thanks. If I want to go out in Charlotte I can drive 8 minutes to a lightrail park and ride station and avoid traffic if I want. Total winner.

Generally speaking, and without going into too much painful details, I can see how Raleigh might sound like a major upgrade for someone coming from even a smaller town like Rocky Mount, NC which doesn't even have a mall (their mall is not really functional) or for someone coming from a place like Buffalo, NY (which doesn't have anything to offer besides the snow) so escaping the harsh weather will be a major upgrade in their quality of life as well, but any one moving to Raleigh from a World class city with lots of culture like (San Diego, Seattle, Boston, Washington D.C., New York, Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto) will find Raleigh short on almost every aspect, except maybe affordability.

I have family in the Raleigh/Durham area and we and our side of the family live in the Charlotte area. Though the Raleigh/Durham area has its merits, the Charlotte metro area offers much more overall. Both areas are beautiful, have nice residents, have good 4-season climates, great economies, clean/lush green, parks/greenways, museums. But there are some stark differences that make metro Charlotte noticeably better, IMO. The Charlotte itself has astronomically more to do. Pro sports teams (NFL, NBA, MLS), major theme park (426 acre Cedar Point’s Carowinds), major water park 30 acre Carolina Harbor), the largest outdoor recreation center in the nation (1300 acres US National Whitewater Center), NASCAR, 12,000 acres of mountain hiking in the western suburbs along the Gaston and Cleveland County lines), a vast and very detailed urban downtown, light rail/trollies/street cars, one of the largest international airports in the nation, better Buying Power (income vs. overall cost of living) than RDU, and the icing on the cake is the Charlotte metro area is much more conservative (9 or Charlotte’s 10 metro counties are red) than RDU metro (4 of its 7 metro counties are blue) meaning that there is a much higher chance of the Raleigh/Durham area having/developing the problems that are plaguing blue states and metro areas in the northeast and west coast where people are fleeing in droves. Again, RDU has a good it to offer and I’ve been there innumerable times over my 58 years of life. But when it comes to unique recreational assets (things most metro areas do not have), the huge variety of outdoor activities, getting the most out of each dollar, etc., the city of Raleigh and Raleigh/Durham metro area just doesn’t come close on the whole to the city of Charlotte and the Charlotte metro area. You’re just getting much more for less money.

I live about 5 miles south of city center as the crow flies. It is a 1970s area with well kept up ranch homes and now multi-million dollar new homes. The big plus is we do not have an HOA. After rush hour, I can get to any of the center city areas in 15 minutes or less by car or 30 minutes anytime by bike. Anywhere within the outer belt look is no more than 30 minutes. My neighborhood is heavily treed with lots of wildlife. Charlotte is a big city for someone from a small town. Lots of people went the way of thinking Mecklenburg County is a terrible place to live. So they moved to Iredell, Union, or Gaston counties. yet they still work in Charlotte. So from 4-6PM the interstates and belt loops are congested as everyone goes home to their suburbs and their HOAs Charlotte becomes quite drive able.

Having lived in both, Raleigh is more my speed. Also, feels safer

Live outside Charlotte but go to Raleigh quite a bit. Both places are pretty nice. Charlotte definitely is a true city whereas Raleigh feels more like a very big town.

Having lived in both cities for nearly twenty years, each, I have a few thoughts. Charlotte is much prettier than Raleigh. The upkeep and landscape of Charlotte is superior. Raleigh is embarrassing by comparison. Weeds everywhere in the summer. Charlotte’s citizens are proud and excited to live there, even the transplants. Raleigh is still trying to find itself. It is my opinion that the “movers and shakers” who built and developed Charlotte were more visionary and planned a better city, a well thought out city, thinking of future growth. Raleigh has a problem with too many old, dated homes and buildings. The best real estate, in the quiet, middle, in between the two noisy beltways, 440 and 540, is mostly neighborhoods built in the sixties. Housing shortage in the current real estate market is complicated by this fact. No one thought this through. Too many nicer homes back up to these noisy highways, and the airport is too close to many neighborhoods. Noise. It should have been built farther out, in anticipation of suburban spread. I have found Charlotteans to be more friendly than Raleigh residents. There is more energy and interest in life outside the city boundaries. I have been amazed at the numbers of Raleigh people who have not EVER even been to Charlotte, the mountains, or anywhere. How is that possible? A curious mind is a healthy mind.I have also lived in San Diego, Washington DC and the Philly area. My feeling is that one can be happy anywhere, because happiness comes from within, but, I would like to see Raleigh put on it’s big girl pants and catch up to other cities. The same developers, restaurant group owners, (don’t get me started on Raleigh’s mediocre restaurants) store owners, who decide everything, are making a mistake in not stepping aside to bring in new places, fresh ideas and upscale venues to this city. Open the door, Raleigh, and let in some fresh air. I see some progress, but if the same tired stores and restaurants go into The Exchange, Fenton Place, Knightdale, etc, then it will be more yawning. The potential is there.

Wow thank you for all the historical facts and overall research! The layout of the city from 1792 was very interesting!

I’m living in Overland Park and have to move to Bentonville for work but heard that techies love North Carolina in the east and beautiful place to live. Just thinking to move there by end of the year and buy a house. Based on comments I see charlotte is winning. What is avg price for home buyers ?

Hey, Park and Rec guy. Please turn on the cooling sprinklers in that very park where you're sitting. Sad watching people press the button, jump up and down on the little lights and nothing happens. I love Charlotte too. It would be nice to see things in working order.

Great video, thank you! While I think Raleigh/the Triangle area is certainly a desirable place to live, for my family who want to relocate to NC from SWFL, we without a doubt will go to Charlotte due to the proximity of the mountains. Like you said in your video about being from south Florida, we don’t go to the beach that much either and much prefer the mountains.

One more thing and you can check the U.S. Census but Raleigh has more density than Charlotte remember Charlotte is much larger than Raleigh Proper in square miles, don't be. Fool by those Tall beautiful buildings lol

Raleigh is better for this Floridian turned Carolinian. Raleigh has friendlier people, more quaint suburbs, and more opportunity for big fish in the small pond.

I've lived in both. Charlotte is much better in my opinion. Neither are "real cities" (e.g., NY, DC, SF, Boston). Charlotte is a little Atlanta, and Raleigh is a little Charlotte. Charlotte is far more vibrant than Raleigh though. Raleigh doesn't even feel like a "city." It's like a suburban "city," such as White Plains, NY or Stamford, Connecticut (though without the high-end retail that those suburban NY "cities" offer). That being said, 99% of the people in Raleigh and Charlotte will live in a typical, cookie-cutter home, go to the grocery store, and take their kids to soccer. Thus, to that extent, these two "cities" are interchangeable, as is Atlanta.

In 30 yrs Raleigh will be much different than now. Just like Ellen said Raleigh was not planning to be a large city it kind of just happen that way. I think in 30 yrs both Charlotte and Raleigh will both still be criticize for lack of identity. They just too damn close to each other. Just embrace the name "metrolina". Greensboro/Winston-Salem is on the come up and honestly they not much different from charlotte/Raleigh either. Most unique cities in NC to me are: Asheville Wilmington Sandhills Region Goldsboro

Charlotte is Raleigh's older brother with money 💰 Great comparison 👍🏽

There are a lot of people on this website who are pro Charlotte. I think Charlotte is great, but I would like to put a plug in for Raleigh. First of all, Raleigh does not have a small town feel. It's a mid size city and feels as such. It has first class museums, i.e., Natural Science Museum, N.C. Museum of Art, N.C. History Museum, and unique smaller museums. Raleigh has the wonderful N.C Symphony, N.C. Ballet, N.C. Opera, and many live music outlets. Many restaurants in Raleigh have been nationally recognized with James Beard award winning chefs. Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, with The Research Triangle Park and the region's universities being a big draw. Plus, it's a visually beautiful city.

14:53 The reason why Charlotte is lacking that "Southern Hospitality " is because Charlotte is made up of mostly relocated transplants. I'm a Native Charlottean. And, I will say that the energy started changing, as the city grew larger. And, I can say that my ears are deaf to the many accents here. However, the accent of the native Charlottean is so rare, that we (natives) are called "Unicorns". At least, that's what I've always been called. Also, the Charlottean accent is no longer recognizable. Each time I've heard someone with strange accent, I learn that they're native to Charlotte, and it is the accent that we speak with there. I've even asked myself "Does my accent sound like that?!". But, yeah... There you go! Hope made sense!

Raleigh is Charlotte's little brother and will always follow in the footsteps of Charlotte. I say BS Charlotte way better city and is actually a city Raleigh like a town

You said your husband edits these? The edits were really funny this go around 😂

“In my opinion, Charlotte and Raleigh don’t know who they are yet”. Talk about a back handed comment on steroids! When did she become the ID police? The only reason you may feel that way is because theses cities (Presently) are not Dominated with the population the likes of Portland and Seattle and I hope it stays that way for a long time.

I love Raleigh I think it’s a good place to live like also also been thinking about Raleigh lately in the future I have a feeling like in 10 years Raleigh will become a very busy city in the downtown of Raleigh will be twice as big In the future I have a feeling that probably eventually will make all the make the city streets bigger in downtown to handle all the traffic and I have a feeling that Raleigh will be building new apartment buildings open spaces shopping centers grocery stores with all these companies coming to Raleigh I have a feeling more companies will be coming like why do you think Raleigh already planning ahead for the future like you’re going to make a commuter train like I have a feeling in 10 years the traffic in Raleigh’s gonna be crazy in Rollies already planning to make a commuter train and the plane to make a new bus system and Rawlins building new shopping centers and the soccer stadium like I have a feeling in 10 years Raleigh will probably be as big as Charlotte

Charlotte because of the transit options as a blind person who doesnt drive

U listed Duke UNC Campbell as Raliegh schools when they arent even in the same county much less in Raliegh. They are in Durham Chapel Hill and Buies Creek. Yet you only listed a few in Charlottes city limits?

Of course you'd say something that I've been saying for a long time: Raleigh needs a brand identity! Charlotte does get the same criticism. FWIW, the updated CSA estimates for the Triangle and Charlotte are: Triangle: 2,190,786 Charlotte: 2,920,892 Given the land areas of each, the Triangle is slightly more densely populated overall, but they aren't really all that different in that metric. For me, I'll stick with Raleigh. IMO it's more authentic, historic, and its core isn't encircled by freeways. This allows a more organic and meaningful transition between the very core of the city and its adjacent neighborhoods and communities. I also like that Raleigh has the state's largest university just a stone's throw away from the very center of downtown. Lastly, and most importantly, I like the people in Raleigh. I appreciate the creativity and research oriented minds of its citizenry, and casualness of how people present themselves and interact with each other. It's not a 3 piece suit sort of city.

Wake County is a larger county in Size and Population. Raleigh with the smaller towns and cities that have basically merged with Raleigh its actually bigger than Charlotte if you just count the two counties and Charlotte does have more options for nightlife but none of there nightlife districts can touch Glenwood South's energy and vibe based on the people who compared the two that I talked too.

She forgot to mention that Charlotte is actually the wild wild west

Mecklenburg county jail is larger that Wake County jail.😊

Charlotte. We got a light rail, and they are building a lot of stuff on this light rail. They put in 1 billion dollar worth of stuff in Southend. Now they billing 7 billion dollars worth of stuff in Southend because of the light rail. We had three Lakes. Mountain Island Lake Lake Norman and Lake Wylie. them Lake be very busy. We got a water park but it's in Carowinds but they are busy too. One of Charlotte newscaster said we were the 24 congested city in the country now you they stand with the 35th. It shocked me that you might want to move to Charlotte even though I thought you were a mountain woman. I am like the Uptown Charlotte Skyline way better than Raleigh. The reason people don't look at you at the eye because we got a lot of Northerners people living here that don't do that. We are Southerners we like to talk

I thought for sure this was a One Piece reference.

Raleigh sucks dong

Great content

Charlotte hates anyone how is not a Mason!!!!!!

Sorry our city is such a bad place. Crazy your kid chose to come to our dumpy community for school.