Although a North Carolina city in Cabarrus County, Concord is considered a Charlotte suburb. This busy financial hub, 27 miles south, has lower tax rates, more affordable homes and higher-rated schools, making it attractive to growing families and urban professionals. For these reasons alone, Concord has become the second-biggest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area and one of the top 10 fastest-growing cities in North Carolina. Residents are 27 miles from Charlotte, making it possible to commute into the busy center for work by car or LYNX train. Cabarrus County’s schools draw in residents who want access to Charlotte but aren’t impressed with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District.
Concord’s name means “harmony” and was chosen in the early 18th century after German and Scotch-Irish settlers ended their dispute over where to put the county seat. Concord still lives up to this name, balancing natural beauty, entertainment centers and suburban amenities. The city features 10 parks, access to Lake Norman and Morrow Mountain State Park, and a walkable downtown area with historic buildings. Concord Mills is the largest outlet mall in North Carolina, and the NASCAR Charlotte Motor Speedway fills for races and a Christmas light display. Though it's rapidly growing, Concord maintains a laid-back southern charm and small-town feeling.
Concord is growing quickly and the city is taking measures to ensure growth continues smoothly.
Concord locals are easily connected to Uptown Charlotte via multiple transit options.
The bridge on the Harold B. EcEachern Greenway in the Brookwood North neighborhood.
The Brookwood North neighborhood homes have been standing since the 30s and 40s.
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From rural ranch-style homes to luxury properties
The median home price in Concord is $383,910, higher than the national average of $327,667 reported by U.S. News & World Report. Most Concord properties have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and over 2,000 square feet. “Four- to five-bedroom homes with 3,000 square feet are fairly new and less typical. They’re also more expensive, often starting in the $450,000s,” says Realtor Craig A. Duckworth, who lives in Concord and has sold homes here for 20 years. "Homes spend about 23 days on the market, but a house could sell in a day if it’s priced correctly,” Duckworth says. “A home won’t even get a showing if it’s $10,000 over. And if its $5,000 over, it will get a showing but no offer.”
Duckworth reveals Concord is moving from a seller’s market to a more neutral one due to rising interest rates. Housing stock is also low because as much as the market is making people more hesitant to buy, it’s also encouraging them to stay put. “The market changes every six months, sometimes faster than that," he says. "But... when interest rates climbed to 6%, everything stopped. People were on the fence.”
Concord’s layout has roughly three sections: historic, rural and higher-end. The area’s most historic homes are close together on grid-style streets circling downtown. Subdivisions radiating outward from this downtown core become more rural, with ranch-style homes on large lots. The western edge, near Concord Mills, has some of the most high-end homes and several master-planned communities, Duckworth says.
Moss Creek and Christenbury are built around luxury amenities, including pools, sports courts and walking trails. Both have townhouses starting in the $300,000s, but Moss Creek home prices rarely climb above $400,000, while Christenbury’s gated section settles in the $1 million range. The established subdivision of Kings Crossing also sells in the $1 million range. “It’s the most exclusive community in Concord,” says Duckworth. “If you live there, you know you’ve made it.” Brand-new apartments will join the downtown scene in 2025, creating more ways to live and work in the historic center. In June 2024, the Cabarrus County commissioners adopted a plan to lower the property tax rate to 56.7 cents per $100 of assessed value for the 2024-2025 fiscal year from 74 cents per $100 in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Homes in Concord lie at a higher price than the national average at just over $380,000.
Townhomes offer a more affordable option for ownership to residents of Concord.
There are many areas of Concord featuring modest single family ranch style homes.
Luxury homes can be found in various communities like Moss Creek and Christenbury in Concord.
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Working in Concord or Charlotte
The city has several major employers, and the proximity to Charlotte gives residents plenty of options for work. Atrium Health operates hospitals and medical centers across North Carolina. Concord is home to the 400-bed Atrium Health Cabarrus on Church Street North, with 24-hour emergency care and specialty services ranging from cardiac treatments to orthopedics. Shoe Show was founded in nearby Kannapolis, but its headquarters and distribution center are in Concord. Charlotte Motor Speedway and Hendrick Motor Sports hire engineers and car technicians, but the organizations also operate with the help of marketing, accounting and management specialists. With Charlotte nearby, job seekers can find opportunities in the nation’s second-largest banking center while living in the quieter Concord.
The Show Shoe distribution center is massive building and large employer for locals of Concord.
The Great Wolf Lodge is more than just an impressive hotel but a local attraction in Concord.
Atrium Health has various locations and a headquarter campus for great healthcare in Concord.
Concord is home to the local NASCAR mecca of the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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Cabarrus County Schools earns an A
Homes here have access to the highly regarded Cabarrus County Schools district, which earns an A-minus from Niche. The district has 44 schools serving over 34,000 students, and the rise in students often leads to school expansions and brand-new buildings. Cox Mills Elementary, Harris Road Middle School and Cox Mill High School all score A ratings from Niche.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public university 12 miles south of Concord with an 80% acceptance rate and a $3,812 in-state tuition fee for undergraduates. Duke University, ranked No. 1 in North Carolina by U.S. News & World Report, is over 100 miles from Concord but less than two hours by car via Interstate 85. Duke is known for its athletics, liberal arts and sciences college and 6.3% acceptance rate. Barber-Scotia College, a private historically Black institution, was established in 1867 and has maintained a relationship with the Presbyterian Church since.
Robert C. Bailey Stadium in Downtown Concord is home to the Concord Spiders
The entrance to Coltrane-Webb Elementary in Downtown Concord
The entrance to Concord High School in Downtown Concord
The entrance to Concord Middle School located just outside of Downtown Concord
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Concord is expanding its green spaces
According to The Trust for Public Land, 1% of Concord’s land is currently used for parks and recreation, and 11% of residents live 10 minutes from a park. Though there are 10 parks in Concord, the city projects it will have four new parks by 2030, increasing its current 18 miles of green space to 30 miles. One of its latest planned additions is J.E. “Jim” Ramseur Park, a $21 million investment. The park's amenities will include activity shelters, six lighted pickleball courts, two basketball courts, a dog park, two inclusive playgrounds and miles of trails. The 24-acre Dorton Park, west off Poplar Tent Road, is undergoing a transformation with a $4 million budgeted plan. Come 2025, locals can try out the new disc golf expansion, playground equipment and Coddle Creek Greenway connection. Lake Norman is the largest body of water in the area, around 35 miles west. Morrow Mountain State Park is about a 30-mile trip east and offers over 5,000 acres with mountain hiking trails, camping grounds and Lake Tillery access.
The city also intends to create more asphalt and natural surface trails in the coming years to enhance connectivity, including a mountain bike trail and other greenways across the city. Locals bike, walk and run the 2.67-mile Hector Henry Greenway off Rocky River Road. The section is part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a regional trail network reaching 15 counties and 2.9 million people. Most of these trails are currently disconnected, but the overarching goal is to create a cohesive pathway from county to county, connecting locals to businesses, schools, parks and other attractions across the region.
Concord is also known for Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor water park on Weddington Road with four pools, 11 waterslides and on-site playgrounds. The Cabarrus Museum of History on Union Street is open by appointment to see displays in the restored Historic Cabarrus County Courthouse.
Local groups and chapters help to maintain and support parks and the city as Concord grows.
Locals enjoy the many recent upgrades to parks and outdoor spaces throughout Concord.
Residents have access to exciting outdoor experiences and adventures at the parks of Concord.
A stone walkway leads to a meditation area in Memorial Garden in Downtown Concord
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Concord has racing, Concord Mills Mall and downtown shopping
Duckworth says that while the NASCAR Charlotte Motor Speedway is on Concord Parkway, Concord isn’t really a “NASCAR” city. However, traffic rises with race fans flooding in to sit in one of the 95,000 stadium seats. Locals often spend their time at the outlet mall or downtown in boutiques and breweries. "There have been a lot of small breweries popping up, and they're taking off like wildfire here,” Duckworth says. “We also head to Charlotte for the Panthers’ games or go to Lake Norman to hunt, boat and fish.”
Union Street in Downtown Concord is known for its collections of shops and restaurants in historic brick buildings, like the Press & Porter Coffeehouse and The Mercantile gift shop. The current downtown is under construction to replace aging infrastructure and improve pedestrian footpaths and dining opportunities. The city’s streetscape plan will include widening its sidewalks and adding 15 parking spaces, smart light poles and more space for public art. Additionally, the city is repurposing its former city hall building at the corner of Union Street South and Barbrick Avenue for new retail, restaurants and commercial offices.
Construction of the mixed-use retail center Christenbury Village broke ground in 2024. Located at the intersection of Christenbury Parkway and Cox Mill Road, just a mile from Concord Mills, the village will bring more housing, retail and commercial business spaces, including a Lowe’s Foods, pet supply store, dental center and 156 residential rental units. Residents from Charlotte drive up to shop at Concord Mills, a Simon property with over 145 stores and the Sea Life Aquarium.
Several events occur throughout the year in Concord, including the September Cabarrus County Fair, which features a mix of amusement park rides, livestock and equine exhibits, food vendors, live entertainment and games.
NASCAR fans rejoice with great race day experiences at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord.
Concord Mills is one of the largest malls in the country and calls the city of Concord home.
The great shopping and dining options are spread throughout Concord.
Nothing New Quality Threads, in Downtown Concord, has premium selection of vintage clothing.
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Concord’s crime trends over the past three years
Crime in the city tends to concentrate around the downtown area and surrounding Concord Mills Mall. Simon Properties enacted a teen chaperone policy to reduce the number of thefts and violent crimes occurring in the mall, which included a string of shootings in 2021. The Concord Police Department reported an average 10.8% drop in property crimes and a 19.1% increase in violent crimes over a three-year span. USA Today ranked Concord as the second-best city to live in, citing the relatively low crime rate as one of the major reasons to move here.
The very popular Harold B. EcEachern Greenway in the Brookwood North neighborhood.
The large Concord water tower is just south of the Brookwood North neighborhood.
Carolina Mall is a popular place for walkers in Downtown Concord.
The tunnel that separates J.W. McGee Park and McEachern Greenway.
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I-85 travels and standard weather patterns
Residents living near the downtown area can walk to shops. Otherwise, Concord is mostly car-dependent but has affordable commuter options. The Concord Kannapolis Area Transit provides public bus transportation routes to employment, schools, medical facilities, shopping and entertainment destinations in the area at a rate of $1.25 per ride. This transit service has bike racks and wheelchair lifts and offers real-time route tracking through its online app. Concord’s western edge is also bisected by I-85, and several main highways run through the area, including U.S. Routes 601 and 29.
Concord-Padgett Regional Airport has limited flight options. Allegiant Air is the only airline traveling from this airport, offering fixed destinations to select international airports. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is 30 away on I-85 and offers nonstop international flights through Delta, American and more.
Concord residents enjoy mild weather year-round. “We have a wonderful change of seasons without extremes,” says Realtor Terry Rowell, who's lived in the area for eight years and has been a North Carolina resident for 40 years. Temperatures rarely fall below 20 F or above 96 F. “If we get snow, it's usually for no more than three days, and it’s gone in 24 hours. If we get more extreme weather, it’s usually coming off the coast, and by the time it gets inland, it’s downgraded to a tropical storm,” Rowell shares. The last major storm in the area happened in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo landed in Charlotte.
Just outside of Brookwood North downtown Concord is ever expanding.
The Brookwood North neighborhood of Concord, NC.
Concord locals are easily connected to Uptown Charlotte via multiple transit options.
Gibson Mill, in Downtown Concord is a great place to conduct business or meet a friend.
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