National Center for Healthy Housing

Charlotte, NC

	Overall Rankings
	Metro Area (out of 45):
	Healthy Housing: 10th
	Prior Rank: 1st
	Central City (out of 44):
	Healthy Housing: not ranked
	Prior Rank: not ranked
	Click here for comparison to prior report.
	Data source: 2011 American Housing Survey

Location Summary

Positive Findings: The Charlotte metro area ranked the same or better than the national average for holes in floors, open cracks in walls, broken plaster, signs of rats and mice, water leaks from outside, room heater without a flue, rooms without working electrical outlets, lack of complete kitchen facilities, and roofing, siding, window, and foundation problems. The Charlotte metro area also had a lower incidence of severe physical problems than the national average. Areas outside the central city were statistically less likely to have signs of rats, water leaks from outside, room heaters without a flue, and lack complete kitchen facilities. Compared to the national average, rental homes had fewer problems with broken plaster or peeling paint, signs of rats and mice, water leaks from inside, lack of complete plumbing, sewage disposal breakdown, and room heaters without a flue. Owner-occupied homes had fewer issues with evidence of rats, water leaks from outside, lack of complete plumbing, room heaters without a flue, and window problems.

Areas for Improvement: The Charlotte metro area had a greater incidence of heating equipment breakdown and roofing or foundation problems than the national average. Areas outside the central city were more likely to have moderate physical problems, open cracks or holes in walls, heating equipment breakdown, and roofing or foundation problems. Owner-occupied units were more likely to have issues with open cracks or holes in walls, signs of mice, heating equipment breakdown, and roofing or foundation problems compared to the national average.

Community Information: The Charlotte MSA is comprised of Cabarrus, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union counties, North Carolina, and York County, South Carolina. In 2011, the MSA included 670,037 occupied dwelling units. The housing stock of the MSA ranked among the youngest and most heavily rental of the cities surveyed. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 9th-youngest (3.9%) for the MSA. The median house age in the Charlotte MSA was 1990. The percentage of rental units ranked 17th-least heavily rental (33.5%) for the MSA. Compared to other locations, Charlotte had a higher poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 36th (15.9%) for the entire MSA.