Investing in Land Across Greater Charlotte

The Charlotte metro is expanding, and land is fundamental to its future. As North Carolina’s largest city and a fast-growing Southeast metro, Charlotte attracts investors interested in residential, commercial, and mixed-use land. New infrastructure, population growth, and zoning updates create strong long-term prospects for developers and investors.

This guide covers the 2025 land investment landscape in Greater Charlotte, including pricing, growth corridors, infrastructure, and top submarkets in Mecklenburg and nearby counties.

Charlotte’s population continues to swell, adding more than 57,000 new residents last year alone, roughly 150 people every day. Mecklenburg County remains the hub, but nearby counties such as Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, Gaston, and Lincoln are surging as homebuilders and investors chase available land.

Median land prices now range from $118,000 per acre in Mecklenburg to $30,000–$45,000 per acre in surrounding counties. This urban-to-rural gradient reflects both accessibility and infrastructure readiness. Infill parcels inside the city can easily exceed $300,000 per acre, while larger undeveloped tracts in outer counties remain a relative bargain.

This steady climb in land values mirrors the metro’s housing trends. Charlotte’s median home price sits near $465,000, and even with rising construction costs, developers continue to compete for buildable lots. As Charlotte grows, land becomes the new gold.

Zoning Reform

Charlotte’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), adopted in 2023, modernized the city’s zoning code for the first time in decades. The goal is flexibility, encouraging a mix of housing types, transit-oriented design, and higher-density projects where infrastructure already exists.

Developers can now build duplexes and triplexes in many neighborhoods that were once strictly single-family. The new transit-oriented development (TOD) designations along light rail and bus corridors make it easier to pursue mixed-use projects near future stations. For investors, that means previously overlooked parcels now hold redevelopment potential.

Beyond the city, surrounding counties are updating land-use plans to steer growth into designated corridors while preserving rural character. The Union County 2050 Plan, for example, targets new development around Monroe, Indian Trail, and Wingate areas connected by the US 74 Bypass. Aligning your investment with these future-use maps can significantly reduce zoning friction later.

The Infrastructure Effect

In Charlotte, infrastructure drives value as much as location. Massive public investments are expanding connectivity and utilities across the metro.

The I-485 Express Lanes, expected to open in 2025, will close the loop around south Charlotte and dramatically cut commute times to areas like Ballantyne and Matthews. The Monroe Expressway already transformed eastern Union County, opening once-rural land to residential and commercial growth.

On the transit side, the proposed Lynx Silver Line light rail will stretch 29 miles from Belmont in Gaston County through Uptown to Matthews. Even before the groundbreaking, land along this corridor, especially near proposed stations in Belmont, Wilkinson Boulevard, and East Charlotte, has become highly sought-after.

Meanwhile, counties are investing heavily in schools, water, and sewer capacity to keep pace with demand. Mecklenburg’s record $2.5 billion school bond and Union County’s wastewater expansion projects will support thousands of new homes through the late 2020s. Land with existing or planned utility access will always move first.

Where the Growth Is Going

Charlotte’s expansion radiates in every direction, but some submarkets are leading the charge:

North Charlotte / Lake Norman
Communities like Huntersville, Cornelius, and Mooresville attract high-income professionals seeking space and lakefront living. Land here supports strong build-to-rent (BTR) and luxury subdivision demand, with rental yields near 6%.

Gaston County (Belmont & Gastonia)
The west side’s affordability and proximity to Uptown make it one of Charlotte’s fastest-rising markets. Belmont, the future Silver Line terminus, is already seeing commercial and multifamily projects sprout downtown. Gastonia offers similar potential at lower entry costs, with projected yields around 6.5%.

South Charlotte & Union County
Ballantyne’s has become a mixed-use hub, bringing new excitement to the south corridor. Just beyond the county line, Union County’s excellent schools and new bypass access are attracting more developers, although sewer capacity issues still pose challenges in certain areas.

Cabarrus County (Concord & Kannapolis)
Known for biotech and motorsports, Cabarrus offers growing employment and affordable land. Its revitalized downtowns and planned infrastructure upgrades make it ideal for new residential and light commercial projects.

Together, these submarkets form Charlotte’s “growth belt,” where investors can still find scalable land opportunities with strong fundamentals.

The Build-to-Rent Boom

No trend has reshaped land demand like build-to-rent (BTR) housing. Charlotte now ranks second nationally for single-family rental construction, with more than 4,000 units under development. Developers are assembling 20–100-acre tracts in suburban corridors to create rental neighborhoods that cater to professionals and relocating families.

This model appeals to investors because it pairs predictable rental income with land appreciation. BTR demand is especially strong in areas like north Mecklenburg, western Gaston, and southern Union County submarkets offering quick access to jobs, schools, and highways.

Incentives, Taxes, and Investor Takeaways

North Carolina’s pro-business climate continues to attract investors. Mecklenburg County’s property taxes are about 0.75%, below the national average, with nearby counties even lower. Charlotte has Opportunity Zones and “Corridors of Opportunity” programs that encourage investment in underserved communities through tax benefits and infrastructure upgrades.

Rezoning is a necessary hurdle for many sites, but most regional municipalities favor well-planned projects aligned with growth goals. Early engagement with local planning departments can speed up approvals and reduce delays.

Investors should also monitor environmental overlays, especially around the Catawba River Basin and Lake Norman, where watershed rules limit impervious surfaces. Due diligence on flood zones, sewer access, and utility connections is essential.

Ultimately, land success in Charlotte hinges on timing and positioning. Buying ahead of infrastructure, within future growth corridors, remains a classic yet powerful strategy.

Charlotte’s Land Future

Charlotte’s transformation into a regional powerhouse shows no signs of slowing. New residents bring demand, infrastructure brings access, and zoning reform brings opportunity. Whether it’s infill redevelopment, suburban subdivision land, or large raw tracts on the metro fringe, the fundamentals align for continued appreciation.

For investors ready to explore the Queen City’s next chapter, now is the time to move.

Work with Henderson Properties to get market insights, zoning advice, and acquisition strategies aligned with your objectives. Our team helps investors identify high-potential land in Charlotte and nearby counties, giving them a competitive edge.